Peshawar: Four decades ago, when war broke out in Afghanistan, Nazak Mir and his family left their home in neighboring Pakistan in search of safety and soon began a new life as refugees.
When he crossed the border from Gardez in Pakhtia province to Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 1981, Mir arrived empty-handed, but with a skill that unexpectedly found him following in the footsteps of his ancestors as a beekeeper in exile. But got a chance to walk.
“Among other things, we have left behind 54 beehives that my great uncle kept for years. Before emigration it was a family business,” he told Arab News.
When UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, offered beekeeping training at the refugee camp where her family had taken refuge, she knew it would be life-changing.
“I was one of the first people to sign up for beekeeping training in 1983,” he said. “Today, I own 150 boxes.”
In addition to spearheading his own career as a businessman, Mir also became a mentor to thousands of other refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The mountainous province bordering Afghanistan has about 800,000 Afghans who fled armed conflict in their country. They are now the main force behind beekeeping in Pakistan, which is a major exporter of honey.
According to All Pakistan Beekeepers, Exporters and Honey, the South Asian nation currently produces an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 tonnes of honey, and exports a fifth of it to Gulf countries, as the industry recovers from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Sher Zaman Mohmand, general secretary of the Traders Association.
He told Arab News that the number of people involved in the sector, including production activities other than beekeeping, was about 1.6 million, and 95 percent of them lived in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the climate and terrain are favorable for honey production.
“Among them, more than 60 percent are Afghan refugees,” he said.
Some of them, like Mir, have already introduced their children to the profession.
“Now, my son has started his own beekeeping business,” he said. But he expressed concern whether it would remain attractive in the future.
Pakistan is one of the countries most affected by disasters induced by the changing climate, and has endured heat waves affecting its natural ecosystems for the past few years.
Challenges related to climate change and deforestation have deprived bees of food, decimating their populations in recent years.
Mir’s son Farhadullah said, “Bees fight among themselves because of lack of food.” “Hot and cold climates affect their health and honey production as well.”
Irregular fluctuations in weather patterns have also changed the timing of harvest.
“Honey-growing seasons are defined by distinct flowering seasons. Timely and adequate rainfall often results in four or five honey production seasons whereas in drought years the honey season is reduced to just two. Mohmand said, adding that the situation can be mitigated if the government introduces strict measures to check deforestation.
Pakistan is trying to re-afforestation in the country and has launched an ambitious five-year tree plantation program, the 10-billion tree tsunami, to combat rising temperatures, floods, droughts and other extreme weather in the country. linked to climate change. ,
While more than 330 million trees have already been planted under the initiative, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mohmand said the push should be extended to other provinces as well, notably the $65 billion Beijing-funded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. around the sites of, the largest infrastructure investment project in the country.
“The government can promote forestry, especially along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor routes,” Mohmand said. “Plants like Indian rosewood, acacia and ber can be grown in many areas, including barren lands across the country.”