A new bee-keeping school for the Far North has been officially opened in Kaitaia.
Te Kura Kohui Miere is a joint arrangement between the local iwi, Rununga o te Rarawa, Telford Rural Polytechnic and Northtec.
Up to 30 students at the School of Honey Gatherers will take a range of courses that include working towards Telford's national apiculture certificates.
Rununga chair Haami Piripi says the aim is to get people trained to estabish new bee-keeping enterprises using the manuka on tribal land.
Mr Piripi says bee-keeping is an ideal small business activity for Maori families and rural communities - so people can retain their autonomoy and get an income.
