Borneo Honey Bee Centre Open Day programme to be rebranded
KUDAT: The Borneo Honey Bee Centre (BHBC) Open Day programme organised by the Rural Development Corporation (KPD) will be rebranded as the Sikuati Honey Bee Festival, similar to the Coffee Festival in Tenom and Cabbage Festival in Ranau, among others.
The rebranding is aimed at strengthening the role of KPD as the mover of the honey bee industry in Sabah, according to chairman of the KPD Board of Directors, Honorsius Datuk Alfred Bosuin.
He added that the rebranding would increase number of visitors to the festival, which would in turn fortify its image as the premier honey bee centre in Sabah, and Malaysia.
“In 2018, BHBC attracted 3,485 visitors. This is a marked increase from 2,437 visitors in 2017 and 187 in 2016. For this year, targeted visitors can be achieved through attractive programmes such as the Open Day.
“Nonetheless, the success of KPD, particularly with regard to BHBC in Sikuati to lead the way in bee farming and the honeybased industry in Sabah, requires smart partnerships with contract farmers as well as industry players,” he said.
Speaking at the Open Day, Honorsius further said the establishment of BHBC was in line with the goal of KPD to increase revenue among the people through various agricultural, cultivation and farming activities, such as bee farming.
The role and potential of BHBC can be widened, he said, so that it is not only a honey bee research and development centre, but also a major agro-tourism attraction in Sabah.
“The various activities organised in conjunction with the BHBC Open Day is so that the general public can understand the role of BHBC and learn about the potential of bee farming.
“I hope this programme will inspire new ideas and innovation regarding methods of bee farming and honey harvesting, in addition to providing a positive impact on increased revenue for KPD and bee farmers in Sabah,” he said.