By Itive Okpalefe
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Delta State Coordinating Office, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Delta State Office, have agreed to collaborate on sensitization and capacity-building for existing and prospective bee farmers in the state.
This partnership was proposed during a courtesy and working visit by the RMRDC team to the NEPC office in Asaba.
Speaking during the visit, the Delta State Coordinator of RMRDC, Mrs. Lesley Okoh, emphasized the immense economic and nutritional value of honey and other bee-related products. According to her, honey contains over 200 natural substances and is the only known material collected by bees directly from plant nectar, which is then combined with enzymes secreted by the bees to create a highly nutritious, pre-digested food substance.
“Honey is rich in essential nutrients and has been shown to correct the malfunctioning of human organs efficiently,” Mrs. Okoh noted. “With proper sensitization and training on value addition, bee farmers can adopt modern techniques that will significantly enhance productivity and revenue.”
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She further highlighted the untapped potential of the beekeeping industry, stressing that with increased awareness and support, it could serve as a major source of income for small and medium-scale entrepreneurs across Delta State.
In his response, the NEPC Delta State Coordinator, Mr. Peter Ohwofasa, expressed appreciation to the RMRDC team for the visit and pledged the Council’s readiness to collaborate with relevant agencies to promote non-oil exports from Delta State.
He stated that the NEPC is committed to supporting entrepreneurs, whether small, medium, or large-scale—to gain access to both local and international markets. “With the value addition potential discussed, Delta bee farmers can scale beyond the state and even beyond Nigeria,” Mr. Ohwofasa said.
He called for a joint initiative between the two agencies to organize a stakeholders’ sensitization programme aimed at equipping bee farmers with technical know-how, market access strategies, and export readiness.
The meeting concluded with a mutual understanding that both agencies would begin working on modalities for the proposed sensitization event, aimed at boosting bee farming and export potential in Delta State.
