The gentle hum of collaboration filled the Copper and Lumber Event Centre on Wednesday, October 16, as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Antigua and Barbuda Intellectual Property & Commerce Office (ABIPCO), and the Antigua and Barbuda Beekeepers Cooperative Society (ABBC) opened a two-day workshop titled “Buzz to Brand: Celebrating Identity and Empowering the Beekeeping Community.”
The event highlighted how intellectual property can strengthen the local beekeeping industry, helping producers transform their craft into a sustainable national brand.
ABIPCO Registrar Ricki Camacho praised the initiative as a “collective mark on creativity, collaboration, and transformation,” thanking WIPO and local partners for their dedication. WIPO’s Jess Honculada reaffirmed the organization’s support for empowering small industries through IP, while Director of Agriculture Gregory Bailey stressed that beekeeping plays a vital role in food security and environmental sustainability.
The workshop also featured an Entrepreneurial Exhibition introduced by John Mussington and Taril Walker Bowen, showcasing local honey, candles, and handmade products, along with a honey tasting.
In a keynote address, Minister E.P. Chet Greene underscored the importance of branding in national development, urging producers to create brands that reflect the “spirit and resilience” of the Antiguan and Barbudan people.
The session ended early due to weather and will resume Friday, continuing discussions on innovation, collaboration, and the future of the beekeeping sector.
Interlectual property and branding are two very important things any company should have. Owning your brand is crucial. Music is a perfect example
I’d love to see local honey on supermarket shelves instead of all those imported brands. Support local!
It’s great to see our farmers diversifying and working together. Bees are vital for food security and the environment.