A one-week workshop has commenced to assist beekeepers to learn to produce high quality products to sell, from beewax, including candles, beeswax food wraps, body balms and lip balms.

“The bees have so much more to offer than just honey,” said Bees for Sustainable Livelihoods Project Leader, Cooper Schouten.

Mr Schouten mentioned this during the first Pacific Island Bee Congress at the Tanoa International Hotel, Nadi yesterday.

More than 200 participants from 12 different Pacific countries were present.

They are expected to learn the basics of queenbee breeding, including making started and finisher colonies and grafting. They will also learn general bookkeeping skills and many more programmes throughout the week.

The event is sponsored by the ACIAR, Southern Cross University, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, FIJI Water, Fiji BeeKeepers, Bees for Sustainable Livelihoods, Pacific Farmer Organizations, Farmer Organizations for Africa Caribbean and the Pacific.

Fiji Beekeepers Association President, Nilesh Ravindra Kumar said the congress workshop would help them in creating businesses and a connection with other beekeepers in the Pacific.

Mr Schouten said the idea behind the event was to get people to come together to share knowledge and skills and to grow the Pacific beekeeping community.

Story by:: mereleki.nai@fijisun.com.fj