Italian Development Agency reviews the impact of the Gorongosa Beekeeping Program.
The Gorongosa Beekeeping Program is transforming local communities with economic benefits and a stronger appreciation of the role of pollination in agricultural production.
In 2021, the Italian Development Cooperation Agency donated a significant number of beehives to the Gorongosa National Park Beekeeping Program. The program’s goal is to enhance local livelihoods and promote environmental sustainability. To document the success and impact of this program, Paola Rolletta, head of international communications at Delpaz, and writer Ángelo Ferracuti visited the Vunduzi Administrative Post in the Gorongosa district. There, they engaged with program beneficiaries and learned about the transformations brought about by the beekeeping efforts.
According to program participants, the financial stability provided by the beekeeping program has been a game-changer, fostering economic independence and improving lives. Five local beekeepers, including two women, shared their experiences with the Italian delegation and spoke about how selling honey helps their families, by paying their children’s school fees, buying food, and building houses.
The beekeepers also shared their connection and feelings towards bees, considering them as friends of the environment and humanity. They emphasized the crucial role bees play in crop production and forest growth and health through pollination.
