The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, under the direction of Honourable Minister Idi Mukthar Maiha, has completed draft SOP that will serve as the foundation for Nigeria’s eagerly awaited national apiculture code of practice.

The news was made on Tuesday in Abuja during the 6th Nigerian Youth Beekeepers Summit and the World Bee Day celebration.

This SOP “has been drafted and is now awaiting review and validation,” Minister Maiha said in his speech, signalling a significant step towards Nigeria’s uniform code of practice for beekeeping.

Crafted to sharpen the industry’s edge, the SOP lays the groundwork for elevating honey quality and consistency nationwide. It will form the crux of best-practice guidelines, authoritatively setting out how apiaries should operate, how hives are managed, and how harvest and post-harvest processes must be handled to safeguard product integrity and consumer trust.

Minister Maiha called upon the Nigeria Apiculture Platform, Youths for Apiculture Initiative, and other stakeholders to actively participate in the standard operating procedure (SOP) review. 

He emphasised that their on-the-ground knowledge is crucial for tailoring the framework to Nigeria’s specific beekeeping context. According to the Minister, this collaborative approach is the only way to ensure the final SOP comprehensively addresses all aspects of local beekeeping practices.

He reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to offer the technical assistance and leadership required to implement the certified SOP.

Source: AgroNigeria

Image Credit: IG