Answers to your questions
Less than half the population of Africa owns a smart phone, and for rural communities it is a very low percentage yet we own 1000’s of “2nd” phones that are of little value to us.
Selling honey is the main “cash crop” for a lot of rural communities and by improving their bee keeping skills your old phone will reduce poverty.
Initially the phones you donate will be used to deliver training and educate bee keepers to achieve the Africa Apiculture Vocational Qualification (AAVQ). This includes keeping Apiary records, monitoring pesticide use, managing the collection of Swarms and most importantly the creating the real time regional big data, on which strategies to develop the industry are based.
Initially the phones you donate will be used to deliver training and educate bee keepers to achieve the Africa Apiculture Vocational Qualification (AAVQ). This includes keeping Apiary records, monitoring pesticide use, managing the collection of Swarms and most importantly the creating the real time regional big data, on which strategies to develop the industry are based.
ApiTrace is a food traceability system based on the Bee.Watch system, developed by uWatch ltd in the UK.
The main challenge to rural industries is getting quality products to market and ApiTrace will include locally based honey processing plants where AAVQ bee keepers can sell their honey at a guaranteed price.
This honey is then transported in bulk to wholesalers where it is tested and can be available for export in a matter of days. Using the system honey can be traced right back to the individual hive that produced it.
The main challenge to rural industries is getting quality products to market and ApiTrace will include locally based honey processing plants where AAVQ bee keepers can sell their honey at a guaranteed price.
This honey is then transported in bulk to wholesalers where it is tested and can be available for export in a matter of days. Using the system honey can be traced right back to the individual hive that produced it.
17% of population in Kenya are living in rural arid and semi-arid communities in sub-Saharan Africa. 80% are engaged in apiculture and agriculture, contributing to 90% of national honey production. These two numbers are all educated guesses but the ApiTrace system will deliver the facts on which to develop this important industry.
The first stage to develop a quality food producing system is to stop poor quality products entering the system in the first place and then getting that product to market as quickly as possible.
Only honey from bee keepers who have the AAVQ will be accepted BUT they will be paid, on delivery, through their smart phone.
Developing apiculture in these communities can effectively reduce poverty, address gender inequality issues, create a trained work force and provide sustainable incomes for communities whilst supporting environmental concerns.
The first stage to develop a quality food producing system is to stop poor quality products entering the system in the first place and then getting that product to market as quickly as possible.
Only honey from bee keepers who have the AAVQ will be accepted BUT they will be paid, on delivery, through their smart phone.
Developing apiculture in these communities can effectively reduce poverty, address gender inequality issues, create a trained work force and provide sustainable incomes for communities whilst supporting environmental concerns.
Bee Keeping in Africa is totally different to the temperate climate of the UK. Water drives all agricultural activities and bees will follow the seasons so lot of bee keepers do not have hives as they collect their honey from wild transient colonies, as they have done for 1000’s of years
There are also opportunities to manage niche species like the native stingless bee which produces powerful medicinal honeys similar to Manuka from New Zealand, but it is under threat from invasive species that occupy its environmental space.
There are also opportunities to manage niche species like the native stingless bee which produces powerful medicinal honeys similar to Manuka from New Zealand, but it is under threat from invasive species that occupy its environmental space.
The culture in rural Africa relies on women to bring up the family and run the small holding so initially they will be the recipients of the donated phones. If you send in your phone with your email address then we will have a record of who has the phone you donated. It would then be possible in the future for you to receive pictures of the beekeeper at work.
Any smartphone that is an android version 6.0 of higher or iphone that is version 12.0 or higher.
The AHC consists of 117 members in 43 countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa and Uganda. It is agreed in all these countries that there is a for a system like ApiTrace and once we have the project running smoothly in Kenya they have agreed to ensure its rapid adoption and delivery. With financial commitments from Uganda, Ghana and the French-speaking Ivory Coast.
We were both looking for project partners. And they were looking for a project partner that was based in the UK. It was lucky that our agenda’s matched and together we have been able to collaborate and develop ApiTrace.
1. If you are a company and would like to collect phones for us, please contact us on our email phones4bees@gmail.com
2. If you are an individual, please also either email us at phones4bees@gmail.com with your name and address and we will provide you with a jiffy bag and a returns label,
3. Or drop your phone off at one of our boxes or put it in the post to our address: Bee.Watch, Mill Brook House, Caps Lane, Cholsey, OX10 9HF
2. If you are an individual, please also either email us at phones4bees@gmail.com with your name and address and we will provide you with a jiffy bag and a returns label,
3. Or drop your phone off at one of our boxes or put it in the post to our address: Bee.Watch, Mill Brook House, Caps Lane, Cholsey, OX10 9HF
