TİKA Empowers Gilgit-Baltistan Women Through Sustainable Beekeeping Initiative

Women play vital role in GB’s Agricultural Economy: Salihah Tona

Hamid Khan Wazir

ISLAMABAD: The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has successfully completed its “Sustainable Beekeeping Training and Capacity Building for Women’s Economic Empowerment” project in Gilgit-Baltistan, equipping women with practical beekeeping skills to enhance financial independence, generate sustainable incomes, and support rural economic development.

The project was implemented in collaboration with the Honey Bee Research Institute (HBRI) of the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) and the Department of Agriculture, GB. Under the programme, 30 women from Gilgit received four days of intensive theoretical and practical training in modern beekeeping techniques.

The TİKA is Türkiye’s official development assistance organization, established in 1992. Operating in more than 170 countries through a network of coordination offices, TİKA implements projects in education, healthcare, agriculture, vocational training, cultural heritage preservation, and humanitarian assistance. In Pakistan, the agency has undertaken numerous initiatives aimed at strengthening community development, enhancing technical skills, and promoting sustainable economic growth in collaboration with local institutions.

The training covered key areas including colony management, honey extraction and processing, disease control, value addition of honey products, and the use of modern beehives.

The closing ceremony was held at the Directorate of Agriculture Extension, Gilgit, and was attended by Secretary Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Gilgit-Baltistan Rahim Gul, Chief Foreign Aid GB Muhammad Naseem, Director Agriculture Extension Iqbal Hussain, and TİKA Country Coordinator in Pakistan Salihah Tona.

Certificates were distributed among the participants, while each beneficiary also received two modern beehives, essential beekeeping equipment, and starter kits to help them begin practical work.

Speaking on the occasion, TİKA Country Coordinator Salihah Tona emphasized that in a region where only 1.2 percent of land is arable, creating alternative income sources for women farmers is of critical importance. She highlighted that women play a vital role in agricultural activities in Gilgit-Baltistan.

A success story of participant Nosheen Barakat was also highlighted, who previously received similar training under TİKA. She later expanded her beekeeping business and received recognition including the Daraz Best Emerging Seller 2023 Award and the Shark Tank Pakistan 2025 Award. This year, she participated as a community leader and mentored newly trained women beekeepers.

Director Agriculture Extension Iqbal Hussain welcomed the renewed collaboration with TİKA and expressed hope for continued cooperation in developing the beekeeping sector.

During her visit to Gilgit-Baltistan, TİKA Country Coordinator Salihah Tona also held meetings with senior government officials, including Secretary Planning and Development Riyaz Ahmed, Secretary Forest, Wildlife and Environment Sibtain Ahmed, Secretary Agriculture Rahim Gul, Chief Foreign Aid Muhammad Naseem, and representatives of various departments and the Gilgit-Baltistan Rural Support Programme. The meetings focused on exploring future avenues of cooperation.

Gilgit-Baltistan offers favorable conditions for beekeeping due to its rich biodiversity, vast alpine meadows, orchards, wildflower-covered valleys, and relatively unpolluted environment. The region’s diverse flora provides abundant nectar sources that support high-quality honey production, while its mountainous terrain and rural landscape make beekeeping a low-cost, sustainable livelihood option that can be integrated with existing farming activities. The growing demand for natural and organic honey in domestic and international markets further enhances the sector’s potential to improve rural incomes and promote women-led microenterprises.

The project aims to promote modern beekeeping practices, increase women’s participation in productive economic activities, and contribute to sustainable rural development and household income generation across Gilgit-Baltistan.