Bees For Development Ghana Partners Darwin Initiative & UKAid To Build Capacity For Beekeepers In Kwahu Afram Plain Districts---On Good Practices In Honey Hunting
According to the Director of Bees for Development Ghana (BfDG), Mr. Kwame Aidoo, the beekeepers in Donkokrom as well as the country as a whole have equal role to play to protect the forest range reserves.
Freeman Koryekpor 
Hundreds of beekeepers living in Donkokrom and other various communities in the Kwahu Afram Plain Districts of the Eastern Region have been trained on how to restore forest and avoid of engaging in human activities which would have tendencies to cause harm to the forest range reserves in their areas of jurisdiction.
According to the Director of Bees for Development Ghana (BfDG), Mr. Kwame Aidoo, the beekeepers in Donkokrom as well as the country as a whole have equal role to play to protect the forest range reserves.
The project seeks to raise awareness about good practices in honey hunting and sustainable beekeeping in Donkokrom in the Kwahu Afram Plain Districts.
Mr. Kwame Aidoo made the call when he was addressing the beekeepers at the official launched of the newly approved project being spearheaded by BfDG in partnership with the Darwin Initiative and UKAid of the United Kingdom.
The project to commence a restoration of forest and vegetation of Kwahu Afram Plain Districts in promoting sustainable bee-keeping farmers of Donkokrom for their improved livelihood in the rural communities.
The project afford opportunities to the farmers of Kwahu Afram Plain Districts to avoid destruction of the forest range reserves for burning charcoal as business, popularly known as charcoal galamsey at Kwahu Afram Plains North.
Speaking at the launch and workshop held at Donkokrom, Director of the Bees for Development Ghana, Mr. Kwame Aidoo explained, the company has planned to plant trees’ in Donkokrom to sensitize local communities to benefit from bee-keeping.
He said the idea is to change the Kwahu Afram Plain Districts into green for a bee-keeping.
He explained that BfDG is going to work with all stakeholders to restore the forests and vegetation of the district to provide abundant forage to honey bees to improve honey and beeswax trade to support livelihoods of the people.
On his Part, the Kwahu Afram Plains Forestry Commission Director, Mr. Richard Okyere Amoateng stressed, the larger environmental benefit comes from the farmers who change their practices because they see the potential value of setting up hives in the forest by stopping the cutting and burning of the forest to grow crops for deforestation to be lessened.
"Farmers can avoid forest degradation or deforestation because they have options that generate more income and provide an additional food source.
He said that honey production can conserve tree cover by avoiding forest degradation due to a variety of factors including wood extraction by many rural communities that often struggle to support their families.
For his part, the Kwahu Afram Plains North District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Isaac Nana Ofori Koree,who chaired the launch stated that, increasing the tree cover, improve livelihoods and also increasing awareness of climate change should be the focused of the Sustainable Landscapes Project in Donkokrom.
He therefore, charged farmers to avoid forest degradation or deforestation because they have options that generate more income and provide an additional food source.
