News

Ethiopia’s Lake Tana is created a UNESCO Biosphere reserve

Lake Tana was officially inaugurated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Bahir Dar in December 2015. About 2.5 million people live in the 700,000 hectares of the Reserve and their well-being and livelihoods are wholly dependent on the lake, and the surrounding catchment of farmland and forest. With the establishment of the Reserve, the intention is to develop approaches to combat degradation of the lake and its surrounds. The Lake makes up about 50 percent of the country’s freshwater reserves and is one of the most important wintering areas for migratory birds such as the European crane. The organisation Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) was instrumental in advocating for the creation of the Reserve and Svane Bender-Kaphengst, the head of NABU’s Africa programme declared, “The goal is to preserve one of the most unique natural and cultural landscapes of Ethiopia and to identify new, environmentally friendly ways of development for the local communities.“

Bees for development Ethiopia is based in Bahir Dar and works with dozens of communities living on the shores of Lake Tana. Beekeeping uses natural resources to support livelihoods and environmental wellbeing, and apiculture is welcomed as an activity which is fully compatible with the goals of the Biosphere Reserve.

Extensive, natural beekeeping contributing to the biodiversity of Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve

Photo © Bees for development

Non-wood Forest Products Update Issue 7 – Trees and Bees

The February 2016 Issue of FAO’s Non-wood Forest Products Update is dedicated to the topic of apiculture and includes interviews, reports and updates from around the world. Accessible online at http://forestry.fao.msgfocus. com/q/1bqcLIEXoSKO3zxI8tt/wv the issue includes the following Regional Dispatches:

The main featured article by Dr. Nicola Bradbear explains why African forest beekeeping is an excellent system of beekeeping that sustains ecosystems and supports people, and calls for the science of forest beekeeping to be included in beekeeping studies and research programmes.

• South Korea: Apimondia calls for better data, James Edge

• Germany: Possible causes of worldwide bee death, Wolfgang Ritter

• Wales: Pharmabees, Using honey bees as a drug discovery tool, Les Baillie

• Bolivia: Apiculture contributing to food security in San Ignacio de Velasco municipality

• New Zealand: Public awareness campaigns spur surge in beekeepers, Maureen Conquer

• Netherlands: Q&A with Remco Huvermann, on selling boxed bumblebees

The Bee House Project in the Afram Plains of Ghana – converting wild honey hunters into sustainable beekeepers

Activities by honey hunters have increased over the last few years in the Afram Plains of Ghana because of increased demand for honey. Sales from wild honey bring in much needed income for young people in the area. However the negative impact of too much honey hunting activity, combined with loss of mature trees, is that wild populations of honey bees have dwindled.

Project objectives

We are planning a project with fifty young honey hunters with the aim of restoring honey bee populations in the forests - using the concept of the Bees for development Bee House.

We will train honey hunters in the construction, installation and protection of the Bees for development Bee Houses. These Bee Houses will help to restore honey bee populations by serving as mother colonies to provide swarms. We will find physical means to safe guard and protect the installed Bee Houses.

Honey hunters will be supported at the same time to develop their own apiaries with top bar hives that they will learn to harvest in a completely sustainable way.