Bees for Development Journal Edition 18 - March 1991

Beekee t &S dexclorgnen MARCH 1991

NUMBER 18

STINGLESS BEES @ZOOM IN ON SUDAN TROPICAL ISLAND BEEKEEPING @PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING

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BEEKFEPING

AND DEVELOPMENT

INSIDE INFORMATION The focus of Beekeeping and Development is on beekeeping as a worthwhile and sustainable form of agriculture which does not cause harm to the environment. Beekeeping and Development provides a forum for exchange of information and contact between all of us involved with this type of beekeeping. It also gives details of recently developed techniques, other skills recorded for the first time, news, resources and events. if you have a good idea then why not share it with your beekeeping colleagues around the world? If you have a — beekeeping problem you are welcome to share that too someone somewhere may have solved it already! All facets — from tips on relating to bees and beekeeping are of interest raising trees for bees. through making hives and the management of bees, to the harvesting, sale and applied use of their products.

Advertisements

Friends are welcome! Contact us at the address below.

Beekeeping and Development is produced on a not-for-profit basis as part of the International Bee Research Association's information service to developing countries.

At the time of going to press we have received generous support from the following sponsors: Oxfam, Traidcraft Exchange, The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers and a number of individual donors. This support is acknowledged most gratefully. send Subscriptions, contributions, pictures, letters, enquiries them to the address below.

Production Beekeeping and Development is edited by Nicola Bradbear with assistance from Helen Jackson.

Four editions are published each year.

4000 copies of each edition are printed and distributed to beekeepers, associations and projects in 174 countries worldwide.

Beekeeping and Development was previously published under the title Newsletter for beekeepers in tropical and subtropical countries.

Full-page, half-page and quarter page ads are available in colour or black and white. Please write for rates. Small ads cost 65p per word, minimum 10 words, pre-paid.

Subscription

The current subscription is 10 or US$20 per year including postage. New subscriptions commence on the date they are received by IBRA. See page 10 for methods of payment, and page 14 for details of BEESWAX BARTER. Back issues are available at 2 or US$4 per copy.

Groups or individuals who are unable to pay may request a sponsored subscription: please write to Nicola Bradbear.

Sponsors

IBRA

Content

The International Bee Research Association is a scientific, charitable trust providing the world’s most comprehensive information service on all aspects of bees and beekeeping.

If you are involved with any aspect of beekeeping development then we are interested to hear of your work. Send us news of your activities and local events. We also invite you to send pictures either for our cover or to illustrate beekeeping techniques. Black and white prints reproduce most successfully.

Items appearing in Beekeeping and Development may be reproduced providing that appropriate full acknowledgement is given and copies of any articles are forwarded to the Editor.

We also appreciate receiving any translations of Beekeeping and Development, information leaflets and charts that you have prepared. We are regularly requested to supply information in languages other than English, and rely on the kind support of our readers around the world to help with this.

Contact Please note these changes in the ways you can contact IBRA: We now have only ONE telephone number which is 0222 372409.

Our telex number has changed to 262433 quoting reference B8390 And IBRA has a Fax! Contact us on 0222 665522.

Our address remains the same: INTERNATIONAL BEE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION, 18 NORTH ROAD, CARDIFF CF1 3DY, UK.

4,

Andrew’ Matheson

TWO

EPs

IBRA Director

NEWS

From January 1991 the new Director of IBRA is Andrew Matheson, previously an Apicultural Consultant with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in New Zealand. He brings to IBRA experience and skills in areas directly related to the Association's work, especially in business management, staff development, all aspects of beekeeping, providing consultancy services in both tropical and temperate countries and technical writing and editing.

Andrew Matheson started beekeeping while a student at the University of Waikato, where he completed BSc and MSc degrees in biological sciences. In 1978 he began a career with the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) as an apicultural adviser or consultant, and has worked at Hamilton, Nelson and Tauranga, in a wide range of activities. Andrew Matheson was responsible for managing all MAF's beekeeping services, consultancy and statutory, in a district containing 60,000 hives. His work included a role in management of MAF’s beekeeping unit, providing commercial consultancy services to the beekeeping and horticultural industries, helping to formulate government policy relating to the industry, training MAF staff, and

strategic planning with beekeeping industry organisations.

World beekeeping has been a particular interest for Andrew. Overseas consultancies have taken him to Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean, and he has studied beekeeping and attended conferences in Africa, Europe, Australia and North America. He has long been a regular contributor to beekeeping journals with over 140 publications to date. He is known for his comprehensive manual Practical beekeeping in New Zealand, and his joint authorship of the Bibliography of New Zealand apiculture 1842-1986.

Andrew Matheson has been a member of IBRA since 1984, and a regional representative for all of that time. During his tenure as Director he plans to strengthen the Association's financial base in order to improve its functions, including journals, library, publications and advisory services. He also intends to develop further IBRA’s activities in beekeeping development, consultancies, organising conferences and symposia, and in many ways position IBRA as the world’s premier beekeeping information centre.

