ABOUT OFA-ARDI BEE ACADEMY IN RWANDA

Mr. Thierry Dufresne and Ms. Sonia Roland are starting the OFA-ARDI BEE Academy in Rwanda. OFA/Observatoire Francais d’Apidologie is a French association dedicated to the study of the bees and of their behaviors. OFA works closely with the University of Marseille in France mainly on research.

ARDI stands for “Association Rwandaise pour la Promotion du Developpement Integre”.  The academy’s purpose is to train professionals in bee protection to safeguard the environment but also to grow and utilize other bees’ products like honey and propolis, including in medicine for the propolis.

The site previously identified by ARDI to host the centre in Rugende, Gasabo District, was not appreciated by OFA for environment reasons. OFA and ARDI are in the process of identifying a new suitable site to host the centre most probably in the Southern Province in Huye, but working closely with Nyungwe. The school will be operational on 1^st of June 2022. The aim is to produce the honey of excellent quality and to export it abroad.

The Government of Rwanda is supporting this noble initiative.

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