Bauchi: Bala empowers youths with equipment, cash to kickstart modern beekeeping farming

As part of its unwavering determination to empower the youth and ensure socio – economic growth of the state, the Bauchi State Government has successfully concluded a 10-day training on modern beekeeping techniques to  equip participants with practical skills to embark on sustainable beekeeping ventures.

The program  which promise to generate income and jobs for the youths in the state, is organized by the Bauchi State SDGs Office in collaboration with Jane Pure Honey Company was held yesterday at Jolly Guest Inn, Bauchi.

The training which attracted youths from across some selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state is aimed towards building a new generation of beekeepers.

Speaking in a remark during the ceremony, the State’s Director-General of SDGs, Mrs. Lydia John Shehu, emphasized that beekeeping offers vast potential for economic growth, job creation, and long-term sustainable development in the state.

She said that the beneficiaries would only be awarded completion certificates after demonstrating their ability to produce honey and showing clear evidence that they are actively practicing the skills they acquired.

This, according to her, ensures that the program will have a lasting impact on the participants and the wider community.

Mrs. Lydia Shehu who used the event to call for the expansion of the beekeeping training program across all 20 LGAs in the state, sought the support of Governor Bala Mohammed, local government chairmen, and members of the House Assembly Committee on Agriculture and SDGs to ensure that this opportunity reaches more youths in the state.

According to her, the Bee-Keeping program holds great promise for combating unemployment and contributing to the economic diversification of Bauchi state

The Chairman of the Beneficiaries Forum, Mr. Daure David, expressed profound gratitude to the state government for the initiative.

He further requested that the state government allocate land across all LGAs for the establishment of bee farms, which would provide the beneficiaries with a solid foundation for their bee-keeping enterprises.

He also appealed to development partners and the federal government to extend support to beekeepers, ensuring that the industry remains viable and sustainable.

In his remarks, Engr. Shamsudeen Bala Mohammed, represented by SSA New Media, Lawal Mu’azu, commended the Bauchi State Government’s and SDGs’ foresight in supporting youth empowerment and job creation.

He urged the beneficiaries to leverage the knowledge they had gained and use it to make positive impact on their communities, while encouraging them to maximize the potential of the beekeeping industry for their personal growth and the growth of their communities instead of relying on Government jobs.

The Chief Of Staff who represented the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly also addressed the beneficiaries, urging them to be good ambassadors of their communities as they embarked on their beekeeping endeavors.

He emphasized the importance of hard work and dedication in making Bauchi State proud.

At the conclusion of the training, each participant received essential beekeeping tools including Kenyan Togba hive cages, smokers, and a cash grant to jumpstart their beekeeping ventures and entrepreneurship skills.

The beneficiaries, who are expected to begin honey farming and harvest within three months, were also encouraged to apply the skills they have gained during the training to ensure successful honey production. END