The USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA) has been helping the Hadiach Agricultural School train future beekeepers in modern methods of beekeeping since 2019.
Over the last year, USAID ERA provided the school with new laboratories, a training apiary, and a modern honey processing station, as well as equipment, including 12 laptops with software, a laptop charging cabinet, 15 microscopes, two thermostats, two incubators for queen bee rearing, two water baths, and one set of artificial insemination equipment for queen bees.
This support will allow students and teachers to conduct research, study and prevent the spread of disease, while contributing to the preservation of Ukrainian bee breeds, such as the Carpathian, Ukrainian steppe, and Polissian.
“War affects bees. Beekeepers go to defend the country, many apiaries are left unattended, and bees go into swarming mode. Bees have trouble foraging and perish in or near areas of conflict. With forests in eastern Ukraine destroyed, bees seek refuge in other regions, and it is not always possible to save and transport them elsewhere,” explained Natalia Senchuk, Director of the Hadiach Agricultural School.
“With the new equipment we received from USAID ERA, we will be able to monitor and research diseases, study bee colonies, and work on the quality of honey…Our graduating students will create their own apiaries, launch their own entrepreneurial activities in beekeeping, become professional beekeepers, and share this knowledge with their colleagues, which will also positively impact the development of beekeeping.”
In addition to equipment, USAID ERA purchased 100 wooden hives, a beekeeper’s cabin, a honey extraction equipment, and more materials for the school. All this equipment will be used in the training apiary and honey processing workshop.
The Hadyach Agricultural School is Ukraine’s only educational institution focused on beekeeping, with 198 students enrolled.