Bees and what next?

from w
Cikobia is a small island, isolated, very distant from Labasa. Peceli's grandmother was a child there so it's a special place for us. However, I just wonder how the people there are going to manage to look after this bee-keeping project.  I can see cartoons of bees chasing people all around the village if they are not careful. And will the people know how to turn to bee-hives into honey, put it in jars to market?  Can't see much value is hiring boats to take honeycomb all the way to Labasa. And why ask women to do the task, and not men?  Let the guys get stung!

from today's Fiji Times.

10K to help villagers with first project

Salaseini Vosamana
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

VILLAGERS of Cikobia Island in Macuata will start their inaugural $10,000 bee farming project this year.

The initiative will generate income for more than 100 islanders.

Vuninuku Village headman Apaitia Cagituevei said government had offered 16 beehive boxes to them early this year.

"The boxes will be equally distributed to the four villages on the island where women will be encouraged to monitor the farming situation," Mr Cagituevei said.

"While this is the first-ever project for us, we are hoping it will be successful for the purpose of uplifting the standard of living on the island," he said.

"The villagers will soon undergo bee farming training so they can have a better idea of how to operate such businesses."

Mr Cagituevei said government had greatly assisted them.

"We will market our products to Labasa and other parts of the country depending on the arrangements made with our buyers," he said.

"We thank the government for their assistance and we know this will benefit the younger generation."

District officer Macuata Peni Tora said the $10,000 project was aimed at improving the living standard of islanders.

"We will send the boxes to the island in August where it will be disseminated to the villages," Mr Tora said.

"This is part of our integral approach as we work towards eradicating poverty in Fiji," he said.

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This is not a new idea.  It was tried in the Seaqaqa area a couple of years ago and I wonder how successful that was.

Beehives for rural women

Maneesha Karan
Friday, September 17, 2010

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Naravuka Village women with the beehives and materials for honey farming. Picture: MANEESHA KARAN

NINETEEN double beehives were handed over to the women of Seaqaqa tikina yesterday by the Department of Women and District office at Naravuka Village.

DO Seaqaqa Asesela Biutiviti said the joint project was undertaken to empower women in rural communities.

"The government is focusing on projects that help empower women, and this is one such project whereby women can help generate income for their families," he said.

Of the 19 beehives, the Seaqaqa District Office handed 12 double beehives including farming material such as honey extractor and smoker, which cost about $8000.

Seaqaqa tikina consists of seven villages Naravuka, Nacereyaga, Lomaloma, Saivou, Batiri, Nanenivuda and Natua and each will receive two beehives.

The remaining hives will be owned by the tikina and kept at Naravuka Village.

Seaqaqa Tikina Soqosoqovakamarama spokeswoman Arieta Samosi said they were happy to receive the beehives.

"The village women feel they have no constructive work to do except farming for household consumption and household chores," she said.

"This project will help the women earn extra income through selling honey."

She said some women had plans to start bee farming but lacked resources.

"Now that we have the required hives and the materials for beehiving, there is no stopping for us now."

Mrs Samosi said there was a potential market in Labasa for honey.