INTERVENTIONS

Community and quality interventions

As a social and community-based enterprise, Plan Bee works to improve and empower the lives of rural farmers and beekeepers in Shan State, Myanmar. 


We have implemented several interventions that improve quality and performance. We focus on results and actual change, as demonstrated in our key areas below.

Contact Plan Bee for premium Myanmar honey

Inputs and traINING

In 2015, we trained vulnerable people to become commercial beekeepers. Each trainee received one-on-one training and 20 beehives. We also conducted advanced beekeeping training from 2018–2019, one time a year with experts from Israel, Vietnam, and the International Trade Centre. 


Quality and productivity translate into improved profitability and competitiveness for our beekeepers. For example, a person living hard, with limited assets or even food, was trained through our program, and increased his beehives from 20 to 150, producing high yields and quality honey. A person who was poor due to circumstances and lack of opportunity is now thriving.

 Improved processing 

We provide hands-on hygiene training on honey extraction, good honey collection and transport practices, and value adding (e.g., make beeswax candles). 


An example: Plan Bee training included standardized approaches for beekeepers to apply treatments against several diseases and pests using safe medicines. We taught beekeepers how to correctly administer, record and follow strict standards that improve bees’ health and increase their lifespan. 


Beekeepers now record treatments in their notebooks, in addition to basic data on number of hives, honey in weight (kg) harvest, and location. The incentive for improved practices and procedures is helping our honey to reach premium markets, which fetch better prices and return higher incomes to beekeepers



Improved monitoring and data

We are focused on supporting our beekeepers. We have been piloting digital and paper-based systems to receive data from the beekeepers on bee health, location, production, and number of bees. 


By following through data, we can see trends, and if there were cases of stress that could affect bee health, we could let the beekeepers know immediately. Data also helps us build a strong transparency system, with full records of each beekeeper. 

Pollination service for farms 

We have worked with fruit farmers to break the myths. One of the main issues tends to be people are nervous because they think the bees will harm them, and bees are a pest (harming their produce). We did a demonstration with sesame and sunflower oilseed growers, showing the value of bees for better quality through pollination and increased yield. 


Some of our member beekeepers now offer pollination services at farms, bringing their hives into various crops. They charge a fee per hive. It is another source of income and a win-win for everyone. 


We have worked with our beekeepers to ensure they know that to offer this service, the bees must be well managed, healthy and pollinate effectively. At the same time, crop owners must keep the bees safe from agricultural chemicals in areas where the bees pollinate. 

Contact Plan Bee for honey that improves lives

Poverty reduction

We run several projects to reduce poverty and support our community, such as improved food intake, hygiene, and HIV awareness training. We have trained over 500 women through a microenterprise program on how to use beeswax candles, balm, and other bee products. We are always linking our beekeeper communities to projects. 


We are a social enterprise; our focus is on improving lives. Honey is about nutrition and communities, so we seek projects that support women from school age through their reproductive years. Adolescent mothers are most vulnerable, often dropping out of school, and easily falling into poverty. A core focus for us extends to improved nutrition, and this starts with a child’s early years. 

Gender equality

We support women in management and in financial training. From 2013–2019, PBSE trained 204 community members (143 female) on production and business literacy. Initially, sales were steadily increasing over the course of the project and were a significant source of alternative income for the microenterprise members. 

 Marketing

We work hard to ensure that we can bring our remarkable honey products all the way from Shan State to diverse markets. We train our staff in social media, branding, and sales negotiations. We are keen to build closer relationships with our customers. We are open and enthusiastic to develop our marketing.

Share by: