It’s liquid gold: creating income, protecting the environment, and
boosting food security


[ [link removed] ]Mercy Corps

Dear Friend,

It does more than sweeten your tea or toast: From Kenya to Georgia, Nepal
to Puerto Rico, honey has the power to help create jobs, boost food
security, protect the environment, and increase the inclusion of women and
youth in economies.

Whether through the global export of award-winning honey products or as a
sustainable livelihood source for small-scale farmers, beekeeping plays an
important role in many Mercy Corps programs.

  [ Nepal ]Nepal  
   

Honey provides a more secure future

  In Nepal, Kamala harvests fresh honey from her hive. After attending a  
Mercy Corps training on modern beekeeping, she was able to increase
her honey production and income, and can now afford to set aside
savings for her future.

People like Kamala living in remote areas of Nepal can be more susceptible
to food insecurity. Because the factors that cause families to experience
hunger are complex, Mercy Corps uses holistic solutions to address
underlying economic and ecological stresses. By helping people in Nepal
access more diverse income sources like beekeeping, or training rural
communities on agricultural practices that can mitigate severe flooding,
we increase their resilience against future natural disasters and other
shocks.

Bringing back the bees

In Nepal, farmers have historically relied on harmful chemical pesticides
to manage insect infestations. Not only are these chemical pesticides
expensive, they also have a significant negative impact on human health
and the surrounding environment. Extensive chemical pesticide use over the
years led to the large-scale disappearance of honey bees in Nepal, leading
to lost livelihood opportunities in many communities.

In one year, Mercy Corps trained over 35,000 farmers to use natural
methods to manage pests. These less harmful and more cost effective
methods have not only helped lower production costs for farmers, they also
reduced the human health risks and the negative impact on the environment.
As a result, honey bees returned to the area. Farmers recognized the
importance of maintaining their environment and are seeing their incomes
increase from more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices, as
well as from the additional income received from honey production.

  [ Georgia ]Georgia  
   

A beekeeping revival benefits communities

Jara is the name of a traditional Georgian wild beekeeping practice —
  a centuries-old method of domesticating wild bees in hollowed wooden  
logs. This sustainable practice leaves a portion of honey for the bees
instead of harvesting all of it for humans, helping to preserve bee
populations.

Jara almost ceased to exist until 2014, when it began a slow revival with
a program implemented by Mercy Corps and partners. By creating both a
local and global export market, Mercy Corps is creating a positive ripple
effect for Georgian communities’ income, including increased interest in
local ecotourism. Today, this honey is not only winning international
awards for its delicious taste and texture, cleaner apiary practices have
significantly reduced the need for antibiotics compared to previous years,
setting a higher bar for honey quality as well as bee health.

  [ Puerto ]Puerto Rico  
   

Resilient bees, resilient people

Rafael rescues wild hives of Puerto Rican bees. He inspects the hive
  boards, bees, and honey while his partner Sonia calms the bees with a  
smoker. Mercy Corps has assisted them with beekeeping supplies, access
to local markets, and help with eco-friendly practices to support
their long-term recovery from Hurricane Maria.

After Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, Mercy Corps identified more than 500
farmers, fisherfolk, and beekeepers whose livelihoods were devastated by
the storms. We developed solutions according to their unique needs,
providing beekeepers with high quality beehives to replace those destroyed
by the storm, as well as training and access to global apiary conferences
and connections. Over 1,000 members of households will indirectly benefit
from this program.

Like bees working together in a hive, our team, our local program
participants, and global community members like you, we can create
something that wouldn’t be possible without our combined efforts. Thank
you.

— The Mercy Corps team

P.S. Would you like to support our
life-changing work? Consider [ [link removed] ]making your first gift today.


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