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BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

WORK BEARS WITNESS Beekeeping and Development has been honoured by an award to its Editor, Nicola Bradbear.

WHO DOES WELL PREPARING HOMEY FOR MARKET

The World Vision Award for Development Initiative 1990 was presented to Dr Bradbear in December 1990 at a ceremony in London.

The Award is sponsored by World Vision of Britain and is presented by the Centre for World Development Education to an individual for innovative action in the support of sustainable development.

Dr Bradbear was selected as winner from a short-list of candidates of very high calibre. their summation the judges said:

In

“It is clear from the responses to all our enquiries that Dr Bradbear has turned the IBRA Newsletter into a unique publication, providing a constant flow of practical advice, not least on the financial aspects of beekeeping. She has created a special niche in the market, conducting correspondence and giving valuable guidance to a large number of beekeepers all around the world.

Although it is not possible to quantify the benefits, al! the evidence suggests that her efforts have contributed significantly to wealth creation, the transfer of technology, the improvement of nutrition and the conservation of forests in number of developing countries.

The Right Honourable John Smith presenting Dr. Bradbear with her award

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We greatly admired the single-handed effort, skill and determination which Dr Bradbear has displayed.” am sure all readers and those who have benefited from the associated Information Service will agree with these comments. |

Well done Nicola!

Helen Jackson

Volunteer IBRA is about to commence a project in co-operation with the Government of Tanzania's Njiro Wildlife Research Centre at Arusha.

The project, which is funded by ODA, will focus on top-bar hive design.

It is hoped that a volunteer position will be available to work on this project, initially for a two-year period. If you have experience of beekeeping and are interested in this volunteer post, then please send your CV and other relevant information to Nicola Bradbear at IBRA.

DON’T FORGET

BEEKEEPING & DEVELOPMENT iS NOW PUBLISHED QUARTERLY.

Fifth International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical Climates The purpose of this Conference is to advance knowledge of tropical bees and improve and promote beekeeping as it is practised in developing countries.

The Conference is organised for the benefit of the beekeeping and development community, and we will endeavour to make it a worthwhile and useful experience for all delegates.

If you have never attended one of our Conferences, then why not try to join us this time? At our last Conference (held in Cairo in 1988) delegates included agroforesters, aid agency personnel, individual and commercial beekeepers, conservationists, entomologists, extensionists, project workers, research scientists and zoologists. There was much lively discussion!

IBRA cannot provide financial support for your attendance, but at every Conference we have enterprising delegates who have approached local companies and charities for sponsorship to participate.

If you have not already written and you wish your name to be added to the Conference mailing list please contact IBRA at 18 North Road, Cardiff CF! 3DY, UK. Why not FAX us? See page 2.

THREE

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

USING NEWSPRINT IN BEEKEEPING Newsprint sheets are a useful commodity in my beekeeping enterprise.

29PRACTICAL EEKEEPING

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am a self-employed beekeeper managing about eighty colonies for honey, wax and pollen. also generate revenue from queens and nuclei and have been in the business for eight years.

2.

Newsprint sheets are made from aluminium and are inexpensive, light-weight, durable and easily manipulated. Used or damaged sheets are purchased from either of our two daily newspapers for about US$0.17. Used sheets may require cleaning with gasoline or kerosene to remove the ink, depending on what they will be used for. A regular detergent should then be applied to remove the gasoline or kerosene. |

Hive cvers. previously used galvanised sheets. Newsprint sheets are less expensive, easier to work with and lighter, they also do not corrode: an important factor as live close to the sea.

Hive repairs. Particularly useful for sealing

3.

Division board feeders. For use with super or brood frames. The feeder holds about one litre of syrup. See description below.

4.

Weed control. Sheets are placed below the hive or hive stand.

5.

For making water or oil troughs. These are useful where colonies need protection from insects. Two sheets should be used together for reinforcement. use them to contain both parallel bar stands and individual hive stands by placing concrete blocks in the troughs to support the bars or hive. The troughs are constructed using the same guidelines for making the division board feeder, and should be 7.5-10.0 cm larger than the block, forming a moat when filled with water or oil. |

use newsprints sheets as follows: 1.

by Gladstone Solomon

damaged or rotten hive parts, especially where colonies need to be made bee-tight for transport.

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SHEETS

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4 1/2" {11 cm}

FIGA

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(10 cm) 26" (66 em}

FIGB

Making a division board feeder using a 5% in (13.7 cm) super frame and a newsprint sheet 1.

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cleaned newsprint sheet to size 9 x 26 66 cm).

in (23 x 2.

Place a frame lengthways on the sheet so that the bottom bar is 4 in (10 cm) and the end bar is 4'/2in (11.5 cm) from the of sides the sheet (Figure A).

3.

Fold the sheet against the length of the frame (Figure B).

sheet on to the end bar on both sides of the frame. Use four regular frame nails, placing each nail '/2 in (1.3 cm) from the top of the folded sheet.

4. Nail the

5.

FIG D

Cut

FIG E

Fold the remainder of the sheet up against the end bar, seam the sheet at the sides of the end bar to form triangles — be careful to avoid the sheet being torn at the corners.

Torn sheets may be repaired by using duct tape (Figure C).

6. Fold triangles against adjacent sides of the frame (Figure C and D).

7.

Fold the projecting corner of each triangle over the side of the sheet (Figure E).

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR am a regular reader of your Newsletter and find it so useful in information that do not wish to loose even a single issue but my difficulty is the availability of exchange for sending the subscription. However, hope to obtain foreign exchange early next month when applications are considered. |

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In India traditional medicines are widely used and the practising Vaids and Hakeems {doctors of indigenous systems) strongly recommend the use of Indian Forest Honey over apiary honey. They maintain that forest honey is produced by ‘Big Bees’ Apis dorsata in

FOUR

the interior of the forest where there is an abundance of natural medicinal herbs available. As bees collect their nectar from the blossoms, the honey produced contains traces of tincture of medicinal herbs and is high in medical value. There is no chance of contamination with chemical spraying of crops and also no artificial feeding.

Are the Indian Vaids and Hakeems correct in their views?

G S Saberwal, New Delhi, India

BEEKEFPING

AND DEVELOPMENT

MAKE A SOLAR WAX EXTRACTOR

by Robin C Tomlinson However did manage without a solar wax extractor? ask myself this question every time see old comb and cappings melting away, frames glistening in the sun as wax and propolis run off them — the end result being a block of beautiful, aromatic beeswax, and clean dry beekeeping equipment. Yet somehow did manage, using the term loosely, without it. To my amazement so too do many beekeepers, some who have kept bees for many years, but why? When wax is . free such a valuable part of the crop energy, simple in operation, hardly any moving parts to clean, lubricate or replace, virtually maintenance-free, non-polluting, and even an interesting conversation piece. It is also aesthetically pleasing. |

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The construction Do not read too much into the drawings; make your extractor to the dimensions that suit you best or to the materials that you have available. The lid, usually a discarded window frame, dictates the length and width. The drawings are only a guide.

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So what are the disadvantages of a solar extractor? Cost: can justify the cost? Given

Materials 1.

An old window frame, preferably with a double layer of glass, with two hinges, a handle and a means of supporting it when open. Mine is notched and use a piece of dowelling as a prop. |

2. Exterior grade plywood 10 mm or 15 mm thick for the exterior sides and base, 3mm exterior plywood for all interior surfaces.

Hardboard would suffice.

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the number of colonies you keep and the amount of surplus wax they are producing, only you can be judge: if you are contemplating purchasing a manufactured one and you have only a few colonies then doubt it, unless you share one or buy second-hand.

But what about making one? Or better still getting a relative or friend to make one for you! However, before you embark upon the task it is as well to consider what a solar wax extractor consists of, or how it can be defined simply. |

box with four sides and a base, preferably double skinned in order to provide an insulated cavity. The box should be supported and at an angle of about 20° from the horizontal.

1.

It is

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3.

38mm x 38 mm timber planed for the internal frame to form the cavity. This should be screwed to the external 20 mm plywood, the 3 mm plywood can then be nailed to this to flush off the interior and seal the cavity.

The solar wax extractor with lid open to show melting wax inside.

Insulation for the cavity can be expanded polystyrene granules/sheeting/blocks/cork granules or rockwool. Old expanded polystyrene packing profiles cut or broken up are ideal for this purpose.

4.

°SPRACTICAL EEKEEPING

5.

50mm x 50 mm timber planed for the legs and handles. 76 mm x 50 mm timber planed for the wheel support... my extractor’s wheel came off a scrap supermarket trolley!

At the time of writing am contemplating |

building a larger extractor as have just been given a sealed double glazed unit. ] cannot resist doing something with it! |

A transparent lid, preferably with a double layer of glass or perspex. The lid should be hinged and capable of being supported in the open position.

2.

A block of beeswax produced by

the solar

wax extractor.

A tray made of metal, wood or plastic, on 3. which to place wax and hive parts. The lower edge should have a central gap with a grill to retain debris and allow molten wax to flow through. This grill is not essential if wax, comb etc, is wrapped in muslin or old nylon tights.

The unit should be mobile so that it can be moved with the minimum of effort; the principle have applied is like wheelbarrow but two wheels can be attached.

4.

5.

Reproduced with kind permission of the author from the Beekeepers’ Annual 1991 published by Northern Bee Books.

Photographs by Mary Fisher.

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The whole unit should be weatherproof.

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METAL TRAY AND SIDES TQ RETAIN WAX

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WHEEL SUPPOR

ALL SIDES AND BASE INSULATED

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BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

TROPICAL ISLAND BEEKEEPING From a scientific point of view, the Island is quite isolated and free from any beekeeping ‘pollution’ from the mainland.

Management Hive construction coincides with the swarming period in October. Bees are lured into the hive by a traditional bait, an aromatic herb which is common on the Island. The herb is warmed on a flame and rubbed inside the hives. Hives are occupied in no time! According to islanders, hives smeared with herbs are more readily occupied than those not baited. Apiaries are installed near the homesteads. Even though hives are placed directly on the ground they can last over six years without being destroyed by termites or the weather.

