Bees for development
JOURNAL
No 116 September 2015
• CASH FROM CASHEW • NATURAL DIETS FOR BEES • HIVE BEETLES AND STINGLESS BEES • HONEY SACKS • BEE BEE TREE
The Journal for sustainable beekeeping 1
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Kwame’s latest exciting initiative in Ghana is a collaboration with Stroud Beekeepers Association’s Buzzclub in the UK which will empower more young Ghanaians to access secondary and university education than at present.
Photo © Bfd
We are delighted to introduce Dr Kwame Aidoo who has been working with us at our offices in Monmouth as Commonwealth Professional Fellow.
Ghanaian children buzz their way to university
Buzzclub Ghana will run the project which will organise 8–12 year old primary school children to learn about bees, beekeeping and the environment. The children will be supported by their teachers and parents to manage 5 sponsored honey bee colonies to raise money to pay for their ongoing education. Proceeds from the sale of the colonies’ produce will be saved into dedicated bank accounts and used solely for paying high school and university fees.
In Ghana primary school education is free. However continuing in education after the age of 12 can cost up to 60% of many parents’ annual income resulting in children from lower-income families frequently starting work before their 13th birthday and so missing out on the opportunites offered by secondary school and university.
Kwame says: “Buzzclub Ghana will offer more children the opportunity to become well educated, which could make a real difference to the lives of their families and in their communities – some of them might even become skilled beekeepers and teachers who can pass on the skills and experience they gain from the project to future generations”.
At home in Ghana, Kwame is Project Manager of the GEP/UNEP/ FAO Global Pollination Project at the University of Cape Coast, and he is a long term partner of Bees for development. Kwame has been busy since he arrived in the UK in June. His first duty was creating the Ghana stand at our Bee Garden Party held in the pollinator-friendly gardens of London’s Marlborough House on 1 July. Kwame has also worked with us on this edition of the Journal and lectured on our recent courses. The primary reason for Kwame’s visit is to finalise plans for establishing a new Centre of Excellence, Bees for development Ghana. Nicola Bradbear Director, Bees for development
Issue 116: Sept 2015 In this issue
page
Healthy bees – Fresh pollen not concentrated feed......................... 3 T Shirt Winners............................. 5 Recent Research .......................... 5 Apitrade Africa News.................... 5 Paul Mzeka.................................... 5 Honey bees bring more cash from cashew.................................. 6 Practical beekeeping: Containers for honey...................11 Chipo Gono – bees inspire me....13 Look & Learn Ahead....................14 Hive beetles with honey bees and stingless bees.......................15 Bee Bee Tree................................17 Bookshelf.....................................18 Notice Board................................19 Bfd Journal Produced quarterly and sent to readers in over 130 countries Editor: Nicola Bradbear PhD Co-ordinator: Helen Jackson BSc Subscriptions cost £26 per year - see page 18 for ways to pay
Kwame Aidoo examines bee-pollinated blueberries as he visits fruit farms in Herefordshire
© Kwame Aidoo
Dear friends
Readers in developing countries may apply for a sponsored subscription. Apply online or use the form on page 20 Bfd Trust Works to assist beekeepers in developing countries. (UK Registered Charity1078803) Support Bees for Development Trust gratefully acknowledge Marr Manning Trust, E H Thorne (Beehives) Ltd, Size of Wales, The Waterloo Foundation, and the many groups and individuals who support our work. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to help. See page 20 for how to become a Supporter Copyright You are welcome to translate and/or reproduce items appearing in Bees for development Journal (BfdJ) as part of our Information Service. Permission is given on the understanding that BfdJ and author(s) are acknowledged, Bfd contact details are provided in full, and you send us a copy of the item or the website address where it is used.
Bees for development 1 Agincourt Street, Monmouth NP25 3DZ, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1600 714848 info@beesfordevelopment.org
www.beesfordevelopment.org 2
Cover picture: Mrs Luccilia Dayuori leads a group of 20 women beekeepers in Tuna, a farming community in north Ghana. With support from GiZ African Cashew Initiative they have developed apiaries in cashew farms belonging to their husbands, families and friends. This combined effort has resulted in improved pollination of the cashew crop and additional income from the sale of honey and beeswax. Luccilia manages 20 colonies in top-bar hives on her husband’s farm and the other women in her group each keep five colonies to support their families.
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Practical Beekeeping – Healthy bees by natural keeping
Fresh pollen not concentrated feed Wolfgang Ritter
June, pollen variety is extremely good, because most flowering plants are blooming during long daylight hours. From July onwards (when daytime is getting shorter) variety begins to decrease. It can then be necessary to migrate colonies to nectar plants known to be also good pollen providers. American goldenrod Solidago is an important plant that flowers in summer and during harvest. Himalayan balsam Impatiens glandulifera also supplies a late pollen source. However the spreading of these non-native plant species should be avoided because beekeepers are committed to environmental protection. It is much better to use late flowering indigenous plants such as cornflower, mustards and trefoil.
Keywords: balanced nutrition, bee forage, pollen supplement In an intact environment with a variety of flowers, swarms of wild honey bees settle in nesting places offering everything that they need. Today this is more difficult and beekeepers have to care for the survival of their bee colonies. While lack of carbohydrate can be met to some extent, very little is known about proteins. Honey bees are strict vegetarians and balanced nutrition facilitates optimal development of the bee colony. Important food components are proteins, minerals, fats, vitamins, carbohydrates and water. If one or more of these are missing, colony strength decreases and each bees’ life is shortened – suffering more because of diseases, and this often ends in death of the whole colony.
The value of a pollen source is often judged by the frequency of bee visits. However, this is not a firm indicator of good provision for a colony. How much pollen needs to be gathered depends more on the content of crude proteins. Rape pollen contains 25% crude protein, while maize pollen contains 15%.
Proteins consist of amino acids, ten of which are classified as essential for bees. Bees need different quantities of all of these. If one or several of the amino acids are absent, or present only in small quantity, the bee colony tries to balance this by an increased frequency of pollen flights. Pollen with low crude protein content, yet with a small amount of the most important amino acids, may be critical for a colony. Fat content seems to be adequate in all kinds of pollen. It is mainly the fatty acids that are important for bees. Little is known about bees’ vitamin requirements. It is possible that they need B complex vitamins as do other insects. Vitamins do not persist in stored pollen, and so the value of pollen stocks is often overestimated. If pollen is infested by bacteria or mildew it becomes harmful for bees. Best for the bee colony is freshly harvested pollen – from as many different plant species as possible.
