Bees for Development Journal 108
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NEWS AROUND THE WORLD JAMAICA
CAMEROON
Seventeen participants from the Mearnsville/Auldayr Community Development Committee (CDC) in Westmoreland graduated in August after a three-month Apiculture and Business Management Training Programme. The training was made possible through a JMD$ 2 million grant (US$19,700; €15,000) under the Alternative Livelihood Grant Programme of the Government of Jamaica/European Union/UNEP Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction project. Group members have formed a business, The Western Pride Bee Farmers, and their operation will be managed by the CDC. With plans to make honey collected from their apiary a brand name in the parish, they will be working to increase their bee colonies gradually from 40 to 260 in the next five years.
ICENECDEV has established a community library in Molyko-Buea, supported by Book Aid International UK, Bees for Development, Books for International Goodwill (Rotary Club of Parole) and Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation. The ICENECDEV library will provide access to information for rural development organisations, schools, and many groups. Eric Fongoh, ICENECDEV, Buea
INDIA I work with the Naandi Foundation, an NGO based in a tribal area of Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh. We want to create a bee sanctuary in the region. We have begun a pollinator programme which is based on the re-introduction of the indigenous Asian honey bee Apis cerana. The pilot project started in June 2012 with a group of ten farmers from five villages who trained as beekeepers. An additional goal is to train farmers’ wives who may also become beekeepers and encourage other women to do the same.
Co-ordinator for the project at the National Environment and Planning Agency, Nichelle Oxford, said her organisation was happy to be part of the process as the project gives climate-vulnerable communities grants to invest in sustainable livelihoods. She said that by finding new ways of earning a living and giving the heavily exhausted natural resources a break, residents would be better prepared to cope with the potential impact of climate change.
Our project is expanding. We have not yet secured funding, but we have motivated farmers. We are planning a Pollinator Programme Workshop in September and have received a sponsored Resource Box* from BfD Trust for use. I started a blog ApiAnon to build a community for professional apiculturists and enthusiasts and to engage bee lovers from around the world: http://apicultureanonymous. wordpress.com
Source www.jamaica-gleaner.com
NIGERIA
Christelle Ledroit, Naandi Foundation, Hyderabad
From 5-12 July, 41 graduates (36 men, 5 women) from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) undertook eight days of Beekeeping Skill Acquisition Training to
*see page 20 for information on Resource Boxes
Farmers trained by the Naandi Foundation will pass beekeeping knowledge on to others through the farmer school 14
PHOTO © MIKE UKATTAH
PHOTO © NAANDI FOUNDATION
Due to deforestation the population of local bees has decreased dramatically. By catching a few swarms it is possible to increase the number of colonies to supply to future beekeepers. This will increase the population of indigenous pollinators and improve biodiversity, leading to improved pollination in the region and yield from fruit trees. In addition to the many ecological advantages, honey bees will of course
produce honey, which will be a new stream of income for farmers. The world honey supply remains tight and demand for honey remains high, and therefore honey prices may once again begin to climb. Honey bees have a positive impact on tribal livelihoods and positive ecological implications.
Mike Ukattah, back row right with Abraham Abado and the five NYSC women graduates who attended the Amachi Farms seminar. The lady centre front is Temitope from Oyo state who has been keeping bees for some time.