In all the colonies we worked with we found no existence of wax moth, ants or bee louse.

When we asked about problems with wasps, the answer was no. After noting all these factors, declared the Island free from bee pests! |

I:

INHACA

What seemed a dream when the beekeeping programme was shaping up has now turned into reality.

Location Just 30 miles into the Indian Ocean off the Mozambique port of Maputo lies a unique island. It is hard to believe it was once part of the mainland. The island is quiet and peaceful with no wild animals except a few snakes and the honeybees.

Harvest The signal for honey harvesting is the end of acacia flowering. Traditional beekeepers use torches to calm the bees. People assume that beekeepers scorch the bees with the torch, but if this happens, it is accidental, just as a flame sometimes emerges from a badly managed smoker.

Many beekeepers prefer to open hives at night (a tradition of many African beekeepers who work with defensive bees) and admired the way we handled the bees during the day. The colonies we worked with in log hives were as strong as double brood-box colonies. Nobody was stung and we were even cheered by youths near the apiary. The only problem we noticed was the bees’ tendency to follow people, even for 300 metres. Opening one end of the hive, the beekeeper can observe the nearest combs with capped, ripe honey and harvest these. Only one end of each log hive is harvested which ensures food stores for the colony during the dearth period.

Island honey processing is traditional: the only equipment is the hand! Once at home, the beekeepers squeeze the combs and discard the residue. The value of beeswax and ways of rendering it are not known. The honey is ready to eat or to sell. Good beekeeping years yield up to four honey harvests of 15 to 25 kg per hive per harvest. Traditionally honey is chewed as food, used for treatment of minor wounds and burns, and for beer brewing. _

takes two hours to sail to the island from Maputo or a 15 minute flight to the small Inhaca aerodrome. Early in the morning you are lulled by the splashing sea waves mixed with the sweet songs of the storks and Indian house crows.

It

People The islanders are calm, tall and friendly people.

Their mother tongue is Ronga, slightly different in intonation from that spoken in the city of Maputo. There are few middle-aged people on the Island: most young people migrate to Maputo or are recruited to the gold mines of South Africa. The Island has a population of about 6,000 people, and the main occupation is fishing. Agriculture is difficult as crops do not flourish on the poor quality soil.

The honeybee The honeybee Apis mellifera scutellata (maybe) is smaller, calmer and blacker than the mainland variety and shows no negative reaction when approached.

Traditional beekeeping The Island has about 50 dynamic traditional beekeepers with an average of ten hives each.

The traditional beekeeping is similar to that practised on the mainland. The difference lies in the hive construction and installation.

Whereas mainlanders construct hives from bark, log, pot and straw, the islanders use only logs. When installing a hive the islanders simply place it on the ground, while mainlanders suspend hives in trees or place them on forked branches.

SIX

Honey plants

The floral vegetation is marked by mangroves Avicennia nitida and Avicennia marina, Cocos nucifera, Acacia spp, Albizzia spp, herbs and other shrubs. The Island's natural forests are also highly conducive to beekeeping. The blooming period is October to November, leading to the major honey flow from December to January.

The perpetual supply of pollen from the coconut trees allows colonies to build up rapidly and stongly. Though honey from mangrove is slightly dark and thin when mixed with honey from other sources the result will

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

definitely be in good demand. Toddy-making causes a lot of bee casualties as the bees go for the sap dripping from the slashed inflorescences. Nylon gauze tied on top of the pots will stop the bees drowning.

The Inhaca local council with the Faculty of Biology of the Eduardo Mondlane University are protecting areas of scientific interest for studies and preservation of nature. These areas also support many honey plants and wild bee nests.

Reaping the fruits of patience

The management of bees in log hives is difficult and experience has always been the best teacher. Through failures, the beekeepers have managed to guess what is actually happening inside a Jog hive, further aided by ‘control-harvesting’ from wild nests; ie if colonies in tree cavities have ripe honey, then there is a good possibility that the log hives in the same zone are ripe as well.

Il: SEYCHELLES The Seychelles Archipelago consist of 115 islands spread over an area of 1.3 million km’.

The main island, Mahe, lies 1759 km east of Mombasa, and 3,255 km from Bombay. Lying close to the equator (4°S) the Seychelles have a tropical climate.

The economy of the Seychelles has traditionally been based on agriculture.

Commercial crops include coconut, vanilla, clove and tea but many tropical and subtropical fruits like mango, oranges, pawpaw, pineapples, citrus, banana and avocado are grown.

Beekeeping has been practised for many years, but the full potential has not been achieved. Now the government is anxious to develop beekeeping and is prepared to help those who are genuinely interested.

Marketing honey

There are about 40-50 beekeepers in the Seychelles owning 1500-2000 colonies. To improve honey production FAO has started a pilot project assisted by the Extension Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Seychelles Polytechnic.

National programme

Students from Port Launay village have five colonies and the Seychelles Polytechnic students have 20. They have learnt to domesticate the bees for their own advantage.

Brood diseases are unknown in the Seychelles.

