0
0
As the world marks bee day, Nigerians have been urged to desist from acts capable of making bees to go into extinction.
A lecturer in the department of animal production, University of Ilorin, Professor Moshood Belewu gave the advice in an exclusive interview with Lanre Omotoso.
Professor Belewu said acts such as using fire to harvest honey from bees, use of pesticides, fungicides or herbicides for agricultural purposes could lead to extinction of the wonderful insects which pollinate flowering crops for human consumption.
The animal scientist noted that if the trend continues, nutritious crops, such as fruits, nuts and vegetables which give balanced diet would no longer available for human consumption resulting to hunger and food insecurity.
Professor Belewu who is also chairman, University of Ilorin honey bee production enjoined Nigerians to add bee rearing to their farming activities to increase yields through pollination and income from bye-products of bees.
The animal scientist who emphasized that stingless bee could be reared in the bedroom itemized other bye-products that could be gotten from bee aside honey to include wax, jelly, venom, pollen and propolis which are useful for cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies.
World bee day was first celebrated in 2018 to create awareness on bees and other pollinators in their efforts to solving problems relating to global food supply and elimination of hunger.
United Nations designated May Twenty as World Bee Day to honour Anton Janša, who in the Eighteenth century pioneered modern bee keeping in Slovenia, and the theme for this year world bee day is “Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees.
