The Importance of Beekeeping in Agriculture

The following is a guest post from Microbial Insights. For nearly three decades, Microbial Insights has been a leading biotechnology laboratory, offering microbial diagnostic solutions through innovative Molecular Biological Tools (MBTs). Our MBTs provide comprehensive identification and accurate quantification of microbial communities.

Have you ever wondered why the beekeeping business is on the rise today? Many people opt to do the beekeeping business because it has numerous agricultural and economic benefits to farmers and the ecosystem. Some people keep bees for income generation while others for medicinal reasons.

Over the centuries, honey was the only sweetener in use, and the first people to introduce beekeeping was the Egyptians. Honey was one of their favorite food, and they consumed it daily. Beekeeping can be tedious because you need thousands of bees and should fight off pests like ants and mites to get enough honey.

The following are the benefits of beekeeping:

•       You Get Honey

Most people keep bees for honey. It is a natural sweetener, and you can add it to your tea or toast and use it instead of sugar. One advantage of honey is that it does not expire, so you can use it at your preferred time. To keep it safe, you need to seal it properly, store it in a cool place, and avoid exposing it to direct sunlight. Besides, honey is rich in nutrients like iron, manganese, niacin, and riboflavin. The antioxidants in honey reduce the risks of strokes and heart attacks.

•       Help in Pollination

For the plant to reproduce, pollination must take place. Bees help in pollination while looking for nectar and pollen. Pollen from the plant sticks on the bee, and when it goes to another plant, the pollen falls off to the stigma leading to pollination.

•       To Get Propolis

Propolis is a waxy substance created by bees after mixing beeswax, saliva, and other compounds from trees and plants. Bees use propolis to seal gaps in their hives and to keep off intruders. It also protects the bees from pathogens. The 2019 research revealed that propolis has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties.

•       To Harvest Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural substance secreted by honeybees to build a honeycomb. Once secreted, it’s colorless, but after mixing with pollen and other matter, it changes the color to yellow or brown. Once it goes through rendering, melting, and filtering processes, it can make various things like lotions, lip balms, candles, soaps, furniture polish and sealants, leather shoe polish, lubricants, and food protection. Also, beeswax is one of the main ingredients used in manufacturing beauty products because it contains some antimicrobial compounds to help people with sensitive skin.

•       You Can Join Beekeeping Community

Once you get into beekeeping, you can join the beekeeping community through social media or look for a beekeeping club or association near you. These associations and clubs have beekeeping equipment like honey extractors which members get on loans. They also invite people and take them through the process of beekeeping.

How Agriculture and Beekeeping go Hand in Hand

Bees are essential in agriculture. They help plants reproduce by moving pollen grains from anther to stigma. Then, seeds are generated, which later creates new plants. Over 80% of flowering plants need the help of pollinators to reproduce. Most of the food we eat, including fruits, chocolate, vegetables, nuts, coffee, and spices, is from flowering plants.

Again, pollinators contribute to clean water and healthy soils by fostering a robust plant community. Farmers with beehives in their farms can testify that they get a lot more farm produce than their counterparts. Plants tend to die once they lack pollen, leading to a low farm yield. Therefore, you should have at least two to three beehives on your farm for better yield because what’s good for bees is suitable for agriculture and climate.

Final Thoughts

For you to enjoy all the benefits brought by beekeeping, you need to go the extra mile. You should plant a pollinator garden, keep mason bees, avoid pesticides and herbicides on your plants, and leave some water outside for bees. Also, learn in detail about natural threats brought by beekeeping, the equipment you need to have, and the price of a swarm and bee boxes.

To get more information concerning beekeeping, you can book your appointment with Microbial Insights, a number one company in environmental microbiology, and the provision of remedial strategies in agriculture. You can also get your beekeeping equipment from them at affordable prices. Beekeeping is profitable, but it depends on the number of beehives you have and how much honey you’ve harvested.