Training & education in beekeeping

Apiculture gives some of the world's poorest people the opportunity to enhance their income. To be able to do this they need to understand appropriate beekeeping methods for the place where they live. Methods will vary with the location and the resources available for beekeeping. Although the beekeeping sector is fast evolving the most vulnerable people frequently have the least access to the beekeeping information they need. Good quality training will demonstrate how livelihoods might be improved by using affordable beekeeping methods or by maximising the value of the products that can be achieved with the resources available to producers.

Beekeeping trainers need knowledge of beekeeping and also knowledge of teaching. Good training must be interesting, motivating and useful. Training courses need to be tailored to meet the needs and learning abilities of the participants. Learning is always best achieved by doing, therefore workshops and training programmes should be designed to ensure that people participate actively and try things about for themselves. Safety of people should be taken into consideration for all practical courses.

Effective training courses require careful planning and follow-up. Failing to plan is planning to fail. It is often useful to incorporate some form of assessment within a training programme as this verifies to both trainer and students that learning outcomes have been achieved. By the end of a training course participants must be clear about the next steps they need to take in order to implement their new knowledge. Profitable beekeeping is a practical skill and people learn practical skills best by trying them out for themselves. The best training courses are designed so that people leave understanding the steps they will need to take to make full use of the information they have learned.

Training topics which are relevant to those engaged in beekeeping in developing countries include: beekeeping, basic business skills, marketing, making added-value products and running successful clubs and associations.

Bees for Development provide sponsored resource boxes to help groups carrying out beekeeping training.

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