Environmental Conversation: CAMGEW Celebrates Vital Role Of Bees, Advocates For Their Urgent Protection

L-R:Family Photo Taken At The Event, Bees Carrying Out Cross Pollination 

By Raymond Dingana 

The importance of bees-winged insects closely related to wasps, and ants known for their pivotal role in pollination goes beyond just producing honey for consumption, and other purposes, conservationists say.

This explains why the United Nations proclaimed May 20th as World Bee Day which aims to raise awareness on the importance of pollinators, the threats they face, and their contributions to sustainable development.

During a Panel discussion in Bamenda to celebrate World Bee Day, and World Biodiversity Day, Thursday May 23,2024, conservationists suggested that because man's existence depends on the continued presence of bees, all must be done to ensure they never go extinct.

Conservationists At The Panel Discussion 

The panel discussion was organized by a local Non Governmental Organization, (Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch) CAMGEW whose team lead, Mr Wirsy Emmanuel Binyuy described the bees as one of the wonders of the world, and said bees must be celebrated, and above all protected.He stated that  if bees disappear today, it means pollination would not take place which is bad news for humans.

"Without the bee, humans have a maximum of just four years to leave,"

stated Binyuy, 

" We get our crops pollinated by bees without us paying for their services, we have honey and we say people should eat honey because it's natural, but some people don't see the importance of it as of now."

He also pointed out that the greatest threats to the bee are bush fires which he said CAMGEW has been able to combate it with the help of those around the Kilum-Ijim Forest, a Mountain rain forest area in Oku, Bui Division of the North West Region of Cameroon.

CAMGEW'S Team Lead, Wirsy Emmanuel Binyuy At The Panel Discussion 

Thanks to continuous sensitization, Binyuy says communities have realized the wealth that exists in the honey sector, and are doing all to protect the forest from bush fires thereby safeguarding their bee hives because the bee is a source of livelihood.

He also encourage young persons to try their hands at bee farming,and contribute to curbing the rate of unemployment that is the order of the day around the Kilum-Ijim Forest area.

Sevidzem Ernestine Leikeki, Women Empowerment Officer at CAMGEW spoke about the role of bees in the context of  medicinal plants, and climate change mitigation. She stated that with the adverse effects of climate change, the bee plays a massive role in mitigating the situation through cross pollination.

"With the bee, there is cross pollination which enhances the multiplication of medicinal plants in the forest," 

said Sevidzem.

The panelists shared experiences on how biodiversity has been of importance to them, and what they are doing to ensure it's sustainability.They also presented what they have been able to produce thanks to the biodiversity.

There was also a visit to the Northwest Bee Farmers Messenger (NOWEFAM) which serves as a one-stop shop for everything about bee,and bee farming.

At NOWEFAM 

Worthy of note is the fact that World Bee Day was celebrated on Monday 20th of May with the theme:Engaging Young People As Future Bee Keepers, and Stewards of the Environment, while World Biodiversity Day was observed on Wednesday May 23 under the theme: "Be Part of the Plan."

Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch (CAMGEW) is a not-for-profit organization created in October 2007 to look for solutions to environmental and women’s issues in Cameroon. CAMGEW works locally and thinks globally, integrating gender in solving environmental problems in Cameroon.

CAMGEW believes that the future of  mother planet-earth is in the hands of men and women, young and old and also that this planet can be sustained by putting social and environmental justice at the centre of development.

Photo Credit: Web