In spring in temperate climates bees use their first foraging flights to gather hazelnut and willow pollen All photos © J Schwenkel
As beekeepers we should constantly survey our colonies’ food stocks. Within a flight radius of up to three kilometres, a large variety of forage should be available throughout the season. Some beekeepers take care only that bees gather enough nectar and/ or honeydew with the aim of taking a good honey harvest, and they do not pay attention to pollen supply. Pollen is the only source of protein and it provides also other important nutrients. Depending on colony strength and the season, a colony needs 20–55 kg of pollen every year. Due to seasonal variation in vegetation, pollen supply varies considerably during the year.
Quantity and quality of pollen
The real value of a certain pollen for the bee colony is defined not only by its crude protein content, but also by its composition.
Fluctuating pollen supply The pollen supply in Germany (temperate climate with a forage break in winter) shows a critical phase in spring, between cleansing flights and the beginning of fruit tree blossoming, when older winter bees are replaced by newly reared young summer bees within a short time, and a sufficient supply of pollen is crucial. Hazelnut is often too early but some willow species such as the sallow are important sources of pollen. From April to 3
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Layers of pollen in the cells indicate the availability of a variety of bee food
Positive and negative pollen contents
the aim.
Newly gathered pollen contains – as well as the pollen that the bees store in the cells (bee bread) – many so-called ‘good’ bacteria and fungi. These antagonists (opponents) in the gut flora and in the nest are essential for the bee colony’s resistance to numerous diseases. In a field test, those colonies that fell ill from chalkbrood showed only a few (quantity and species) of these bacteria in the intestinal tract. Many of these bacteria enter the colony via pollen. The number and type of bacteria contained by pollen depends on the plant species and also the region where the plants are growing. A varied diet with many different kinds of pollen must therefore be
Gathered pollen may contain also pesticide residue. Depending on the substance(s) and their concentration, brood damage is often the result. But even sub-lethal doses may change bees’ behaviour and weaken their immune systems. Therefore, agro-industrial areas should be avoided as far as possible.
Pollen diversity instead of concentrated feed Many beekeepers believe that by using feed such as soya flour to replace pollen, something positive can be initiated. Here much is promised but only rarely have sufficient tests been carried out. Not everything is valid for every location. Sometimes there can be
Checklist: Are my bees in a position to feed themselves naturally? Condition Pollen resources in the vicinity Type of pollen in the vicinity Pesticide residues in pollen Pollen supplement feed
Very good
Good
Medium
Bad
Many
Restricted variety
Almost homogenous
Homogenous
No risk
Small risk
Medium risk
High risk
Never
Rarely
Often
Regularly
4
Large stocks of pollen alone are not sufficient to encourage breeding. Freshness and variety are what matter more damage than good. The fact is that we know little about the importance of certain constituents of pollen for bee health. The requirements of growing brood and adult bees are different. Therefore we are groping in the dark regarding the appropriate composition of feed as a pollen supplement. We must conclude that bees are weakened and made ill not only by Varroa and pesticides, but also by poor food and bad nutrition. You should not make the same mistake as often made in industrial animal keeping to substitute by giving bees concentrated feed. This could cover at least the basic requirements. It is much better to choose the apiary site at the start according to the bees’ needs and to improve food sources in the vicinity. A varied diet is a precondition for strong resilience and good health - not only for bees! In short, natural beekeeping is only possible if bees are naturally fed. Author details OIE, Reference Laboratory at CVUA Freiburg, Am Moosweiher 2, D79108 Freiburg, Germany ritter@beehealth.info Bfd acknowledges www.diebiene.de as the original source of this article
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
NEWS FROM APITRADE AFRICA Photo © ApiTrade Africa
T SHIRT WINNERS 2 In BfdJ 114 we reported on the outcomes of the Survey about our Information Services: thank you to everyone who had helped us with useful feedback. We already announced T Shirt winners from our e-mail survey.
RECENT RESEARCH EFSA tackles multiple stressors Bees are under attack from many directions: parasites, infectious agents, agro-chemicals and environmental changes are some of the stressors that are known to damage honey bee colonies. But how do these factors work in combination? Is it possible to devise a model that can take account of all these stressors and predict how they will affect a colony? The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA*) has launched a major project to address these questions, with the ultimate goal of establishing a framework for the risk assessment of multiple stressors in honey bee colonies. The long-term project involves bee specialists and experts in animal health, plant health, pesticides, data and modelling. EFSA is working closely with the European Commission, EU Member States, other agencies and research bodies. Veterinarian Simon More from University College Dublin, Ireland, Chair of EFSA’s Multiple Stressors in Bees (MUST-B) Working Group, said: “This kind of integrated
approach to assessing risks to bees is absolutely necessary if we are to understand how different stressors combine to kill or weaken colonies. We need two things to build our framework: reliable, harmonised monitoring data (for example on presence in hives of infectious agents, such as bacteria and viruses, or pesticide residues); and a computerised simulation model that can process the data and both explain and predict the effects”. EFSA’s pesticide experts recommended use of the BEEHAVE model that simulates hive population dynamics by considering environmental factors such as weather conditions, availability of food (nectar and pollen), infectious agents for example Varroa mite and two associated viruses, and other factors that may affect colony development. On the data side the Project will develop survey methods and tools that can be used to gather information on the health status of honey bee colonies. Source: www.efsa.europa.eu/ *EFSA is the EU risk assessment body for food and feed safety and provides independent scientific advice to risk managers. 5
Photo © T Ubeh
The Cameroon National Apiculture Stakeholders’ Meeting was held on 15 May 2015, at the Ministry of Livestock in Yaounde. ApiTrade Africa is supporting the stakeholders, through the national association to run a national honey and beeswax trade promotional programme entitled Honey Show Cameroon. The first event will be held in November (see Look Ahead, page 14). Bosco Okello, CEO, Apitrade Africa www.apitradeafrica.org
Postal Survey Winners are: Afendia Fobella Julius (Cameroon), James Evans Boavo and Henry Kofi Darko (Ghana), Opejo Onyoin John Kokas (Uganda), Francis Kapungwe, Aggrey Mvula and Joseph Sambondu (Zambia) and James Mtisi (Zimbabwe)
Winner – Rev Tobias Ubeh
MR PAUL MZEKA At Bees for development we are saddened to hear of the death on 14 June 2015 of Mr Paul Nzegha Mzeka, Founder and Co-ordinator of the Apiculture and Nature Conservation Organisation, Cameroon. Mr Mzeka, a life-long lover of trees, was famous for coining the phrase ‘plant a tree for every bee’. He dedicated his life and work to the promotion of biodiversity, always recognising the need to integrate conservation with livelihood support. Amongst his many achievements Mr Mzeka and his dedicated team helped 30 communities to protect their watersheds and conserve four community forests. Mr Mzeka was one of the first to be selected to receive a United Nations Forest Heroes Award in 2011 (BfdJ 104).
