Emseni Farming in KwaZulu-Natal is a perfect example of the benefits of returning unused land to nature. The farm transforms unproductive areas into a bee-friendly flower paradise. As part of its commitment to training local communities in sustainable farming, Dietmar Joosten, the farm manager, launched a honey project in collaboration with local farmers. He received the Rise Africans Newspaper’s Community Builder of the Month award.
This labour of love has resulted in the production of tons of delicious honey, highlighting the indispensable role of bees as pollinators in agriculture, fruit-growing, and horticulture. At the same time, the outreach to communities highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge and developing local communities’ skills —something that Emseni is a great expert on.
They embarked on an eco-friendly venture a few years ago by transforming unused spaces into bee-friendly habitats. Beehives have been placed among the avocado tree orchards to facilitate pollen movement and support the bees that produce avocado-flower honey.
An ideal ecosystem and successful agriculture require both solitary and communal bees. Emseni’s goal was to create a bee-friendly environment by clearing unproductive areas, removing debris, leaving some flowering weeds, and trimming the grass to improve the soil. They intentionally maintain beneficial weeds and have also planted forage areas in the orchards to provide diverse diets for the bees. This allows the bees to strengthen their colonies and work in the orchards.
Dietmar emphasizes the careful selection of plants and the numerous benefits of having a paradise of flowering plants among their avocado orchards. At Emseni, bees play a crucial role in pollinating avocados, resulting in delicious, darker-coloured honey.
Bees are essential for pollination, and without them, life as we know it would cease to exist. However, bees face threats such as habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. They require environments free from pesticides, abundant water, floral resources, and temperate climates to thrive. Each of us has the power to contribute to bee conservation by refraining from harming bees and planting a diverse mix of flowering plants in our gardens.
READ MORE ABOUT EMSENI IN DEVOTED, ISSUE 37. Link:
https://online.punhtml5.com/asxvv/pgfx
