Through Plan Bee hundreds of beekeepers and farmers are collaborating on expanding honey production, improving the quality of the honey, and promoting beekeeping in Myanmar.
Tag’s Plan Bee project had trained over a thousand new and existing beekeepers, and is working to improve honey quality, raise the awareness of pollination benefits, and advance the branding and marketing of honey.
The project created upgraded training manuals, introduced a range of innovative beekeeping equipment, such as solar honey extractors, refractometers and polystyrene hives.
Many women were trained in making products from honey by-products. Women-led microenterprises were established, producing and selling beeswax candles and natural cosmetics.
We have also established a Social Beekeeping Enterprise that sells the products to premium local and international markets, buying honey from local beekeepers at fair trade prices.
Eighty Israeli bees were brought to Myanmar, and the first artificial insemination program for bees was initiated. Israeli experts, along with others from Vietnam, provided extensive training.
Over a thousand people were trained as beekeepers, many with no previous experience in the sector, and a good number have gone on to become commercial beekeepers.
The quality of the honey produced has risen dramatically and so has the price it can fetch. Since the start of the project, the price of premium local honey has increased from just $1/kg to over $13/kg!