Capacity building

Giving beekeeper trainers the tools, resources and confidence to deliver effective training is an essential part of our work.

By sharing materials – both online and in print – we reach people beyond projects, taking our impact to scale. We build the capacity of stakeholders in the beekeeping sector by investing in networking opportunities and building associations.

1,132kgs

registered users on the Resource Centre

2,809

articles on all aspects of beekeeping from across the globe on the Resource Centre

70+

beekeepers brought together for the inaugural National Malawi Honey Show

Resource Centre

How to build a local style hive – video

The purpose of the Resource Centre is to empower beekeepers and beekeeper trainers, giving people the tools and confidence to strengthen sustainable livelihoods worldwide.

Our online Resource Centre has 1,132 registered users and contains 2,809 articles on all aspects of beekeeping from across the globe, most of which are unique to our site.

In 2024 we added four new manuals to the Resource Centre:

How to make fixed comb beehives
How to make a top-bar hive
The Buzz Club Teachers’ Handbook
Insect Pollination Training Toolkit

We regularly email out the Bee Bulletin. This digest of information and resources for people working in beekeeping development reached 1,118 readers in 2024.

Three information posters were published and distributed – Beneficial insects, Bees of Ethiopia and How to Prevent Bushfires.

Building beekeeping networks

Malawi honey show participants

Malawi

We support the beekeeping industry in Malawi, working to build a national network. Beekeeping remains unorganised, with few connections between beekeepers across the country. By working with partners to organise networking events, we hope to build a national beekeeping network or association, capable of supporting and advocating for beekeepers.

Part of this work focuses on establishing a national beekeeping association, similar to The Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation (TUNADO). A network can support beekeepers with access to markets, deliver extension training, and provide a platform for beekeepers to advocate for beekeeping at a national level.

Help us continue this work by making a donation today

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Case Study

Bees for Development in partnership with GiZ Malawi and Winrock International hosted the first National Malawi Honey Show on 7–8 November 2024. The vibrant event brought over 70 beekeepers representing beekeeping cooperatives, associations, processors, honey buyers and equipment suppliers together for a trade show and two days of discussions and workshops.

The Trade Show was opened by Mr Owen Kumwenda, Deputy Director of Agriculture in Northern Malawi, who spoke about the potential of the beekeeping industry. On the second day, Dickson Biryomumaisho, Executive Director of The Uganda National Apiculture Organisation (TUNADO), talked about TUNADO’s success, their organisational structure, and how Malawi can build its own vibrant national association

This is an example of bringing beekeepers together to address the challenges and opportunities for beekeeping in Malawi. Through these networks, we will work towards building a strong national association.