The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, on Tuesday in Abuja, underscored the vital role of youth engagement in transforming Nigeria’s beekeeping industry, as he delivered the keynote address at the World Bee Day Celebration and the 6th Nigerian Youth Beekeepers Summit.
Speaking under the theme “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all,” the minister highlighted how pollinators underpin food security, economic growth and ecosystem health.
In his address, the Minister noted that bees pollinate over 75 percent of the world’s crops, making apiculture a powerful engine for job creation, poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods in Nigeria.
He praised the partnership with the Youths for Apiculture Initiative (YFAI) for driving the summit and vowed that the newly established Federal Ministry of Livestock Development would lead efforts to modernize beekeeping nationwide.
The Minister announced plans to support the establishment of modern apiaries, provide technical assistance to existing beekeepers and roll out a Standard Operating Procedure to ensure consistent product quality.
He described the honey bee industry as a priority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, emphasizing that the ministry’s mandate covers all subsectors of animal agriculture.
Warning of the threats posed by habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change, the minister called for research-driven policies and sustainable practices to protect pollinator populations.
He however, urged stakeholders from government and private sector partners to civil society and beekeepers’ associations to collaborate on solutions that boost productivity, address declining bee numbers and enhance product standards.
Closing his remarks, he reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to youth and women’s empowerment through training, capacity building and value-addition initiatives.
He further invited international partners and the private sector to join Nigeria’s drive for a world-class apiculture industry capable of supporting food sufficiency and generating foreign exchange.
The summit, hosted for the first time by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in collaboration with YFAI, brought together young beekeepers, research institutions and industry experts to forge strategies that will secure Nigeria’s place as a leading honey producer.
