When Singapore Wasn’t Thinking About Bees, I Was Already on the World Stage

Back in 2001, when most Singaporeans had yet to imagine beekeeping as a serious industry, I found myself standing on the international stage, representing Uganda’s honey sector at the 37th Apimondia Congress in Durban, South Africa.

It was a time when the world was only beginning to wake up to the importance of honeybees, not just for honey, but for agriculture, conservation, and livelihoods. I was humbled to be part of those conversations, sharing about African honey, quality standards, and the potential to uplift communities through beekeeping.

Looking back, it feels surreal. That young man from Singapore, working in Africa, trying to shine a light on an industry that few at home even thought about. Two decades on, I still carry that same belief: that honey and bees are more than products — they are a force for sustainability, for income, and for hope.

There’s a world of difference between treating bees as a backyard weekend hobby with a few hives and standing on the international stage with 300 hives under my care to advance an industry , my journey has never been about keeping bees, but about moving beekeeping forward.