Protecting the Liquid Gold of Antigua and Barbuda
July 8, 2024
Beekeeping in Antigua and Barbuda continues to blossom despite the onslaught of environmental and economic challenges that have impacted the country in recent years, notably Hurricane Irma in 2017 through to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The resilience of honey production in Antigua and Barbuda is made possible by a group of dedicated beekeepers who have worked together to rebuild the honeybee population of the country and protect their local products while giving due care to the environment. These beekeepers are members of the Antigua and Barbuda Beekeepers Cooperative (ABBC), one of the longest existing farmers’ cooperative in the country (established in 1993), and whose organizational logo proudly declares “Bees Protect the Environment”.
The ABBC is led by Davina Laville Joyce, its current President, who is supported by Brent Georges and John Mussington, the latter is a second-generation beekeeper from the island of Barbuda. Both are senior members of the ABBC and provide valuable advice on honey production in the country.
With the support of the Antigua and Barbuda Intellectual Property and Commerce Office (ABIPCO) and WIPO, the ABBC achieved a historic milestone in 2024 by registering the country’s first collective trademarks to protect: Antigua and Barbuda Wild Flower Honey, Barbuda Logwood Honey, and the ABBC.
The ABBC intends to strengthen the branding of their honey products through these collective marks and promote them locally, regionally and internationally, with honey and culinary enthusiasts in particular. The beekeepers are confident in the unique properties of what many in the country refer to as “liquid gold”.
Barbuda Logwood Honey is sourced from bees that feed on the flowers of the logwood tree (Haematoxylum campechianum), so the honey they produce is unique and characterized by several qualities such as the strong fragrance and color of the flowers. Antigua and Barbuda Wild Flower Honey is recognized by its deep brown color, and its unique taste which retains notes of black licorice, rum or cognac depending on the aging and fermentation process.
Plan Bee
As a second-generation beekeeper, John Mussington’s life has been defined by honey, bees and stings. He was part of an Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture project funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2017 to establish a geographical indication (GI) for the Barbuda Logwood Honey, and another FAO project in 2018 to train 10 beekeepers in Barbuda to restore the honeybee colonies that were lost in the 2017 hurricane. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put all projects to a halt.
In 2021, Ricki Camacho, the Registrar of ABIPCO learned of WIPO’s COVID-19 Response Package and its efforts to help countries in their recovery from the pandemic by leveraging intellectual property (IP) to enable the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship needed for job creation, investment, enterprise growth and socio-economic development. She requested for support to the local beekeeping industry which had been adversely impacted by the pandemic.
WIPO and ABIPCO jointly offered guidance to the ABBC on the economic potential of a collective mark, recognizing that it would strengthen the competitivity of the beekeeping industry in the short-term while serving as a cornerstone for the industry’s long-term journey towards obtaining a Geographical Indication (GI).
IP is very important because it helps to protect honey production and ensure the quality of honey. The collective mark was the first step towards putting Antigua and Barbuda honey on the map, while laying down the foundation for protecting other agricultural products in the country. We wanted to light a fire and watch it spread, especially when we need light.
Ricki Camacho, Registrar of the Antigua and Barbuda Intellectual Property and Commerce Office.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most of Antigua and Barbuda’s food supply relied on imports, but with the global lockdowns the need to develop a stronger agricultural sector was evident. The country also experienced a surge in unemployment as the tourism industry came to a temporary halt, and many shifted to agriculture to secure their livelihood. Beekeeping was a growing business on the islands and the International Health Outreach (IHO) in conjunction with ABBC were tasked with training 60 women on beekeeping at the height of the pandemic.
Get into beekeeping and honey production. Beekeeping enables us to safeguard our environment and provide a means for earning additional income, including through eco-tourism which is based in the context of sustainability. Our natural surroundings have value, and using IP to protect our surroundings by means of protecting a product allows us to benefit economically and ecologically.
John Mussington, Second Generation Beekeeper in Barbuda.
The collective trademarks for Antigua and Barbuda Wild Flower Honey, and Barbuda Logwood Honey have enabled the ABBC to build a growing customer base off the reputation and assured quality of the honey. The honey products placed second and third at the 2023 Regional Honey Competition in St. Lucia.
As the beekeeping industry in Antigua and Barbuda continues to develop and gain recognition for its unique honey, and the country’s tourism industry bounces back, the ABBC hopes to introduce eco-tourism centered around beekeeping. Ultimately, the ABBC aims to build awareness about the importance of environmental conservation, and the key role of bees in the Antigua and Barbuda ecosystem.
the Antigua and Barbuda
Beekeepers Cooperative (ABBC)
(Image: ABBC)
There is a struggle in the agriculture sector to develop products that are uniquely Antiguan and Barbudan. The designation of our honey holds benefits to beekeepers and the agriculture sector as a whole. It brings recognition to the hard work of beekeepers and gives them a sense of ownership of the honey they sell. Most of us know little of intellectual property (IP) but are surrounded by it, so it is important to build that knowledge and act upon it.
Davina Laville Joyce, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Beekeepers Cooperative.