News around the World

INDIA

More than 500 poor farmers are generating income from beekeeping in Orissa State. In 1982 I started beekeeping as a hobby, but now it has become my main profession. We established the NGO Jiban Bikash and Centre for Bee Research in 1992 to work on beekeeping and its promotion among farmers and poor and landless people. We act as service providers, promoters and facilitators. For the last three years we have received a grant of Rs 2.5 lakh INR (US$5,000; €3,000) from the Orissa State Government. We are pleased with our achievements. The study materials provided by Bf D Trust including BfDJ are very informative. We use them in our work to motivate farmers to adopt beekeeping.

The NGO Jiban Bikash giving training

PHOTO © BIKASH PATRA

Bikash Patra, Jiban Bikash, Kaduapada, Orissa

NEW ZEALAND

After fighting Varroa for ten years, the New Zealand bee industry is facing a new threat. Beekeepers say that the country's transition to dairy farming has wiped out many plants that bees rely on for pollen, and are reporting a marked decrease in pollen sources nationwide. With the spread of dairy farms and the need for large open paddocks, areas are cleared of plants like gorse and broom. “Beekeepers know farmers do not want these plants but believe there are places on farms, along stream boundaries, for example, where cattle do not graze where plants could be allowed to grow,” said John Hartnell of Federal Farmers. Stuart Ecroyd said: “Many customers come into our store (Ecroyd Beekeeping Supplies) requesting pollen supplements. They are becoming more popular, year by year”.

Source: ONE News, December 2011

PHILIPPINES

We conducted a five day beekeeping course for agricultural extension workers in Cordillera Administrative Region and have practical training planned through to June 2012. We also train young bee enthusiasts - most recently at the Small World Christian Academy and the Pines Learning Centre.

Edmund B Benavidez, St Louis University Extension Institute for Small-Scale Industries Foundation, Baguio City

Educating young beekeeping enthusiasts

Training for agricultural extension workers

PHOTOS © EDMUND BENAVIDEZ

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

Bees on a boat

In 2007 I was asked to run a week’s training course for the beekeepers of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines who had suffered from a history of bee diseases and pest problems. I located only six bee colonies in St Vincent, and the Grenadine Islands had no honey bees. Crop failure was first hand and real and the farms I visited were a testament to this. The following year we transferred clean European honey bees from St Lucia on a 12 hour ferry crossing to the Grenadine Island of Bequia. The colonies prospered, but the bees liked to swarm, which is not good on small islands. The beekeepers elected to buy new queens from Hawaii*. At the time, this seemed to be a good solution: the bees became calmer, easier to manage, and everyone loved working with them. This encouraged others to take up beekeeping. The Eastern Caribbean has 3-4 honey harvests per year, with the principal honey crop coming from coconut palms.

Curtis John, beekeeper in Bequia loads bees on a boat for transport to Mustique

PHOTOS © BO STERK

Chief Inky Williams has the nicest honey house and apiary in St Vincent. He is a senior mentor for beekeeping in the country.

Mustique apiary.

In December 2011 I returned to St Vincent and Bequia. Even though there are signs of the defensive traits of the 2007 honey bees returning, they are manageable. St Vincent beekeeping is still increasing with 375 colonies, and Bequia has 65 colonies. The importation of foreign honey is down and local demand is rising.

I also had the privilege to introduce bees to Mustique, which has never had honey bees in its history. We selected the most hygienic hives and included the newest equipment. Permission was granted from all the homeowners on the island, known for its famous and royal landowners. By ferry it takes an hour to cross from Bequia to Mustique. We packed extra veils for the captain and first mate and had a smoker ready. However a speedboat arrived and the uneventful journey lasted just ten minutes. We set up the hives in the new apiary and I provided a brief training session for the groundskeeper who will look after the bees. With luck the bees will multiply and prosper and the harvest will come back across the waters as a Boatful of Honey!

Bo Sterk, Florida International Volunteer Corps, USA

*Hawaii now has Small Hive Beetles and will no longer export queens to countries that do not have this pest.

UGANDA

Oluwa Youth Activity Group (OYAG) hosted a representative team of farmers from Busia District. The visitors were impressed with our training methods and have asked OYAG to provide a course on beekeeping for all their group. We are happy that over 132 people have benefitted from the resource materials provided by Bf D Trust and thank you for your support. In November 2011 we held a one day course on how to make our own protective clothing, with assistance from a team from Bees Abroad UK.

Lucas Akol, Chairman of OYAG, explains the benefits of pollination by honey bees for fruit and crop yields using resources provided by Bf D Trust

PHOTOS © OYAG

Lucas Akol, OYAG, Mbale