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Honey bees bring more cash from cashew Photo © Kwame S Aidoo
Kwame S Aidoo1 Mary Adzanyo2 Rita Weidinger2 André M Tandjiekpon2
Keywords: Apis mellifera adansonii, bee products, Benin, crop yield, Ghana, integration, top-bar hive The integration of beekeeping into cashew orchards has great potential to increase cashew nut yields and to also improve farmers’ income through the sale of bee products. Facts and figures for the benefits of this integration are not available in cashew producing countries. To measure the contribution of bee pollination for increasing yield and quality of cashew nuts, The African Cashew Initiative commissioned this study between October 2012 and June 2013. We introduced honey bee colonies into cashew farms in Benin and Ghana to find the effect on cashew production.
Materials and methods The study took place in the cashew growing belts of Benin and Ghana. In Ghana, two experimental farms were set up in each of four cashew growing communities: Badu, Kranka, Tanobuase and Wenchi.
Cashew fruits with the mature nut (which is the seed) In Benin, farms were selected in Bassila, Ouesse, Parakou and Tchaourou – a total of eight farms. Within each community, two farms with trees of a similar age, good cultural practice, and spaced not less than 2 km apart were used. The study began in October 2012, when cashew trees in both countries had just started flowering. Two honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera adansonii) in top-bar
One of the experimental hives overflowing with bees and stores
hives were set close to a marked experimental plot on the first farm. Seventy cashew trees (seven rows, ten in each row) were marked with red paint to form the experimental plot of the orchard. The hives were inspected internally and bathroom scales were used to record their initial weight. The second farm (control) was selected at a distance not less than 2 km away from the first and without managed honey bee colonies. Seventy trees were similarly marked with red paint.
Data collection
Four beekeeper-cashew farmers, in most cases owners of the experimental farms, were informed about the study after they agreed to fully support the research. Notebooks marked up with the relevant tables for data collection were explained to the farmers and they used them for record keeping. The farmers were taught to carry out the following: Accurate scale reading; Weighing hives weekly and recording their weight accurately; Weekly collection, weighing and recording of cashew nut yields from the 70 trees; Weekly sampling, weighing and recording the weight of 200 nuts from the total obtained from the 70 trees. 6
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Questionnaires and interviews Eighty cashew farmers in Ghana and 40 in Benin were interviewed individually and taken through a structured questionnaire. Their responses were recorded and analysed using the statistical software SPSS 16.0 for Windows.
Results – findings from interviews Crop and animal integration Ghana – the majority of farmers (88%) did not grow any crops under the closed canopy of their orchards and 38% could not think of any crops that could be grown under cashew trees for additional income. The remaining 12% cultivate one or more of avocado, cocoa, cocoyam, ginger, plantain and yam under the trees. Most farmers did not keep animals on their farms although a small number (26.3%) kept bees, hens, sheep or snails. Benin – none of the farms had any crops growing as undergrowth, and
Weighing a hive using a modified bathroom scale none of the farmers could think of a crop that could be cultivated for extra income. It was observed that the spice Aframomum melegueta (also known as Guinea pepper) was growing wild in the forest vegetation adjourning cashew
Table 1. Summary of questionnaire responses from 80 farmers in Ghana and 40 in Benin Parameter/Indicator Males interviewed Females interviewed Agro-chemical use on farms Cashew farm intercropped with other crops for extra income Farmers keeping animals on farms Farmers keeping bees on farms Of farmer beekeepers, those in Ghana with 1-20 hives, or in Benin with 6-20 Beekeepers with basic beekeeping equipment Farmers joining beekeeping associations Beekeepers processing honey using crush and drain method Beekeepers’ total annual honey harvest (Ghana: 6-80 kg; Benin: 5-50 kg) Beekeepers with hive productivity kg of honey/ hive/year (Ghana 7-21; Benin 7-14) Beekeepers processing empty, broken combs into beeswax Availability of beekeeping extension services Farmers with annual nut production of 100-4,000 kg (Ghana) and 100-3,500 kg (Benin) Farmers drying raw cashew nuts for 1-3 days Farmers processing cashew apple
Ghana (%) 78.8 21.2 <10
Benin (%) 92.5 17.5 <20
12.0 26.3 17.1
0.0 0.0 57.5
69.0 62.5 21.0
65.0 40.0 80.0
80.0
76.2
80.0
70.0
80.0
70.0
40 0.0
31.6 0.0
89.7 89.7 3.8
94.7 94.7 13.2
7
orchards. Its integration into the orchards could be explored. Only three farmers kept cattle and hens, however over 55% of cashew farmers interviewed kept bees on their farms. Agrochemical usage: Almost all the farmers (90% in Ghana; 80% in Benin) did not use chemical pesticides or fertilisers on their farms. Oecophylla red ants were widespread in both countries and used as biological agents for pest control on cashew orchards – see Table 1.
Integration of beekeeping into cashew orchards Average honey harvests per colony, per season were 20.7 kg (Ghana) and 13.7 kg (Benin). There is a similar trend for beeswax: 1.40 kg for Ghana and 0.92 kg per colony for Benin. Propolis production was also higher for colonies in Ghana than in Benin (0.37 kg and 0.26 kg respectively) – see Table 2.
