In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore will be looking at a report from farming, food and agribusiness specialist professional services firm IFAC finds that expanding internationally is high on priority list for many Irish agrifood SMEs. He speaks with David Leydon, Head of Food & Agribusiness with IFAC about its report which is called ‘Getting your business fit for export’
He also finds out more about the country’s first digital readiness monitor which analyses Ireland’s progress on digital development. One of its key findings is that 36% of websites in Ireland have a low or very low level of sophistication despite various government grants and programmes to support digital advancement. Chris gets the thoughts of David Curtin, CEO of the national domain register .ie
But the main item in this episode is a very interesting story about how a Syrian man Abdul Ahmad- who had to flee his war torn country – is now living in Donegal where he has established his own business, based on bees.
Beekeeping runs deep in my family, with his father and grandfather both teaching him from an early age.
Eight years ago he left his native village to try and make a new life, departing on a motorbike with his pregnant wife eventually finding refuge in a camp in Greece for nine months, where their first child was born. In 2016, they arrived in Ireland as asylum seekers, spending nine months in Roscommon learning English before settling in Carndonagh, which is now their home.
Not long after they arrived in Inishowen, he set up his first beehive in our garden which he made at the Carndonagh Men’s Shed.
And so the business grew, with local farmer Wilson Moore offering him space on his farm for more beehives and Inishowen Development Partnership also being very supportive.
His business is now really growing and he produces honey, candles, propolis powder, and a host of other bee products. His website is https://donaghbees.com/
The full programme can he heard here:
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