In Egypt’s ‘Capital of Beekeeping,’ Bees Build Livelihoods as They Lose Theirs

In Egypt’s ‘Capital of Beekeeping,’ Bees Build Livelihoods as They Lose Theirs

The sound of thousands of hives lining rooftops, gardens, and fields echoes in the small village of Shabshir al-Hissa in Egypt’s Nile Delta, where bees outnumber people. For years, the village has been a place where honey is a tradition, where livelihoods, remedies, and pride all stem from the hive. Nestled in Gharbia Governorate, Shabshir al-Hissa is the country’s undisputed capital of beekeeping. According to Abdelsalam Osman, head of the Egyp…