Beekeeping is a unique form of agriculture that is beneficial to the environment and provides economic reasons for people to look after their local habitats. It also provides people with valuable sources of income and nutrition, yet the input costs can be very low.

There is fresh perception of beekeeping as a craft at the forefront of transition towards a richer and more diverse global, ecological civilisation. A new generation of well-informed, ecologically aware, community-minded beekeepers are celebrating bees, and re-evaluating honey and beeswax for the fabulous and special products that they are. 

Our activities

The Commission is a network that provides unique opportunities for people to meet, share information and learn. We meet at Apimondia Congresses and Symposia, as well by e-mail communication between events. These events are attended by many beekeepers, and also by development professionals and academics who contribute to our knowledge of bees, beekeeping and development worldwide. ​

Nicola Bradbear explains why beekeeping is a wonderful way to create livelihoods.

Apimondia gives attention to the role and value of beekeeping within rural development, in particular:

• How best to encourage and support beekeeping for people with few financial resources
• Extensive beekeeping and honey hunting practises
• Utilisation of indigenous and local species
• Sustainable utilisation and conservation of honey and stingless bee populations
• Organic and social certification of bee keeping enterprises
  
• Organisation of producer groups and cooperatives
• Trade and marketing issues, and trade criteria
• Cultural aspects of apiculture
• Beekeeping as part of non-timber forest production
• Government and trade policies
• Beekeeping in food security and poverty alleviation

​Report
Beekeeping contributes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Guidelines
Good beekeeping practices for sustainable apiculture

Blog
Ogiek honey: The precious nectar linking tradition with the future