11th AAA Conference

11th AAA CONFERENCE IN KUALA TERENGGANU MALAYSIA

28 SEPTEMBER – 2 OCTOBER 2012

A highly successful 11th Asian Apicultural Association (AAA) Conference took place in Kuala Terengganu Malaysia in early October 2012. The event was masterminded by Dato Dr Makhdzir Mardan who maximised the opportunity to organise a series of practical workshops at nearby Universiti Malaysia Terengganu prior to the Conference.

The opening of the Conference was a cultural affair with gamelan players and human bees accompanying HRH Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, Sultan of Terengganu, as he declared the Conference open. A lively programme of talks was well attended with keynote lectures by international experts followed by parallel sessions. The ApiExpo event featured a number of stands offering international products and equipment as well as local traders offering honey hunted Apis dorsata honey for sale: the marketing of this honey has become sophisticated with typical prices of MYR110 (US$36; €30) per kg.

The AAA Conference had indeed been planned for this location and this time of year to enable participants to see giant honey bees Apis dorsata nesting in Terengganu’s Melaleuca forest. However Apis dorsata honey bees are migratory, and sadly this year had not arrived in the area. The reason for this is unknown: possible explanations may include changing climate, loss of habitat, pesticide use, or over-exploitation. It is now imperative to know whether the increased trade in Apis dorsata honey can be sustained by the remaining Apis dorsata population.

With much to interest participants, as well as excellent possibilities to meet with friends old and new, the Malaysian hosts and organisers are to be congratulated on a very smoothly run and highly worthwhile AAA Conference.

These AAA events took place with support from Terengganu State Government and The Sultan Mizan Foundation.

At the closing ceremony, Turkey won the opportunity to host the next Conference in 2014.

Nicola Bradbear’s participation in the Conference was kindly sponsored by The Sultan Mizan Foundation

Excellent pre-Conference Workshops took place at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, enabling participants to gain wider knowledge in their field

PHOTOS © BfD

Several stands at the ApiExpo offered honey from wild nesting Apis dorsata colonies. Is this trade sustainable?

Honey hunted from the wild nesting giant honey bee Apis dorsata is offered for sale

AAA was established in 1992 to form a network and encourage exchange of information between beekeepers and bee scientists in Asia. The network is intended to benefit developing countries of Asia. A conference is held every two years.

Regional office Information about membership and contact details for your country’s Local Representative from:

Prof Dr Cheng Li Hong Vice-President & Secretary-General, AAA c/o Apicultural Science Association of China Xiangshan, Beijing China

Email clhb@hotmail.com or 86clh@sina.com