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In addition to news, interviews and media advisories, the FAO News and Media office is now distributing real-life stories of farmers, pastoralists, fisher folks, indigenous peoples, forest dwellers and others in the sector.
News agencies and media outlets are welcome to reproduce and reuse these stories and related photos with proper credit given. A link back to the original story is also appreciated.
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Innovating the beekeeping industry in Palestine with recycled beeswax
It all started with 15 young people in Jenin, West Bank, wanting to tap into the huge potential of beekeeping in Palestine to make their living. Unbeknownst to much of the world, Palestine is a
formidable contender in the market of beekeeping; estimates show that in 2020, in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, there were about 86 000 beehives, a number that has increased in the last three years.
In July 2017, these aspiring beekeepers came together to create a support system known as Al Hannoun honey cooperative. Youth from different backgrounds became attracted to the group, quickly
turning it into a strong community of individuals working along the various stages of the honey production cycle.
One cooperative member, Islam Daghlas, is a 23-year-old former veterinarian who took up beekeeping as a hobby four years ago. Little did he know at the time, but the five beehives he purchased
using his savings would grow fourfold and become a reliable source of income.
To start, FAO conducted a needs assessment with the cooperative, the Palestine ministry of agriculture and beekeeping specialists. Then, with funding from the Government of Canada, FAO provided
the cooperative with a beeswax recycling machine and tailored technical guidance. This was the first time this machine had been introduced to the beekeeping business in Palestine. This innovative piece of technology allows the cooperative to reuse beeswax
that has been damaged or destroyed in honeybee hives.
Beeswax is generally rubbed against the inner walls of wooden hives to encourage bees to visit them. This newly introduced machine repurposes the used beeswax that is collected by the farmers
from old hives. The machine melts, homogenizes and purifies it in a special tank. It then pumps the wax to a cooling tank, spreads, shapes and cuts it to form new beeswax foundation molds, ensuring all quality and safety requirements.
Within one year of introducing the recycling machine, Islam and Ahmad were able to save an estimated USD 5 840 (ILS 18 000) – a 28 percent savings – in beeswax. This result is not only promising
for the future of Al Hannoun but also for the beekeeping industry in Palestine as a whole, which imported about 60 tons of industrial beeswax in 2020.
By optimizing the practice of recycling beeswax, the industry can save an estimated 50 percent in related expenses. In addition to the significant economic benefits, this machine prevents
the disposal of huge quantities of used beeswax, reducing the volume of waste generated by beekeeping activities. Furthermore, recycled beeswax is of a higher quality than artificially imported options on the market, resulting in safer and more eco-friendly
products.
Using this recycled beeswax, Abu Yousef, the founder of the cooperative, has enhanced his income by creating a variety of specialty items, including honey with nuts, scented candles, supplements
for bees to enhance honey production and other various products. With the continuous expansion of his business model and the increasing demand from consumers, he and other members are now aiming to open a store to sell their products.
The full story and photos can be found here: https://www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1470869/
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Media outlets are welcome to reproduce the article and related photos provided that FAO and the photographers are given credit. A link back to the original story is also appreciated. Please contact [log in to unmask] for the original photos or other information.
(+39) 06 570 53625 This email was issued by the Media Office at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
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