Beehives Livelihood Establisment

Today, coaster flooding, sea level rise, salt water intrusions, Artisanal refining, unemployment and deforestation are common features in most communities in Niger Delta. These have caused insecurity, alteration of habitats, biodiversity loss and pollution of water bodies and land which are the most important livelihood assets of the people.

These threats have accentuated the urgency to rescue the people of this area due to high risk Livelihood lost; causing environmental, social and economic damage to the people in the region and Nigeria at large. The creation of this alternative livelihood in Beekeeping training and purchase of Beehives for three communities in three regions of Niger Delta state will help to reduce these threats. 

At the end of the program, the project through its impact sustainability will increase communities financial capabilities, increase personal income of local people at the same time reduce Local poverty and strengthen insecurity in the region.

Loss of livelihood arisen from Oil Pollution and insecurity has impacted the Niger Delta region resulting in high poverty rate in the region leaving the region most divested region in sub Africa in terms of resources lost and high mortality rate due to high level of pollution in the region. The local communities in the region from hundreds of thousands of people were affected from incident of pollution in the area, particularly the poorest and those who rely on traditional livelihoods such as fishing and crop farming (Amnesty International, 2009)[1]

The insecurity in the region due to high unemployment of youth is contributing to youth unrest in the region as result of no financial guidance for livelihood training and empowerment hence, they engage in cheap but destructive alternative means of generating livelihood for survival  

The project will provide training and equipment for beneficiaries to become income-generating bee keepers. Beneficiaries will go through 5 days training in the following phases:

Phase 1: Basics to Bee farming

Beneficiaries will learn bee keeping tools that will help them to start their own bee farms. The training will take place in their various communities with detailed instructional materials on ground.

Phase 2: Starting your own Bee Keeping Business

NACGOND with her partner will guide participants to start their own bee keeping business through providing necessary equipment such as bee hives, bee protective suits, bee smoker etc. Beneficiaries will invest part of their income to training other local people once they start generating income from their bee keeping business. And part of the training costs will also be paid for in partnership with NACGOND from their first income through honey harvesting for project sustainability and livelihood stepping down

At the start-up phase, NACGOND will train 30 gender balance people (females and males) in three (3) communities each.

The following results are expected from the training:

• 90 people will gain new skills in beekeeping, which will enhance their independence and confidence
• The 90 beneficiaries will start their own beekeeping businesses that will generate income for them, their families and at least extra 30 people they employ to work with themselves
• NACGOND training project will impact positively on the vocational, psychological and socio-economic aspects of the beneficiaries' lives.
• Awareness about these new opportunities will be done through involvement of the media.

Today, coaster flooding, sea level rise, salt water intrusions, Artisanal refining, youth unemployment and deforestation are common features in most communities in Niger Delta. These have caused insecurity, alteration of habitats, biodiversity loss and pollution of water bodies and land which are the most important livelihood assets of the people.

At the end of the program, the project through its impact sustainability will increase communities financial capabilities, increase personal income of local people at the same time reduce Local poverty and strengthen insecurity in the region by basically involving 70% of the youth in the program.