Hi All,
I am Apoorva, Chairman,The Hive (www.thehivetrust.org). I am a beekeeper since 2008.I have been working regarding bee conservation,bee education and livelihood projects through beekeeping.
I need funds for the following.
Conservation: About 300 bee colonies (Apis Dorsata/Rock bees) are killed everyday in Bangalore urban just because the strong fear factor about bees.I have been reaching people who face bee-human conflict and educating them about how to manage the situation. Only outreach and education can save the bees. I would like to run conservation campaigns in all apartment complexes in Bangalore. If required, we can provide rescue operations for specific cases.
Education: Many times we can’t convince adults as the fear factor about bees is loaded in their minds. But when we give empathy and experience sessions to children at schools, we can kindle interest about natural science and create empathy on small pollinators. I would like to train teachers and volunteers who can teach children about bees and small pollinators from a special designed curriculum. When these children become adults, they will not call pest control services to kill bees in their balconies.
For adults, experience sessions will be organised by arranging bee farm visits. Urban Beekeeping and Indian bee hotels are in plan. Many solitary bees are ground nesting. So, it requires different design altogether unlike the temperate country’s bee hotels.
Livelihood: Beekeeping will be successful only when restoration of forests are promoted and restoration of forests will generate income to grassroots who are in the fringes of forests.
I would like to reach small and marginal farmers as well as tribal communities to teach beekeeping with indigenous bee species (Apis Cerana and tetragonula iridipennis)Pollination will increase agricultural productivity.Honey and beehive by-products will supplement to their livelihood.
I have spent lot of years with bees. The way we are treating them in the name of fear is so shocking! Bees are responsible for pollinating 86% of all plants and trees on earth. And in india,we have 4 indigenous honey bee species and more than 700 solitary bee species. We are losing them because of habitat loss and pesticides. But we are also paying to kill them. We really need to work on it.