Effects Table 3 shows the results of effective pollination activities of honey bee colonies in the experimental orchards. On average, the yield of raw cashew nuts (RCN) was 9.1 kg/tree and 4.2 kg/tree for orchards with and without bee colonies respectively in Ghana; and 6.75 kg/tree and 2.16 kg/tree in Benin. The indication is that the presence of honey bees in orchards improves RCN yields to
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Table 2. Honey, beeswax and propolis production for cashew orchards in Ghana and Benin Colony Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total Mean Range
Honey (kg) Ghana Benin 23.50 4.20 35.50 0.00 0.00 28.80 10.50 11.20 35.50 + 7.50 15.00 0.00 6.50 16.5 13.90 8.50 24.10 145.00 96.20 20.70 13.70 8.50 – 4.20 – 35.50 28.80
Beeswax (kg) Ghana Benin 1.60 0.28 2.40 0.00 0.00 1.93 0.70 0.75 2.40 + 0.50 1.01 0.00 0.44 1.10 0.93 0.57 1.62 9.78 6.45 1.40 0.92 0.57 – 0.28 – 1.60 1.93
Propolis (kg) Ghana Benin 0.30 0.00 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.20 0.25 0.20 0.45 + 0.25 0.00 0.40 0.30 0.35 0.30 0.45 0.30 2.60 1.55 0.37 0.26 0.25 – 0.20 – 45.00 0.30
Notes Harvest was stolen and hive burnt Colony absconded Two harvests carried out in Wenchi Table 3. Raw cashew nut yields Plot Number 1 2 3 4 Total Mean
Ghana With bee No bee colonies colonies (kg/tree) (kg/tree) 11.30 5.20 12.10 3.80 6.96 3.99 6.00 3.90 36.36 16.89 9.1 4.2
Benin % yield With bee No bee increase colonies colonies (kg/tree) (kg/tree) 117.3 13.80 3.15 218.4 7.01 3.10 74.4 2.30 0.80 75.0 3.90 1.60 27.01 8.65 116.7 6.75 2.2
% yield increase 337.0 126.3 182.5 144.6 212.5
Figure 1. Raw cashew nut yields in cashew orchards in Ghana with and without honey bee colonies (2012/2013 season) 14 With bees 12 Without bees 10 Kilogrammes
8 6 4 2 0 Kranka
Tanobuase
Wenchi
Badu 8
up to 116.7% in Ghana and 212.5% in Benin (Table 3; Figures 1 and 2).
Cashew nut quality
The presence of honey bee colonies in orchards did not affect RCN quality significantly as measured by the weight of 200 nuts sampled in the same growing area (Figures 3 and 4).
Discussion and conclusion
The study has established that the incorporation of beekeeping into cashew farming systems will improve the productivity of farms and income levels of farmers in two ways: the sale of bee products (beeswax, honey and propolis) and also increased nut yields as a result of effective pollination activities of honey bees. The baseline rate of incorporation has been established as two colonies per hectare of orchard. This means that a cashew farmer with a five hectare orchard could operate an apiary of ten honey bee colonies. However this number could be increased gradually depending on the availability and richness of additional forage resources within the cashew ecosystem and the presence of nearby apiaries. It was observed during the study that worker honey bees sometimes collect cashew apple juice. It must be noted that honey bees do not depend entirely on the cashew trees for forage. Other flowering plants in the nearby vegetation provide additional forage especially during the offflowering period of the cashew trees (June to October): these extra sources sustain bee colonies in the cashew ecosystem. Honey bees are not the only bee pollinators of cashew flowers, however large numbers of honey bee workers on the farm (over 70,000 from the two colonies for one hectare) ensured that every receptive hermaphrodite flower was visited and fertilised to produce fruits. A single cashew tree at one time produces about 767 flower panicles of which 63–67 are hermaphrodite (male and female structures in one) and 250–400 are male flowers. All the hermaphrodite flowers must be visited by pollinators to effect fertilisation for fruit set (Bigger, 1960). Several other bee species including stingless bees and small solitary bees also contribute to
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Figure 2. Raw cashew nut yields in cashew orchards in Benin with and without honey bee colonies (2012/2013 season) 16
With bees 14 Without bees 12 Kilogrammes
10 8 6 4 2 0 Ousse
Tchaourou
Parakou
Bassila
Women harvesting cashew nuts on a farm in Ghana
9
the effective pollination of cashew flowers. Studies conducted in several cashew producing countries such as Brazil and India have attributed low nut yields of orchards to inadequate pollination. The notable significant higher RCN yields recorded in farms with honey bee colonies are in line with other studies conducted in India. Reddi (1987) found that 25–72% of cashew flowers were not pollinated in nature because of pollinator limitation and stated that an increase of 157.8% was possible if flowers received adequate pollen. The significant higher yields recorded on farms in Ghana over Benin are attributed to low species numbers of other bees recorded in orchards in
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Table 4. Income value of integrating two honey bee colonies into one hectare cashew farms in Ghana and Benin Item
Ghana without bee colonies
RCN Increased RCN yield per tree Total RCN yield/ha/year Total value hive products (two hives/ha/year) Total gross annual income Exchange rate (2013)
Ghana with bee colonies 102.2% 9.1 kg/tree 679.4 kg value at GHC 679.40
Benin without bee colonies
0
GHC 396.20 US$208.53
0
GHC 336.00 US$ 176.84 US$ 1.00 = GHC 1.90
GHC 1075.60 US$ 566.11
CFA 70,000.00 CFA 287,980.00 US$ 140.00 US$ 575.96 US$ 1.00 = CFA 500.00
4.5 kg/tree 336 kg value at GHC 336.00
2.16 kg/tree 175 kg value at CFA 70,000.00
Figure 3. RCN quality as determined by weight of 200 RCNs in orchards with and without honey bee colonies in Benin (2012/2013 season) 2.0
With bees
1.8
Without bees
1.6 1.4 Kilogrammes
1.2 1
Benin with bee colonies 212.5% 6.75 kg/tree 546.9 kg value at CFA 218,760.00 CFA 69, 220.00 US$ 138.40
the cashew belt of Benin. Many stingless bees that were found in orchards in Ghana were absent in Benin. An enterprising farmer could additionally cultivate shade loving crops (for example Aframomum melegueta and ginger) under the cashew trees to improve farm income. Domestic animals including goats, poultry and sheep on the farm will also add to family wealth and health. Beekeepers in both countries need more knowledge concerning the management of apiaries, especially in the cashew production system. Current methods of harvesting and processing of quality bee products must be also upgraded.
