UNDP Resident Representative Denise E Antonio

Introduction to the World of Beekeeping Webinar by

UNDP/GEF SGP Grantee “One Eleuthera Foundation - OEF”

Thursday 5 November 2020, 12 noon

Acknowledgements and Salutations

• Ms. Shacara Lightbourne, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Technical Specialist and Acting Country Representative
• Mrs. Nakira Wilchcombe, GEF SGP Bahamas NSC Chairperson and Other GEF SGP NSC Members
• Mr. Shaun Ingraham (pronounce Ing-gram) - President of the One Eleuthera Foundation
• Mrs. Rochelle Newbold - GEF Operational Focal Point and Director of Department of Environmental Protection and Planning, Ministry of The Environment and Housing
• Mr Deon Stewart, GEF SGP Coordinator in The Bahamas
• Other distinguished national and international participants

Good afternoon to all attendees, and special greetings to those of you contemplating beekeeping as a livelihood.

I commend your interest and would venture to say that you have chosen to explore a noble and important source of income. Through our Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), UNDP has observed the sweet rewards of beekeeping to both beekeeping enterprises and the environment. Our project evaluations tell us that it is possible to earn a good living, while contributing to the strengthening of our biodiversity and environmental sustainability. A clear win-win. Every beekeeper becomes an enabler of earth’s biodiversity warrior – the bee – facilitating their critical work in transferring pollen between flowering plants which helps plants grow, breed and produce food.

Bees are therefore gamechangers for food security and local economic growth.  

As an organization committed to ending the injustice of Poverty Inequality and Climate Change, UNDP is unswerving in its dedication to promoting economic activities which can be conducted in harmony with nature.  

This aptly describes the beekeeping project being implemented by One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) in The Bahamas, and underscores why UNDP’s GEF Small Grants Programme selected them as an awardee of one of our strategic grants for GEF SGP Operational Phase 6.

OEF has been awarded $97,800 USD by the GEF SGP and has brought $103,894 in co-financing to the table.

The project, which is being implemented through 2020 and 2021 is: “Bringing awareness to Saving Bees through the establishment of an apiary and provision of training in Eleuthera”.

The project will establish an off-grid solar apiary at the Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) for at least 20 bee colonies to help sustain apiary operations. Notably the apiary can be toured and observed with a view to replicating it in other locations. As a demonstration facility, we hope visitors will see the potential of honey as a healthy sweetener alternative more readily available to the public and come away convinced that solar is a cleaner greener approach to apiary operations.

The public education, awareness and marketing components are also critical components of project sustainability. OEF, CTI, and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) will host a public workshop and offer an “Apiology 101” course for advanced learning. Students will learn how to setup and manage their operations, and for a small fee, receive starter beehive kits. A marketing campaign is designed to increase awareness about the importance of bees, and will include apiary site tours, and digital fliers and videos.

There is no doubt that the OEF project will help us advance the Sustainable Development Goals in The Bahamas, especially those related to No Poverty (SDG 1) Zero Hunger (SDG 2) and Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7). As others observe and replicate the demonstration site, we can only strengthen the achievement of the SDGs, ensuring no one is left behind.   

UNDP believes that local organizations like OEF, working on the ground and being able to directly connect with people are best poised to address sustainable development challenges of marginalized communities, especially those vulnerable to Climate Change and natural hazards.   

I commend the Foundation for their insight in developing this innovative project and wish to thank IICA and CTI for their partnership. We look forward to more productive engagement with you as we work together to advance the national development aspirations of The Bahamas. To the attendees, I wish for you a productive and rewarding session. Thank you.