MINISTER of Green Economy and Environment, Collins Nzovu has called on the forestry department in Kabompo District to reinforce tree conservation measures.
Eng. Nzovu says the forestry department in the area needs to come with more stringent measures of reducing the indiscriminate cutting down of trees to help improve the bee keeping and honey production.
He said this in Kabompo yesterday when he toured the Kabompo bee keeping and honey factory.
“I want to encourage the forestry authority to ensure that the indiscriminate cutting down of trees is reduced as this will also improve the availability of bees and honey production. This honey production is a viable economic sector which if harnessed can be of great economic value to all,” Eng. Nzovu said.
“Trees need to be conserved as they are a source of water as well as reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the environment.”
Eng. Nzovu further encouraged the Kabompo bee keeping factory management to draft and submit a project plan on how production can be improved so that they may be assisted by government and its partners.
“Kindly draft and submit a company project plan that will show how you think the factory can be assisted to expand so that government can assist where possible”, he said.
Eng. Nzovu said that honey production is a viable business as all its by-products never go to waste in its production chain.
“Honey production is viable as you can see the processing also produces bee wax which is used for various products such as candles and polish”, he said.
The minister also encouraged the management to continue with the good works at the factory which he said will lead to a sustainable living of the community in the district as well as the nation.
“We want to encourage the small-scale bee keepers to continue with what they are doing as this is a viable trade.
“I will also engage the Honourable Member of Parliament here, Lufuma to see how we can help this factory progress”, he said.
And Kabompo bee keeping and honey factory acting general manager, Martin Sakahundu explained that the company produces about 30 buckets of honey a day but can produce more if assisted with finances to improve production.
Sakahundu said that the institution relies on small scale bee keepers that supply honey but they received less honey in the previous year due to the unavailability of trees with bees.
“We buy honey from local bee keepers from Kabompo though we did not receive any honey last year due to the unavailability of trees with bees due to the cutting down of trees.
“We produce about 30 buckets of pure organic honey however, if assisted with finances we believe that we can increase production of honey and its by products such as wax which can be exported to the United States”, he said.
The minister was in Kabompo yesterday to check and appreciate the successes and challenges of the green and environmental related institutions and how they are operating, reports ZANIS.
