Bio-diversity

Primary Objective - For the local community: Socio economic benefits through job-creation and small business development; A sense of achievement and pride as this will be a black-owned beekeeping honey processing plant in a predominantly farm owner-farm worker landscape; Building bridges between surrounding landowners and local community members, as in time some hives can be rented to farmers to provide a pollination service on food producing farms; Enhancing cultural practices by stimulating the development of indigenous beers of which the main ingredient is honey. This beer is healthy and could eventually be manufactured to be marketed to tourists Beneficiaries will receive training on all beneficiation opportunities, which would again lead to job creation and SMMME development. Secondary objective - For biodiversity: Establishment and maintenance of healthy bee populations a vital outcome due to the global decrease in the number of bees; Maintenance of the vital ecosystem service of pollination as bees perform this service for both natural vegetation and crop production; Protection of wild bees, as local communities will no longer need to raid wild hives to access honey; Protection of other species the income generation /job creation benefit from the honey sales will allow community members to purchase additional dietary requirements as opposed to being forced to poach bush meat from the conservation estate.

South africa