14 hours ago
No stings attached: SA buzzes toward national beekeeping association
LOCAL and international experts gathered in the Valley of 1000 Hills for a symposium aimed at formalising a national bee-industry body, and raising awareness about the benefits of apitherapy and honeybee products. Left to right: Sandra Hedges (Midlands), Uwe Jansen (Germany), Hannah Paine (Macnut Farm), Dr Stefan Stângaciu (Romania), and (front) Inge Austin (Mpumalanga).
Image: Supplied.
AS concerns around food security, climate change, and biodiversity grow louder, South Africa's bee industry is finding its voice, and urgently so. This week, a one-day workshop at Macnut Farm in the Valley of 1000 Hills formed part of a national push to formalise the country's fragmented apitherapy and beekeeping sectors into a united force.
Held under the banner 'Bee the Future', the event in KZN was one of several taking place across the country; in Nelspruit, Centurion, Somerset West and 1000 Hills; as part of a 10-day mobile symposium tour aimed at establishing a national bee-industry body and raising awareness about the critical benefits of apitherapy and honeybee products.
The event was led by two international authorities: Dr. Stefan Stângaciu (Romania), President of the World Apitherapy Federation, and Uwe Jansen (Germany), Executive Secretary of the International Federation of Apitherapy. They were joined by South African industry experts, health practitioners, academics and beekeepers.
Inge Austin, chairperson of the Mpumalanga branch of the Northern Beekeepers Association and board member of the South African Bee Industry Organisation (SABIO) says that bees are not just a 'nice to have' they are essential. 'The South African economy is pretty much dependent upon bees,' she said. While the statement may sound extreme, experts say that without bees, many of the crops South Africans depend on would fail, thereby triggering a collapse across farming, logistics, trade and retail. That's because pollinators are essential to agriculture and food production.
Globally, bee populations are in decline, placing food systems and ecosystems at risk. Beyond their pollination role, bees offer six raw hive products: honey, pollen, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis, and venom — all with medicinal and therapeutic properties central to apitherapy.
Austin pointed out that these products are not yet fully recognised or utilised in South Africa. 'Many of these commodities are undervalued by both beekeepers and consumers alike. Utilizing the apitherapy values of these products could provide a more continuous income source for beekeepers who are currently only dependent on honey sales — which are usually only harvested once or twice a year. Pollen and propolis, for instance, could be harvested much more regularly providing continuous income for the beekeeper,' she said.
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Right now, beekeepers, holistic practitioners, and producers are working in isolation, something that the 'Bee the Future' initiative is pushing hard to change.
Sandra Hedges, holistic health practitioner from Nottingham Road says,'Currently our industry is segregated. Hedges who is training in apitherapy under Dr. Stângaciu, is helping spearhead efforts to launch a South African Apitherapy Association.
'The symposia are working towards practitioners uniting, sharing resources and skills and learning about best practices and trends globally. We are formalising a national body to join other organisations globally. We all see the value and potential of working together, lobbying and educating,' she said.
Hedges said they want to engage more with western medical doctors, farmers, rural beekeepers and naturopathic integrated practitioners. "... we want to standardise qualifications and get them globally recognised and have open discussions about potential business opportunities and market outlets for bee products.'
The KZN workshop which was attended by 25 participants, focused on Farm-to-Hive Sustainability and showcased Macnut Farm's pioneering beehive air immersive therapy room, believed to be one of the first in the country. Macnut also produces and sells honey, mead and bee-based products.
Experts say that South Africa's bee sector stands at a crossroads and with global momentum building around apitherapy and natural health, and mounting threats to biodiversity, the time to organise, educate, and act, is now.
