An inspiring legacy and a bright future for Bees for Development Ghana

In January I visited Bees for Development Ghana for planning and monitoring purposes. Bees for Development Ghana was the brainchild of Dr. Kwame Aidoo who, following a career in education, beekeeping, research and pollination science, saw the need for a specialist beekeeping development organisation in Ghana – and did something about it!

Dr. Kwame Aidoo and Janet at Saltpond Honey

After years of dedicated work, training countless beekeepers, Dr. Aidoo retired from his role as Director of Bees for Development Ghana in December 2024. My recent trip afforded an excellent opportunity to reflect on his legacy – as well as looking ahead.

In the Techiman area we met Stephen Adu, a participant of our Cashews, Bees and Livelihoods project. Dr. Aidoo intensively trained six Master Beekeepers and helped them place their beehives in the orchards of small-scale cashew growers. The farmers, many of whom were struggling with poor harvests, benefitted from the pollination services of bees and so enjoyed greater nut yields, and the beekeepers benefitted from a place to site their hives and the honey harvest is shared. After project completion Stephen continued to expand his beekeeping business, and he now has hives established in 85 cashew farmers’ orchards, he trains and helps other beekeepers get started, and has a thriving honey selling business. I was particularly impressed to meet his team of apprentices and helpers – it is wonderful to see how his successful beekeeping enterprise is creating jobs for young people.

Stephen (middle) with his crew in a cashew orchard

Gladys and Elizabeth with their own-made borassus logs in Boabeng

Another great outcome of Dr. Aidoo’s work is our Buzz Club programme, teaching beekeeping in schools. I had the pleasure of visiting the children of Donkorkrom EP Basic School, one of 12 schools we are supporting. It was an absolute delight to hear the kids recite some bee poems they had made and to answer their questions about bee swarms and beeswax.

Janet with pupils of Donkorkrom EP Buzz Club

Donkorkrom is where much of our current beekeeper outreach and honey buying is centred. The town is located near Lake Volta and after a ferry journey we reached Ntona-Boma where we met Joyce Brebi, who explained;

“Beekeeping is better than charcoal-making. To make charcoal I have to give money to men to cut the trees and burn the charcoal and sometimes I get no benefit at all. With beekeeping I can do everything by myself, earn money to make more beehives and buy school books for my children”.

Our Honey and Beeswax Trade Centre grows from strength to strength. In 2024 we purchased nearly 12 tonnes of honey comb – putting money directly into beekeepers’ pockets.

Bees for Development Ghana buys honey from across Afram Plains

I then travelled to meet Kwame at his home in Saltpond and thanked him for his years’ of service. Although now retired from day-to-day work, Kwame is still serving on Bees for Development Ghana’s Executive Council and we are grateful for his continued support. Never one to stand still Kwame is putting renewed efforts into stingless bee beekeeping and is planning to help every Buzz Club to keep a stingless bee colony.

Kwame leaves Bees for Development Ghana in the capable hands of a well-trained team of young men and women. One of our next ambitions is to build a beekeeping training facility in Donkorkrom.

Ghana is a beautiful country full of wonderful people – hard working and dedicated. It is also a country of surprises. In one of my earlier visits I was taken-aback to see brightly coloured bread. On this occasion I saw some pink chicks! Working for Bees for Development is both rewarding and surprising.

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Chicks dyed pink to protect them from hawks!