Bakol region has two major livelihoods groups; the agro pastoral and pastorals. The agro pastorals in Bakol mainly keep cattle and camel and produce sorghum. The pastoral groups in the region are found in Elberde district and parts of Tieglow and Huddur districts. Pastoralists mainly keep camel, sheep and goat. The region is still recovering from several shocks of drought, conflict and market disruption over the recent years.

The conceptualization of this project is informed after visits made to the target area in Tieglow to do a fruits and vegetable evaluation for a project that ended in May 2007. The bee keepers in the area indicated the need to be supported in their beekeeping initiatives. A meeting was held with Tieglow District Agriculture officials in September 2007 and the need for support to improve beekeeping in the area was affirmed. Visits were done to Gorweyne beekeeping cooperative and talks held with the chairman and representatives of the cooperative.

No macro assessment specifically on beekeeping has been carried out by WVS in the district. However, statements on ground and secondary data used informs this proposal that Tieglow has the highest potential for bee keeping in South Somalia with 150 bee centers and individual villages having over 300 hives. This project intends to conduct a baseline survey at the project onset, whose details will better inform the redesign of the project.

All interventions will be extensively discussed with the local administration and agreed (in writing) by the relevant authority in order to facilitate smooth operations with the community. Moreover, WVS presence in the region dates back to 2002 and the relationship with the community has been instrumental in establishing the needs and potential.

Tieglow was selected because the organization has had good relations with the communities over the years. Secondly there is an already existing beekeepers cooperative and existing structure that can be used. The climate of the district was also an important factor to consider as it has a high potential area for beekeeping. There is an abundance of flowering plants providing nectar and pollen throughout the year. As well the great variety of nectar sources available to the bees gives the honey produced from this area an interesting and variable flavor

Although beekeeping can only rarely become the sole source of income and livelihood for communities in Tieglow, its role as sources of supplementary earnings, food, and employment should not be underestimated. Key points in the argument that beekeeping is a key element in promoting rural self-reliance are that:

• Beekeeping promotes rural diversification and hence is an alternative source of income and employment, particularly because arable land in Tieglow is restricted.
• Beekeeping is an activity that can successfully be adopted by women in the community.
• Beekeeping allows for a degree of risk avoidance by providing a reliable, high value product that enables rural farmers to survive in times of economic crisis.
• Beekeeping is a low cost, sustainable undertaking with a low environmental impact