Letters

Inappropriate interventions

I am a honey trader and exporter from Pakistan. A number of NGOs are working in the northern parts of our country to help beekeeping. Unfortunately many of them employ non-technical people and they are wasting huge funds given to them by donors from all over the world, as they know nothing about beekeeping. They give one hive per person, which anybody who understands beekeeping knows is a waste because one colony cannot survive on its own. Even if it does survive, the cost will be so high that the poor new beekeeper will just abandon the hive and walk away. I have tried to contact the NGOs and tell them that instead of this they should encourage people to work in a group and give them a number of hives, which will not only support them but will also support the colonies themselves. Just handing out a hive is not a solution - actually training people to become proper beekeepers is the most important way. But no-one is interested to do this. Instead they are happy that the funds are coming and are giving good reports to donors, so all seems well. Is there someone who really wants to do the job, which will give results in the end? I am not an NGO but I am willing to establish one, provided someone is really interested to support me.

I do not want to earn anything from this project: instead I know that when it becomes successful I will get my income as the production of honey will increase in my country, and so my business will also improve. We would create an NGO and provide beekeepers with training towards selfsufficiency. We would also buy in advance their honey harvest.

Dr Ellahi Faisal, TKR Traders, Peshawar, Pakistan