Successes of Kyrgyz beekeepers: The experience of Zhailoobay from the village of Toguz-Bulak
July 29, 2024
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Zhailoobay Bektursunov from the village of Toguz-Bulak in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan became an expert in beekeeping. Having started small, he has become one of the leading beekeepers in the region due to his dedication and innovative approaches. He not only runs an apiary, but also strives for producing high-quality honey for export.
For Zhailoobai, beekeeping is one of the important sources of income. His livelihood has improved since he started beekeeping. One of the key problems that beekeepers in Kyrgyzstan face is the insufficient quality of honey due to improper beekeeping. Often, honey obtained in unsatisfactory conditions does not pass the conformity assessment and is therefore not suitable for export. Zhailoobay pays special attention to this issue, using his unique method of apiary management. He insulates the hives, monitors the health of the bee colonies and uses only high-quality materials to create the best conditions for his bees.
“This helps me not only to maintain the health of the bees, but also to increase the honey yield. I use special insulation and disease control techniques, I make my own pure wax foundation from natural beeswax to ensure the safety and quality of my product, and I also use natural herbs to prevent diseases among bees without the use of antibiotics. This together allows me to reduce the loss of bee colonies and increase the overall productivity of my hives,” he shares.
![a person sitting at a table in front of a laptop](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-07/53882132063_3e0d00814c_c.jpg)
Zhailoobay Bektursunov demonstrates how he prepares bee boxes in his workshop.
UNDP in Kyrgyzstan supports beekeepers in increasing their productivity and competitiveness of natural honey, taking into account the introduction of innovative and resource-efficient “green” technologies, which will stimulate exports and the creation of new “green” jobs, as well as facilitate the integration of small farmers into the process of creating added value.
To date, Zhailoobay has been selected as a participant in the UNDP's "Aid for Trade" project and will be provided with the opportunity for further qualified training in beekeeping and the production of high-quality natural honey suitable for export. Along with other participants, he will also have the opportunity to participate in the competition for a small grant to develop and expand his apiary.
![a man sitting on a bench in front of a store](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-07/53882129943_f168305ed2_c.jpg)
Zhailoobay pays attention to waste management on his farm.
In addition, Zhailoobay pays attention to the environmental aspects of his activities. He is actively involved in waste sorting and sustainable use of resources to minimize the negative impact on the environment. His efforts in this direction not only support biodiversity in Kyrgyzstan, but also strengthen the country's image as an environmentally friendly honey producer.
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The United Nations Development Programme in Kyrgyzstan, in cooperation with the Public Foundation “Training and Consulting Center” (TES-Center), launched an initiative to strengthen the natural honey value chain (VC) within the framework of the “Aid for Trade in Central Asia” project, funded by the Government of Finland. The project will continue to support key players in the honey VC in the target regions of the country - Osh, Naryn and Issyk-Kul regions, and will focus on increasing honey production and export, creating new jobs, improving the competitiveness of the sector and strengthening its export potential. More information about this area can be found here.