The Youth for Agricultural Initiatives, a bee farmers’ association, says Nigeria needs about N36 billion in investment to boost commercial honey and apiculture production.

The YFAI director-general, Africa, Niyi Adeyemo, said this on Thursday in Lagos.

Mr Adeyemo noted that Nigeria was lagging behind in commercial bee and honey production due to a paucity of funds, among other factors.

“We have not scaled up to the commercial level in honey production. But in terms of awareness, we have done better. Commercial production has not been increased because there’s no access to funds. Before you see a commercial bank or a potential investor in apiculture, they want to know the finance model and how soon they can get returns from their investors.

“The new Ministry of Livestock Productions is working seriously to bring beekeeping into the limelight. However, if we can have each state dedicate like N1 billion to the apiculture sector, the funding is going to have a multi-diversity impact on the sector’s productivity.

“We need like N36 billion investment to boost apiculture production in Nigeria. With that, we will be able to start the queen bee rearing, where there will be availability of a queen for anyone to start up a bee farm,” Mr Adeyemo said.

According to him, the funding will enhance security in the sector and, in turn, boost food security across all food value chains.

“There’s a need for us to have what you call a bee estate or bee village. A bee village is a place designated for rearing or beekeeping. There will be heightened security, which will boost the diversity of local food productions.

“The more bees available, the more impact they have on pollination. When you have a good cross-pollination, there will be an increase in the quality and quantity of food production and ultimately food security,” he said.

The expert, however, noted that the sector had done well in raising awareness and in getting more youth into beekeeping.

(NAN)