Beekeeping for Sustainable Livelihoods in the Indo-Pacific Region

Beekeeping programs have increasingly been implemented in developing countries, with the overall aim of creating alternative income generating opportunities for the rural poor. Beekeeping has the ability to provide rapid returns on investment, improve crop yields, does not require large areas of land, and is complementary to most farming systems. Despite these positive attributes, the potential benefits of beekeeping programs are not always realized. Many beekeeping programs have yielded few positive livelihood outcomes for the intended recipients, and in some cases, have exacerbated financial hardship for the poor despite the best intentions of development agencies.