While the vital role of bees has long been acknowledged and major efforts are underway to protect them across Europe, this is not yet the case everywhere. Driven by its commitment to making the most of what nature and the communities have to offer, Envirium Life Sciences has launched an initiative to help restore bee populations on the land of the smallholders partnering with COPAK, its subsidiary in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This initiative is part of the “Sustainable Cocoa for Peace and Sustainable Development in North Kivu” program, co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the GIZ project, Agri-Business Facility for Africa (ABF).

“Installing beehives on the land of the smallholders who supply us with cocoa is crucial if we want to help them increase their yields and income. It is a natural and effective way to help restore an ecosystem weakened by deforestation in the region,” explains Dimitri Moreels, co-CEO of Envirium Life Sciences and Founder of COPAK. Kavira Nzalamingi, a farmer from the village of Thaliha, has already noticed a difference: “Since the bees arrived on my land, beyond improving yields of certain cultures, beekeeping also provides an additional source of income through a relatively low-maintenance activity”.

Each participant received five beehives.“To ensure they can produce high-quality honey, they were trained by COPAK’s agronomists and will benefit from ongoing field support. They will also be able to use, free of charge, the honey extractors made available in two of our fermentation centres“,says Dimitri Moreels

On the local market, honey sells at a higher price than cocoa. The beneficiaries, many of whom are women, are already anticipating the financial benefits, as Masika Kambale Désanges, a farmer from the village of Bundinahika, explains: “I have just completed my first harvest. I collected 4 kgs of honey from half a hive, while I have five in total. I’m confident that the results will only improve.” 100 beekeepers are currently trained and supervised by COPAK: 40 in the Ruwenzori sector and 60 in the Beni-Mbau sector.