World Bee Day 2025: “Bee Inspired by Nature to Nourish Us All”
World Bee Day this year under the theme “Bee Inspired by Nature to Nourish Us All” is a timely reminder of how deeply our survival and well-being are tied to nature’s quiet heroes: bees. These humble pollinators are essential to global food security, biodiversity, and climate resilience. But beyond their ecological role, bees also carry powerful lessons for innovation, collaboration, and sustainability values that are deeply rooted in the work of the Agripreneurship Alliance. These pollinators are increasingly threatened by habitat loss as the world faces complex challenges such as climate change, youth unemployment, and food insecurity particularly in Africa. The story of bees offers an inspiring model and so does the journey of Africa’s young agripreneurs who, with the support of visionary organisations like the Agripreneurship Alliance, are rising to the occasion.
Bees, though tiny, are critical to the functioning of life. They pollinate over 75% of the world’s leading food crops, enabling the production of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts that nourish both people and ecosystems. In Africa, where agriculture is the backbone of many economies and a key source of employment for youth and women, bees also play a vital role in boosting crop yields and enhancing biodiversity. Without bees, our diets would be less diverse, less nutritious, and more vulnerable to food insecurity. But bees do more than pollinate; they embody balance, efficiency, and mutual cooperation. Targeted efforts to protect pollinators include restoring habitats, reducing pesticide use, promoting agroecological farming, supporting sustainable beekeeping, raising public awareness, and strengthening policies and research to ensure healthy ecosystems and resilient food systems not only safeguard their survival but also promote the conservation of broader biodiversity supporting a wide range of organisms that interact within ecosystems. This, in turn, strengthens critical ecosystem services such as natural pest regulation, improved soil structure and fertility, carbon sequestration, and the purification of air and water. These interconnected benefits highlight the need for a holistic and integrated approach to agriculture, one that balances productivity with ecological stewardship. Ensuring the long-term coexistence of farming systems with natural habitats is essential for the sustainable production of food, fibre, and fuel, and for building resilient agrifood systems that can adapt to climate change and future challenges.
Supporting this transformation is the Agripreneurship Alliance, an organisation dedicated to empowering young African entrepreneurs to become leaders in sustainable agriculture. Through business training, mentorship, and collaborative learning, the Alliance equips youth to turn agricultural challenges into enterprise opportunities.
What sets their approach apart is not just a focus on farming, but on value driven agripreneurship creating ventures that are environmentally conscious, economically viable, and socially impactful. And beekeeping, a traditionally overlooked rural activity, is now emerging as one of the most innovative agribusiness pathways for youth across the continent. Young agripreneurs in Africa are increasingly exploring beekeeping as a climate-smart, low-cost, and high-impact business. The reasons are: beekeeping requires minimal space and investment making it ideal for youth with limited access to land, by integrating beekeeping with crops like coffee, avocado, or sunflower, young farmers boost yields while creating biodiversity-friendly farms. Agripreneurs are not just producing honey, they are building brands around organic honey, beeswax candles, cosmetics, and propolis products adding value and unlocking new markets. Inspired by nature, youth are also introducing tech like smart hives, GPS tracking, and digital marketing platforms to modernise traditional practices.
The buzz of change is growing louder across Africa. With each empowered youth and each innovative agribusiness, we move closer to a food system that truly nourishes us all. Let us support the organisations, educators, and agripreneurs who are rethinking agriculture rooted in nature, powered by youth, and guided by purpose.
Happy World Bee Day!
Sheila Mary Bahonya
Agripreneurship Alliance
20 May 2025