0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 Ousse
Tchaourou
Basilla
Parakou
Figure 4. RCN quality as determined by weight of 200 RCNs in orchards with and without honey bee colonies in Ghana (2012/2013 season) 1.8 With bees
1.6
Without bees 1.4 1.2 Kilogrammes
1 0.8 0.6 0.4
References BIGGER,M. (1960) Selenothrips rubrocinctus Giard and the floral biology of cashew in Tangayika. East Africa Agricultural Journal. 25: 229-234. REDDI,E.U.B. (1987) Underpollination: a major constraint of cashew nut production. Proceedings Indian National Science Academy. B 53: 249-51. Acknowledgments Thanks to GiZ/African Cashew Initiative (ACi) for providing the funds for the research work. The immense support during the field work provided by Messrs Kodjo Siaka of Centre de Recherches Agricoles (Benin), also H Odoi and E Laryae of ACi (Ghana) is much appreciated. Author details 1 Global Pollination Project-Ghana, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
0.2 0
African Cashew Initiative, Accra, Ghana 2
Kranka
Tanobuase
Wenchi
Badu 10
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Practical Beekeeping
Containers for honey Janet Lowore and Nicola Bradbear Keywords: bucket, Cameroon, food-grade, honey trade, IBC, market chain On its way to the consumer, honey may pass through several stages of the market chain from beekeeper to co-operative, or trader to exporter. This article considers different containers used in bulk trade. Beekeepers in remote locations often find it difficult to obtain affordable honey containers. Gourds are still used by some communities (see next page), however, where the maintenance of quality is paramount, air-tight, food-grade plastic containers are best. Stackable buckets with tight-fitting lids are widely used. When large-scale honey buyers become established in an area,
the use of correct containers is a key part of their quality assurance process. Managing the distribution of buckets to beekeepers and ensuring their return becomes a major task. Jerry cans should be avoided if there is any risk of the honey crystallising, as it then becomes difficult to remove the honey through the narrow neck of the jerry can without warming the honey. In some places polythene lined sacks are replacing buckets and jerry cans as containers for honey. The advantages of the sacks are: • Cheap • Take up little room when empty and therefore transportation is cheaper • Easy to print on and brand with the buyer’s name and logo
Photos © Bees for development
A honey bulking store in Ethiopia
11
• Provided that they are of high quality and well-sealed, spillage is less likely compared with buckets that can tip over and crack • Some beekeepers believe that they are easier than buckets to carry on the back of bicycles. Beekeepers in Cameroon use buckets to supply the honey buying company Guiding Hope. The honey is then transferred into polythene lined sacks for long distance transport to the processing facility. After final processing the honey is transferred into polyethylene drums that are then housed in a heavy-duty cage for export. The advantage of these types of containers (sometimes called IBCs – Intermediate Bulk Containers) is that they can be manoeuvred
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
In some countries including Cameroon and Ethiopia polythene lined sacks are used for transport of honey using a fork-lift truck. Honey is also exported in 200 litre steel drums. The drums must be of good quality, coated with food-safe paint and be clean and moisture proof. All containers must be: • Clean and dry • Food-grade quality • Used for honey alone (secondhand containers can be used provided they were previously used only for food) • Air and moisture tight. Author details Bees for development, 1 Agincourt Street, Monmouth NP25 3DZ, UK
Gourds are used in some areas of Ethiopia as honey containers. The gourds can be grown by beekeepers and are easy to transport
Now available Establishing a supply chain for honey and beeswax from rural beekeepers and Exporting honey and beeswax from Africa to Europe (Beekeeping and Development Guides 3 and 4) are reviewed on page 18.
(left) Jerry cans are easily sourced in Uganda, but are unsuitable for storing honey that may crystallise (right) Cylindrical metal drums are widely available in Zambia, but do not pack as efficiently as square sided containers 12
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Chipo Gono – Bees intrigue me
JL Hello Chipo, please introduce yourself CG I am Programme Assistant in the Livelihoods & Innovation Development Programme of Ruzivo Trust, Harare, Zimbabwe. We work in agriculture, land, livelihoods and sustainable development. Our work is with poor farmers, youths and the middle-aged: some are linked to markets while others are working at subsistence level. Apiculture is an important topic. JL How does beekeeping help support rural livelihoods? CG In many ways! Through the income gained by those who would otherwise struggle, especially in a dollarised* country. Beekeeping has many advantages as it is low-cost and does not compete with land-demanding activities. Bees produce honey even in the poorest regions with little rainfall, making it viable in dry regions where crop production and
community gardens are difficult to implement. Livelihoods in rural communities are improved as households become food secure, often using honey as a substitute for sugar. Honey is used also as a remedy for bronchial infections, burns, colds, ulcers and wounds. An unexpected outcome is that beekeeping increases the participation of communities in conservation. In Goromonzi District, as people gained awareness of the importance of flowers and trees, there is less indiscriminate cutting of trees for
‘‘
Bees now intrigue me! When we see honey on the shelves, do we ever think of the efforts the bees make? How self organised they are to produce the sweetest of products? Besides their protective nature coming through stings, do we reflect that we harvest where they put their labour? As they do selection of materials for production of honey, do we think through the intelligence of how they select the best combination of nectars to produce honey? What is it that we are doing for them to play this role the way they do? What conservation efforts and complementary efforts do we put in place to make their job easier? These are questions that continue to seize me in my research efforts, having worked for a year in this unchartered area in development – Chipo Gono.
‘‘
Bees for development’s Janet Lowore interviews Chipo Gono from the Livelihoods & Innovation Development Programme of Ruzivo Trust, Harare, Zimbabwe
timber in the veld. This has helped to conserve almost near extinction trees. Moringa oleifera helps prevents anaemia and many forms of malnutrition, also it is a good nectar and pollen source. JL Who are your target groups? CG 500 bee farmers in four Districts. The first group of 15 farmers in Mazowe District started on their own and sought our training. In Goromonzi District, we are training 30 farmers in the Pfuma Group. We have identified groups in Hwedza and Marondera, (200 farmers), but unfortunately because of funding cuts the projects could not be sustained. Our Champion Beekeeper has over 350 colonies and she has ceased all other farming. We collaborate to train and convince sceptical communities of the value and desirability of beekeeping as part of their livelihood. JL Tell us about your work CG If farmers do not know how to utilise income gained from farm activities, they remain in poverty because there is always need for continuing investment in a farm for business survival. We give business skills advice especially the roles of budget and record keeping. When we began the beekeeping programme we found that maximum potential was not being reached due to the low investments by the beekeepers, who lacked organised market systems and had no extension support – some gave up after failing to capture a colony! After our training farmers realise the potential of working in small groups with leadership and
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Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
a constitution and only a few bee colonies are individually owned. JL Why did you bring a can of insect spray with you? CG I am afraid of the problems in Europe causing decline also in our pollinators. I am saying that in Africa our bees forage on indigenous tree species and there is very little use of pesticides in crops. However beekeepers are sometimes careless and do not provide water for their bees. This causes worker bees to invade people’s bathtubs and kitchen sinks looking for water. Not everyone in Africa is a beekeeper and not all are aware of the role that bees play in nature. For some people the only thing they know about bees is that they sting!
