Barriers to women's participation in beekeeping in Papua New Guinea

Despite the potentials for providing alternative sources of income for rural women, there is paucity of information regarding the factors which limit women’s participation in beekeeping. While government organisations, researchers and aid agencies are increasingly implementing strategies to overcome gender disparities in their programs, there is a risk that beekeeping programs will fail to achieve their desired outcomes without appropriate and ongoing support and mentorship, gender inclusive training and mechanisms to ensure that women benefit from income derived from beekeeping. This study was conducted to investigate the barriers to women’s inclusion in beekeeping and beekeeping training using the Eastern Highlands Province (EHP) of PNG as a case study. This research provides recommendations for future studies and seeks to provide evidence which can be used to improve the effectiveness of agricultural programs seeking to empower women through beekeeping.