The third African Bee keeping Exhibition has been launched in Ethiopia. The exhibition is intended to display bee products in Africa under the theme of: ‘Bee Keeping for Food and Combating Climate Change’.
The Ethiopian government has committed to supporting small hold farmers and the Api-Expo is expected to offer an opportunity for experience sharing second Mekonnen Manyazewal, Minister for industry opening the exhibition.
The issues of agriculture, food security and climate change are heavily interconnected and a focus of Ethiopia’s development agenda he said.
The agricultural sector is the livelihood of millions of small holders and is also expected to play a significant role in providing the raw materials for manufacturing enterprises in the bid for industrialization explained Mekonnen.
The Exhibition will offer a rare opportunity for small hold farmers in Ethiopia to engage with international and continental counterparts said Mulufird Ashagere, President of the Api-Expo Africa 2012 Organizing Committee.
The exhibition will also contribute to enhancing the beekeeping sector in the country by offering by creating investment and market opportunities to encourage the forging of value chains with national and continental producers, processors and exporters according to Mulufird.Bee and honey product exporters should take advantage of this opportunity to form links for export in the EU countries according to Mitiku Kassa, State Minister for Agriculture.
The exhibition will remain open to visitors through the week.
Source: Ethiopian Herald