LOOK AHEAD CAMEROON
Honey Show Cameroon 4-7 November 2015, Yaounde Further details soukybert@yahoo.fr
ETHIOPIA
ApiEthiopia Expo December 2015, Addis Ababa Further details nbtb1963@yahoo.com
IRAQ
8th International Arab Beekeepers Union Congress 10-13 October 2015 Contact beekeepersnajaf@yahoo.com
PHILIPPINES
APIMONDIA Symposium on Indigenous Bee Species 1-4 February 2016, Tagaytay City Further details www.apimondiaphilippines2016. com
RWANDA
5th ApiTrade Africa Event 2016, Kigali Further details will appear here
SAUDI ARABIA
13th Asian Apicultural Association Conference 2016 Further details will appear here
So when these innocent little pollinators enter people’s homes, the first human instinct is to get them out. Thoughtlessly humans spray harmful insecticides on the bees and they die. Sometimes bees are destroyed by veld fires as people hunt in the bush: beekeepers are encouraged to construct bee houses, or fireguards around their apiaries, for protection. Beekeepers need to provide a safe environment (forage, protection, water) for bees to prosper so that future generations are able to enjoy the benefits that they bring to us. Africa should watch out for its own problems before it is too late: we do not want to count bee corpses! JL How will you develop market
SLOVENIA
11th COLOSS Conference Current threats & future beekeeping 21-23 October 2015, Lukovica Further details www.coloss.org 1st Pan-European Honey Breakfast 21 November 2015 Further details www.czs.si
SOUTH AFRICA
FAO XIV World Forestry Congress 7-11 September 2015, Durban Further details www.fao.org/ about/meetings/world-forestrycongress
SOUTH KOREA
APIMONDIA: 44th International Apicultural Congress 15-20 September 2015, Deajeon Visit: www.apimondia2015.com
UK
Scottish BKA Autumn Convention 12 September 2015, Oatridge Further details www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk Conwy Honey Fair 14 September 2015, North Wales Further details www.conwybeekeepers.org.uk National Honey Show 29-31 October 2015, Weybridge Further details www.honeyshow.co.uk 14
opportunities? CG We cannot be with farmers forever; we intend to develop smart relationships between farmers and honey buyers to eliminate intermediary buyers, and if we manage to raise resources, the sky is the limit. Acquisition of development funding is a challenge although we have submitted many proposals: we are seeking international markets for our bee produce. JL Thank you Chipo *Dollarisation/Currency substitution Adopting a foreign currency as sole legal tender, easing to issue domestic currency and giving up power to vary exchange rate.
LEARN AHEAD UK Strengthening livelihoods in developing countries through beekeeping 8 April 2016, Monmouth Sustainable beekeeping 9–10 April 2016, Ragman’s Lane Permaculture Farm See www.beesfordevelopment.org/ what-we-do/training If you want notice of your conference, workshop or meeting to be included here and on our website send details to Bees for development, address on page 2
Beekeepers Safaris by Bfd VIETNAM 9-22 November 2015
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 11-21 January 2016 TURKEY 23 July – 4 August 2016 More information www.beesfordevelopment.org/ what-we-do/beekeeping-safaris Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @BeesForDev
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Factsheet
Hive beetles with honey bees and stingless bees Species include the small hive beetle Aethina tumida and several species of large hive beetles including Oplostoma fuligineus and Oplostomus haroldi.
The small hive beetle can be destructive to bee colonies, causing damage to comb, stored honey and pollen. Serious beetle infestation of colonies may cause bees to abandon their hive.
Life cycle Small hive beetle
The adult small hive beetle is dark brown and about half a centimetre in length. The adults live up to six months and can be observed almost anywhere in a colony. Female beetles lay irregular masses of eggs in cracks or crevices. The eggs hatch in 2-3 days into white-coloured larvae that grow to 10-11 mm in length, and take 10-16 days to mature.
• Always maintain strong colonies.
Mature larvae leave the colony and burrow into nearby soil to pupate. The pupation period is 3–4 weeks. Newly emerged adults seek honey bee colonies, mate and the females begin egg-laying about a week after emergence. Small hive beetles may have four or five generations a year during warm seasons.
• Use traps to de-populate the apiary and surrounding areas of small hive beetles. These beetles are active at dusk and are attracted to honey or bee bread bait. Beekeepers can construct simple traps using available materials or containers. Traps work on a simple principle of a bait (honey, bee bread or vinegar) with a surrounding bridge of non-toxic oil. The beetles suffocate as they pass through the oil to get to the bait.
Large hive beetle Little is known of the life cycle and biology of large hive beetle species. Unlike the small hive beetle, which starts its lifecycle inside the honey bee colony, the large hive beetle requires decomposing plant material and herbivore faeces (for example cattle dung) for egg laying and development to adult. Large hive beetles feed on flowers and seek food inside a honey bee colony only when there is a shortage of forage elsewhere.
Avoidance To avoid infestation by hive beetles beekeepers should: Small hive beetles on honeycomb Photo © Jessica Lawrence/Eurofins Agroscience Services/Bugwood.org - CC BY 3.0 US
Hive beetles occur naturally in Africa where they are considered as minor secondary pests. In sub-Saharan Africa the small hive beetle is found in most Apis mellifera honey bee colonies throughout the year and seems to co-habit with them. However most large hive beetles are nectar feeding and are found in hives when nectar and pollen from plants become scarce. They are opportunistic pests and can live without honey bees, unlike the small hive beetle which is dependent on bees. Small hive beetles can now be found in honey bee colonies in Australia, and the warmer parts of the USA, causing considerable damage to beekeeping. They were found in Italy in 2014 but have not been detected in 2015.
combs feeding on brood, honey and pollen, defecating and causing discoloration and fermentation of the honey.
Beetle larvae tunnel through 15
• Avoid throwing away discarded combs of brood, honey or pollen around the apiary.
• In the case of large hive beetles, carry out regular hive inspections to remove and destroy the beetles especially during a dearth period. • Seal cracks and gaps in hives to prevent large beetle entry. In Ghana top-bar hive entrances are made as triangular holes, exactly the size of the worker honey bee to deny large hive beetle entry.
Photo © Kwame Aidoo
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
Case study from Ghana Large and small hive beetles are found in Ghana but their activities do not seem to affect the life of honey bee colonies.
Larvae of small hive beetle Aethina tumida
Stored honey combs and small hive beetles Honey combs harvested from infested colonies could contain beetle eggs. Under the right conditions these eggs may hatch into larvae which will begin to eat honey and destroy the combs. To avoid this, harvested honey combs should be processed as soon as practicable.
The presence of hive beetles in colonies of African bees does not seem to affect colony performance. However, when these beetles occur in Apis mellifera colonies in other regions they are a problem for bees and beekeepers. We recommend avoiding chemical control measures and the use of environmentally friendly methods such as traps. Physically removing large hive beetles and killing them during regular colony inspections may control their activities.
Large hive beetles have not been found in stingless bee colonies in Ghana. Kwame S Aidoo References
Photo © Kwame S Aidoo
Large hive beetle
Conclusion
In stingless beekeeping however, the small hive beetle is a considerable threat to colony survival and performance. When the beetles access the nest of a weak colony, many eggs are quickly laid that hatch and consume the stores of both honey and bee bread. Larvae infestation becomes so great that the colony absconds. The success of stingless bee beekeeping hinges on the beekeeper’s ability to quickly secure the hive during colony transfer from natural nests in logs to wooden bee hives. The rule for stingless beekeeping is to seal all gaps or holes that may become entry points for small hive beetles especially during the initial stages of colony establishment. A wellestablished colony can secure its nest with lots of propolis and can resist small hive beetles.
ELLIS,J.D.; ELLIS,A. (2013) Small Hive Beetle, Aethina tumida Murray (Insecta: Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). [Online] Available from: https://edis. ifas.ufl.edu/in854 [Accessed: 13 August 2015] HOOD,W.M. (2004). “The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida: a review” (PDF). Bee World 85 (3): 51–59. NEUMANN,P.; ELZEN,P.J. (2004). “The biology of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida, Coleoptera: Nitidulidae): Gaps in our knowledge of an invasive species”. Apidologie 35 (3): 229–247. doi:10.1051/ apido:2004010. RHODES,J.; MCCORKELL,B. (2007). “Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida in New South Wales Apiaries 2002-6” (PDF). NSW Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved 2010-11-01. The purpose being to record the spread of... (SHB) within NSW since its identification at Richmond, NSW, in 2002. 16
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
THE BEE
BEE TREE
Mr Kafui Kwesi Appiah of Honey for Wealth Beekeepers Association wrote to Bees for development asking for help to identify a tree which he had noticed as a popular bee tree flowering in Kete Krachi, Ghana. Our first thought was that the tree might be the exotic Tatradium daniellici. However after consulting colleagues at Oregon State University we now suggest the tree is Quassia undulata, indigenous to Ghana.
Photo © commons.wikimedia
This enquiry introduced us to Tatradium daniellici, whose popular name is the Bee Bee Tree, indigenous to Korea. With the 44th Apimondia Congress taking place this month in South Korea it seems fitting to feature this ‘Korean Bee Tree’.
TREES BEES USE Tetradium daniellii
Description A deciduous tree 8–12 m tall, with a similar spread of the crown. Leaves up to 40 cm long, composed of 11 ovate leaflets that turn yellow in autumn. Clusters of small, aromatic white flowers in late summer may be followed by clusters of red fruit. The bark is smooth and grey to black. Tetradium daniellii spreads by copious seed production: birds eat the fruits and disperse seeds to new locations.
Apicultural value Tetradium daniellii produces masses of flat white flower clusters that are extremely attractive to honey bees and other pollinators. When the plants are in flower large numbers of bees can be seen (and heard) visiting the flowers. In North America the tree is valuable for beekeepers because it flowers prolifically from mid-July to mid-August, when little else is blooming. Family Tetradium is a genus of nine species of trees in the family Rutaceae, the same family as Citrus sp.
References HONEYBEESUITE Honey bee forage: bee bee tree [Online] Available from http://www.honeybeesuite. com/honey-bee-forage-bee-bee-tree/ [Accessed 13 August 2015]
Distribution Tetradium daniellii is endemic to Yunnan Province China, North and South Korea and Tibet. It is planted as an amenity tree outside its natural range.
RHS Tetradium danielli [Online] Available from https://www.rhs.org.uk /Plants/19630/i-Tetradium-daniellii-i/Details [Accessed 13 August 2015] 17
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
BOOKSHELF
Prices in US$ and € are approximate
Beescape for Meliponines – conservation of Indo-Malayan stingless bees
Abu Hassan Jalil and Ibrahim Shuib 2014 212 pages £42 (US$65; €60) Published by PARTRIDGE – A Penguin Random House Company ISBN 97814828223615 Global interest in stingless bees is increasing because of their importance in the pollination of many tropical plants. The need to conserve stingless bees and other bees in general has become a matter of concern to many people. The authors of this book make a comprehensive compilation of stingless bee species and conservation practices in Indo-Malayan regions of Asia, and discuss the ecological requirements of stingless bees world-wide. Chapters describe pests and predators and the establishment of meliponaries in various landscapes, including home gardens, orchards and public parks. A good practical guide for stingless bee beekeepers.
Bees for development Guides 3 & 4 Edited by Rebecca Howard, Michael Tchana and Bees for development 2015 32 pages and 40 pages respectively Honey and beeswax create good income to improve the livelihoods of beekeeping families. However, the benefits of beekeeping depend on many factors that interplay along the bee product value chain. These include product quality, production quantities, supply and demand volumes, and all affect the trade dynamics of products and ultimately the benefits that can be derived by players in the sector. Guide 3: Establishing a supply chain for honey and beeswax from rural beekeepers This Guide details the procedures involved in establishing an economically viable supply chain in Cameroon for internal and external traders of honey and beeswax. It is a well written compilation of step-by-step procedures and experiences of the trading company, Guiding Hope, with management support from PAELLA-E. These two organisations successfully established trade links between remote beekeepers in Cameroon and importers in the EU. A good reference for people planning to engage in African honey and beeswax trade to Europe. Guide 4: Exporting honey and beeswax from Africa to Europe This Guide continues the procedures that Guiding Hope developed to operate an exportorientated marketing system for honey and beeswax. The booklet documents all processes involved to meet stringent import requirements for EU markets. The success story of a first shipment of 20 tonnes of honey and 100 tonnes of beeswax to Germany and the UK is told. This case study provides a vivid picture of the shocks, challenges and experiences of Guiding Hope in organising successful export. The result is a doubling of farm gate prices for poor rural beekeepers. These experiences provide good lessons for other organisations aiming to export to the EU. Each Guide costs £5 (US$8; €7) and is available to buy at www.beesfordevelopment.org/shop. Readers in developing countries are eligible for free copies: see page 20 for contact details.
Safe to chew – an anthology Edited by Lawrence John Connor, Randy Kim and Robert Muir 2015 211 pages £13 (US$21; €19) Published by Wicwas Press ISBN 9781878075451 A collection of essays, poems and stories with beekeeping as their theme. A celebration of the culture and inspiration that has arisen from the ‘beloved, enigmatic and imperilled honey bee’. Congratulations to Dr Connor who, at the Heartland Apicultural Society meeting in USA in July was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Society and the Michigan Beekeepers Association. This recognised his work mentoring the next generation of queen breeders and as a lifelong advocate of sustainable, practical and informed beekeeping practices.
WAYS TO PAY
• Secure order and payment at www.beesfordevelopment.org/shop • PayPal to store@beesfordevelopment.org • Credit/Debit card Maestro/MasterCard/Visa. We need card number, name on card, valid from and expiry dates, card issue number (if given), security number on back of card. • Cheque/bank draft in GBP payable to Bees for development 18
Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
NOTICE BOARD FUNDING FROM FAO TeleFood Special Fund Beekeepers’ groups and associations may apply for project funding of up to US$10,000. Request documents should include a brief description of project objectives, proposed food production or income-generating activities, work plan, number of participants, detailed list of inputs with cost estimates and reporting arrangements. See www.fao.org CSO SUPPORT The Commonwealth Foundation awards grants for sustainable development projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation. Conditions apply. Next call opens on 1 December 2015: See www.commonwealthfoundation.com/grants HOTSPOT Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot Call. Small grants (maximum US$10,000) in Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe – applications only accepted upon invitation. To discuss your project idea with one of our team members first write to cepf-eam-rit@birdlife.org TRAINING GRANT Conservation Workshop Grants fund organisations to train communities, stakeholders, park guards, and others on local and regional conservation issues. These grants support training workshops with hands-on learning components that will build capacity for people living in WWF priority places in select countries in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. Organisations must meet all of the eligibility criteria to be considered for a grant of up to US$7,500. See www.worldwildlife.org/projects/ conservation-workshop-grants PHOTO COMPETITION 4th Annual Vita Photo Competition now open for entries to anyone with an interest in beekeeping or honey bees. Winners’ photographs feature in the 2016 Vita (Europe) Ltd Calendar. Each winner receives a copy of the calendar. There is a cash prize and beekeeping products for the best entry judged by an international panel of beekeeping journalists and suppliers. Deadline 18 October 2015. See www.vita-europe.com ST HARALAMBOS Patron Saint of Beekeepers in Bulgaria celebrated on 10 February 2016. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL The oldest English language beekeeping publication in the world. See a digital copy and subscribe at www.americanbeejournal.com BEE CRAFT UK Beekeeping Journal for beginners and seasoned apiarists. View a digital copy and subscribe on line at www.bee-craft.com BEE CULTURE The magazine of American beekeeping. 140 years experience. Today’s techniques. Tomorrow’s ideas. US$15 for a digital subscription. See www.BeeCulture.com ULUDAG BEE JOURNAL News, practical information and research articles Published quarterly in Turkish with English summaries. See www.uludagaricilik.org ADVERTISE IN Bees for development Journal A great opportunity to reach thousands of readers worldwide. Various size ads available. See www.beesfordevelopment.org/advertise
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Bees for development Journal 116 September 2015
SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE This Journal is available for resource-poor beekeepers, projects, schools and groups in developing countries Supported with funds raised by Bees for development Trust Name................................................................................................. What is your involvement with bees and beekeeping? ......................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................... Organisation ..................................................................................... Postal address................................................................................... ......................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................... Country............................................................................................. E-mail address................................................................................... Date of application............................................................................. Additional copies of this form are available from our website Email journalrequest@beesfordevelopment.org Post to Bfd Trust at the address below
SUPPORT FOR TRAINING Bfd Training Booklets and Training Cards are for use by beekeeper trainers in Africa Each booklet provides one day of training on one topic. The cards provide pictures and plans illustrating techniques discussed in the booklets. These are included in our Resource Boxes for training events and workshops. Projects and associations in developing countries are welcome to apply for a Sponsored Resource Box by filling out an application form on our website, or request the form by email. Projects in other areas can purchase Resource Boxes through our website store.
www.beesfordevelopment.org
Bees for development Trust is the charity which raises the funds Bfd needs to undertake our work both in the UK and overseas. There are two main strands to our efforts:
PROTECTING BEES & POLLINATORS TEACHING SUSTAINABLE LIFE SKILLS CHAMPIONING BIO-DIVERSITY
WORKING TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY FACILITIATING FAIR MARKET ACCESS SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
If you share our passion for protecting bees and pollinators, and for working to alleviate poverty in some of the world’s poorest regions, you can help us by...
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Bees for development, 1 Agincourt Street, Monmouth NP25 3DZ, UK Telephone +44 (0)1600 714848 info@beesfordevelopment.org www.beesfordevelopment.org © Bees for development 2015 ISSN 1477-6588 Printed on environmentally friendly paper
