A honey hotline for beekeepers could help revive the industry in Papua New Guinea.
That's the hope of aid agency Oxfam which is co-funding a support service for beekeepers in the Eastern Highlands.
It's PNG Livelihoods Manager David Shields said honey production had declined in recent years, but demand for honey was strong.
He said beekeepers would be able to call the hotline to gain advice to combat problems such as bee diseases.
"Beekeeping can potentially double the income of a rural family.
"The price for honey is quite high and production is relatively cheap, so this is something that is very suitable for rural farmers in PNG," said Mr Shields.
"It's just about getting them the skills and the knowledge to address problems when they come up."
Mr Shields said currently only several hundred farmers keep bees in PNG but if production could be improved the demand for honey could support up to one thousand farmers.
Wilson Tomato points out the Queen Bee. He's part of a beekeeping project in the Papua New Guinea Highlands Photo: David Shields, Oxfam