There are flowers throughout the year and according to FAO, the islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue could produce over 20 tonnes of honey a year. With 50 colonies a beekeeper could be richly rewarded!

After honeycombs are squeezed, the liquid honey is taken to sell at the central market or at Inhaca hotel. With a few wax particles on top of every container the honey sells well. In the old days, the price of honey was negligible but the current price on the Island is 4,000 meticais a litre (around 5$US).

In collaboration with Maputo City Council we devised a beekeeping development project for the Island and CIDA agreed to finance a pilot

study.

A reconnaissance study was conducted and traditional beekeepers were recruited. The local beekeepers were given a week long . ‘crash course’ in practical matters. My assistant and conducted the training and helped to transform beekeeping in Inhaca from traditional to transitional. |

After four days of hard work, we had transferred all the colonies that were in log hives to top-bar hives. We baited the rest of the hives and the catch boxes to lure wild swarms looking for a home. The log hives will now serve as trap boxes. The beekeepers managed to remove stray colonies from tree cavities underground around their apiaries and put them in their hives.

After the course, to practise what was learnt, the mainland beekeeping programme sent a technical team and a consignment of beekeeping equipment.

The project equipment is worth millions of meticais, but the beekeepers have been subsidised, paying a token value for the whole consignment. Repayment is extended for three and a half years. The beekeeping programme will maintain a strong contact with the recentlytrained beekeepers to ensure their turn towards profitable beekeeping. More training will be given so that beekeepers can gradually make their beekeeping more enjoyable and lucrative. Beekeepers also need access to the necessary equipment and technical assistance, and assistance with the marketing of their products.

by Mathew Kawa (Mathew Kawa is Beekeeping Technical Advisor with the Programa Nacional de Apicultura in Mozambique).

The tailoring and carpentry sections in Port Launay village helped the young people by making hives and protective clothing. Now Seychellois, especially the younger generation, know that beekeeping and agriculture cannot be separated: “the bee helps the garden, the garden helps the bee, and man reaps the benefit of both”. For dedicated and ambitious youth, beekeeping provides a challenge and hope. They can demonstrate how to turn honey into money.

Villagers are also helping by growing more honey plants including Albizzia, Antigonon, Scaevola, and Calophylium.

As

a result of the interest shown by FAO, the Ministries of Agriculture and Education and others, more young people are starting beekeeping as a part-time business. These small islands of the Seychelles, with ample nectar and pollen producing flora would welcome potential investors in our beekeeping. This could be in the form of capital investment, training, equipment or technical know-how.

by K Sivapatham.

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Student beekeepers in the Seychelles.

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SEVEN

BEEKEEPING

AND DEVELOPMENT

“PARTICIPATORY” DEVELOPMENT

NEWS

BURKINA FASO

An FAO-UNDP beekeeping development project has been underway in Burkina Faso since 1985. The project is promoting the use of top-bar hives with sloping sides and containing 24 top-bars. These hives are made either from timber or woven from straw and covered with cow-dung. During the course of the project the number of beekeepers has risen from 375 in 1986 to 2250 in 1989.

Around 700 hives have been built so far. The project has also provided a processing plant with modern equipment.

Source: article by Blanca Rigau and Enric Campi, United Nations Volunteers, Vida Apicola 44 (1990).

CHINA

What the government department specified

A Chinese doctor has developed an ointment for the treatment of burns. Known as Moist Burn Ointment (MBO), it is claimed to reduce pain on contact, lessen the need for narcotics and reduce healing time. The doctor who developed the medication, Dr Xu Rong Xiang comes from a family of herbal-medicine specialists, and will not reveal the ointment’s formula until he receives a US Patent, saying only that it contains honey, sesame oil and other herbal ingredients.

Dr Xu flew to the US to present his findings at major burns centres in New York, Boston and Bethesdaa. The reception was not as warm as he might have hoped. Said Dr Cleon Goodwin, director of the respected New York Hospital Burns Centre: “Dozens of magic potions have been put forward in the past 30 years. Not one has panned out. So naturally we are

sceptical’.

The design after review by an advisory committee

The MBO method is disarmingly simple.

Doctors spread a thin layer of the ointment over the wounded area and keep the skin completely covered until it heals. So far, the treatment has been used on 50,000 burn patients in China and on several hundred elsewhere.

Source: Time, December 1990.

ECUADOR The final compromise design agreed

In the province of Chimborazo, the Autonomous Beekeeping Association of Cacha APICA, has started a teaching and training programme for various Indian communities.

The aim of the programme is to strengthen the position of beekeeping among the rural poor.

Together with the promotion of fruit farming and the recovery of slope lands by the construction of terraces, beekeeping has been integrated with the aim of creating more diverse range of activities that increase income, make good use of natural resources and improve the family diet. a

In this programme, the non-governmental development organisation Fondo Ecuatoriano Populorum Progressio is providing technical and financial counselling, teaching and training, and arranging loans to small enterprises by peasants.

Source: Javier Llaxacondor, Co-ordinator,

APICA.

HONDURAS Beekeepers tune in to the Marimba! >

ae What the people really wanted

EIGHT

Marimba hives (similar to Kenya top-bar hives) are catching on among beekeepers in Honduras. Peace Corps Volunteers recently

completed a year-long study to test the acceptability of the top-bar hive in Honduras.

Called Marimba hives because of their resemblance to that popular musical instrument, 50 of these hives were distributed to extensionists in ten different sites. They used these hives according to their own extension style: setting them either in model apiaries or in those of other beekeepers, and using them in exhibitions, courses and demonstrations.

After working with the hives for a year, the extensionists were in agreement that the hive has a place in the Honduran beekeeping industry and should be promoted further. The hive is particularly appropriate as a development tool because it is easy to build from available scrap materials, so that even the poorest can keep bees. The more expensive Langstroth equipment (one hive body with top, bottom and frames costs twice as much as a top-bar hive) excludes these people from the industry. Beekeepers at this level were very receptive to the Marimba. The study also shows that beekeepers across the economic spectrum are interested in the hive.

In areas where beekeeping with the Langstroth system has long tradition, the Marimba was promoted as a wax producer. Before the arrival of the Africanized bee, beekeepers using Langstroth equipment depended on backyard beekeepers with rustic hives and honey hunters for a supply of beeswax for foundation. The defensiveness of the Africanized bee chased most of those people out of the industry and left Langstroth users with a severe shortage of wax and high priced foundation. Marimba hives are now showing up in apiaries alongside Langstroth as some beekeepers plan to produce wax for their own use. At least one producer is planning to mount a larger Marimba operation to market wax to other beekeepers.

After the first year, nine apiaries in various parts of the country contain at least one Marimba hive, some have as many as four.

Most of these were built by beekeepers or local craftsmen. Additionally, the promotion of the hive at the national agriculture school has led to the establishment of a 25-hive Marimba apiary. All students at the school receive courses in beekeeping, which now include work with the Marimba hive. Many of these students go on to be agriculture extensionists in Honduras. But even without formal extension, the Marimba is catching on. One extensionist in the programme reported that beekeepers in his area have begun teaching each other how to build and manage the Marimba hive.

Monica Grabowska

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

PERU These desirable bee characteristics, shown below, need no translation for beekeepers.

An example of a page from Manual Practico de Apicultura, an introductory guide to beekeeping written by Javier Llaxacondor for beekeepers of the Callejou de Haaylas, Ancash, Peru.

The association of beekeepers in Ancash, APIANCASH, runs training courses and operates a loan scheme. The courses cover honeybee management, control and prevention of disease, packing and quality control of hive products.

Farmers must show an active interest and those who just smell money instead of honey are excluded. This is to prevent overcommercialisation. Honey is much wanted in the Philippines, especially if it is pure, not adulterated: numerous healing properties are ascribed to it. Many want to buy and sell it whereas Alab wants the farmers to benefit first.

In Argao, farmers who live up to the criteria line up to get a colony when one is available.

They are given on the spot training and further assistance until he or she can manage a colony alone.

Honey was harvested from the first four colonies eight months after placement; in July 1988, 27 kg of honey were harvested. Six months later a considerable 96 kg were harvested. In addition, during September and October, four queens were produced to establish four new colonies.

Although most farmers are mainly interested in honey production, some prioritise pollination, as they experience a lack of pollinators. One farmer reported a dramatic increase in yield of ta-hori (mung-like beans) after placing a colony close to the field. One chupa of seed yielded no less than seven gantas, which is quite exceptional in the area (compare: one chupa on average yields three gantas). Another farmer noticed an effect on his kakaw trees which produced many more fruit. Also the lumboy-tree (Syzygium cumini) a local popular berry producer seems to improve productivity, at the same time being a rich pollen source for the bees.

PHILIPPINES Keeping bees: honey or money?

Alayon sa Banika (Alab) is a farmers’ organisation based in Argao, Cebu. Their objective is to improve the livelihood of their members. Their tools are mutual labour, an agricultural improvement programme and some income-generating projects of which beekeeping is one.

The first European honeybee colony was placed under the care of Alab in August 1986.

Would the bees survive and... would they arouse the interest of the Cebuano farmer?

Knowlege about the life and production cycle of the bees was mainly theoretical and limited.

No management training was available. The lack of knowhow resulted in poor management which made colonies disappear, leaving empty hives and disappointed farmers.

October 1987 the STRAIN programme on Cebu launched beekeeping training which was attended by three Alab farmers. In November 1987 four colonies were placed under the care of Alab. Being properly trained, management mainly involves strict discipline, good eyesight

The biggest problem to overcome is the threat of pesticides. Flowering trees like mangoes, which are densely visited by foraging bees, are sprayed regularly, killing thousands of bees.

Nectar or pollen which still reaches the hive may be contaminated.

Co-operation with fruit growers should be established. Preferably only bee-friendly chemicals should be used and the schedule of spraying should be known to beekeepers.

Unfortunately, although all groups would benefit, true co-operation has not yet been established. It is matter of time and education: the importance of the bees cannot be denied anymore. a

Mario Datanagan in Organic Matters, June 1989.

URUGUAY The Fund for Special Operations has provided US$500,000 to set up a credit programme for small-scale farmers. The programme will be run by the Settlers’ Association of Uruguay and will benefit approximately 150 low-income farmers and beekeepers.

The IDB, January-February 1991.

In

and no fear!

An interesting road sign spotted in Ghana.

R.W. Smith.

PURE HOH!

Most farmers are afraid to be stung by the little bees and the true test remains whether the farmer is still as enthusiastic after he or she is stung.

The criteria that Alab has set for donating a colony to a farmer are oganisation-oriented.

NINE

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

i

,

EERE,

Merketing Yn

Honey Marketing

by H R C Riches

Bee Books New and Old, Burrowbridge, UK (1990) 80 pp, paperback.

Available from IBRA price 7.35 excluding postage

and packing.*

—

Det A

tina

A concise and clear guide, carefully leading the beekeeper through the removal of honey from the hive, extracting, packing and storing honey, dealing with cappings and extracted combs, and care of colonies following honey harvest.

Honey marketing is clearly intended for a beekeeper with a few frame hives and the type of extracting equipment generally available in the UK and similar countries. A useful aspect of the book is the attention given to UK and EC regulations applying to the packaging and labelling of honey for sale, and the EC directive of 1974 is reproduced in Appendix 1.

This could be a useful guide for those who are lobbying their own governments to introduce legislation relating to honey.

Biology, detectio and control of Vrroa acobsoni: a parasitic mite

Ek

on honeybees by

A

Dietz and

H

R Hermann

University of Georgia, Georgia, USA (1988) 80 pp, paperback. NOW available from IBRA price 7.75 excluding postage and packing.*

A straightforward introduction to Varroa: its

The first five chapters of Professor Verma’s book provide a comprehensive guide to the region's current status of bees, particularly emphasising the importance and economic significance of pollination for mountain crop productivity. Chapter 6 describes existing apicultural practices, Chapter 7 details the various hive products, Chapter 8 summarises management practices for Apis cerana and Apis mellifera and also provides information on the biology of all Apis species occurring. Chapter 9 provides useful information on the melliferous vegetation.

Professor Verma has produced a highly factual reference book in which knowledge of the region's bees and beekeeping is for the first time gathered together.

Pollinator protection

by C A Johansen and D F Mayer

Beekeeping in integrated mountain development

Wicwas Press, Cheshire, USA (1990) 212 pp, paperback.

Available from IBRA price 11.00 excluding postage and packing.*

by

LR

Verma

Aspect Publication Ltd., Edinburgh (1991) 367 pp, hardback. (Also published by Oxford and IBH Publishing Co Pvt Ltd in India).

Available from IBRA, price 25.00 excluding postage and packing.*

*

IBRA MAIL ORDER TERMS. Please quote Beekeeping and Development when you order.

Post and packing charges for orders to UK address (2nd class/parcel rate).

Orders totalling: €1 00 Up to 10.00 10.01 to €20.00 2.50 20.01 to 30.00 3.50 to 50.00 5.00 30.01 to 100.00 50.01 6.00 Over 100.00 prices quoted on request.

DON’T FORGET YOU CAN NOW ORDER FAST BY FAX FROM IBRA. SEE OUR NUMBER ON PAGE TWO.

Post and packing charges for orders to overseas address by surface mail (this service does not include goods-intransit insurance and [BRA is not responsible for damage to or loss of goods once they have left our premises) Orders totalling: Up to €10.00 2002. 2.00

to to €30.01 to 50.01 to 10.01 20.01

2000 3000

650.00

...............

100.00

3.50 4.50 5.50 7.50

Orders over 100.00, or to be sent by air mail (including insurance **) prices quoted on request. ** No insurance available to Afghanistan, (ran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria.

All orders are subject to the availability of books at the prices quoted.

Methods of payment Cheques and bank draft {if paying in non-sterling, please add 5% to cover bank charges for exchange). Bankers: Midland Bank, 56 Queen Street, Cardiff UK. Account No: 01326740. Postgiro/National Girobank: Account No: 29 179 4408.

Credit cards: Access/Mastercard/Eurocard/Visa — please give name on card, full address, type of card, card number, expiry date on card and your signature.

TEN

People living in mountain communities in this region are facing considerable stress as their surrounding environments deteriorate and available resources diminish. Under these conditions beekeeping can provide an additional source of income which also offers ecological benefits for these mountain areas.

Man already exploits honeybees in various ways throughout the region — from traditional honey hunting of Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa to commercially organised management of introduced Apis mellifera.

biology, detection and impact on beekeeping.

A clear and easy-to-read text.

—

This book discusses beekeeping in the Hindu Kush — Himalayan region stretching from Pakistan east to China.

Subtitled ‘A bee and pesticide handbook’, this is a handbook in the true sense of the word, concisely providing the information quickly needed by a beekeeper or someone intending to use pesticides. It identifies pollinating insects of North America, and gives a brief introduction to their biology. The book describes how to recognise bee poisoning and differentiate it from other effects, explains the different types of pesticides and how they work, discusses the factors which contribute to bee poisoning and what to do if bees are poisoned, and gives ideas on long-term ways to prevent it. Six appendices list the data which are needed in such a handbook — for example data on the activities of specific insecticides and miticides.

Careful attention to layout, and the plentiful use of relevant illustrations make this book user-friendly — an important and welcome feature for any book on this topic.

Post cards on bees The Institute of Honeybee Science, Tamagawa University has published four sets of postcards (eight postcards per set): |. Life of Apis mellifera 2. Japanese honeybees 3. Bees on postage stamps 4. Fine drawings of honeybees.

Each set is available for purchase from IBRA price 1.50 per set excluding postage and packing.*

BEEKEEPING

AND DEVELOPMENT

ZOOMING IN ON SUDAN Size 2,505,813 km? (967,000 square miles): the largest country in Africa.

Population GNP

~

CHAD

24.0 million

KHARTOUM

$300 (Agriculture accounts for 30% of GNP}

Main agriculture Cotton, peanuts, sorghum, sesame, wheat, gum Arabic, sugar, barley. The first four of these are major export crops.

Honeybees Apis mellifera (indigenous, and introduced from

Egypt)

ETHIOPIA

Apis florea (introduced, probably from Western Asia.

Beekeeping

Traditional: clay pots; cylindrical hives made from logs; grasses woven into mats and rolled up: leaves of the doum palm. These are known as tangels.

Modern, low-technology: Kenya top-bar hives; the Omdurman hive (clay); Gufa hive (basket).

Modern, frame: Langstroth.

Melliferous vegetation

Tremendous diversity. Northern Sudan is desert, and indigenous honeybees do not exist north of Khartoum. Travelling south rainfall increases, and so does vegetation, through areas of savannah until finally the lush rainforests near Sudan's southern boundaries with Zaire, Uganda and Kenya.

Number of beekeepers Unknown, but certainly thousands. Beekeeping is practised throughout Sudan wherever the environment permits the survival of flowering plants and their associated native pollinators, honeybees.

Beekeeping and Development recipients — 38 Beekeeping department

ZAIRE Beekeeping projects started villages in eastern region.

in

“% L

A number of projects run by Church

organisations are also underway in the south.

Association SUBA (Sudan Bee and Agriculture Association) PO Box 48, Khartoum, Sudan.

Honeybee diseases

Projects

Previous articles

1977: Report on beekeeping in Sudan prepared on behalf of Ciba-Geigy.

1981-1983: Feasibility study and survey by Near East Foundation (NEF) of flora, honeybee populations and beekeeping.

1983-present: NEF funds National Beekeeping Project. Counterparts — University of Khartoum; Sudan National Council for Research. Demonstration apiaries established at: University of Khartoum (Shambat}; Wad Medani Agricultural Research Station and Kosti White Nile Station.

KENYA

1985: ICRAF commission survey of beekeeping potential in Western Sudan.

1986-1988: NEF Obtain ‘Band Aid Trust’ funding for additional project in Kubbum.

(Western Sudan Beekeeping Project).

1989: 18 month project by FAO; consultancy services, training, equipment and materials.

1988-1991: Band Aid funding continued.

Only documented occurrence is the bacterium,

1977: Lutheran World Relief commission study of beekeeping in southern Sudan. 8 month project in western Equatoria — counterpart agency Sudan Council of Churches.

\

UNHCR refugee

Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum.

(Demonstration apiary at Shambat).

1920's: H H King develops the Khartoum hive and the Omdurman hive.

UGANDA

Serratia marcescens.

Newsletter Newsletter Newsletter Newsletter

A Sudanese bark

hive.

8: Apis florea in Africa 11: Letters to the Editor 12: Letters to the 15: Hive-Aid

Editor

Further reading

Efforts to improve beekeeping in Sudan (1989) El-Sarrag; S K A Nagi. Proceedings 4th

MS

A

International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical Climates, Cairo 1988. Published by IBRA.

Behavioural study on native Sudanese honeybees (1989) M S A El-Sarrag; M Ragab: AM Ali. Proceedings 4th International Conference

on Apiculture in Tropical Climates, Cairo 1988.

Published by IBRA.

Further details of projects and many more articles and papers are held in the IBRA Library.

ELEVEN

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

MELIPONICULTURE: Beekeeping with stingless bees In tropical America stingless bees are diverse and numerous, and are important pollinators. Although stingless bees do produce honey and are exploited by man they are

very different from honeybees.

Apis mellifera

Tradition in Central America Certain indigenous species are still domesticated in all Central American countries, and Mexico. The large honey storage pots within the nest are arranged in compact clusters: during harvest these stores are removed and the honey is squeezed out.

Since honey pots are mixed with pollen pots there is generally a considerable amount of stored pollen lost during this operation. When honey is collected from natural colonies in the forest it usually leads to the destruction of the nests. But ‘meliponiculture’ is also inefficient and there is little technology. Colonies are housed in old logs and sometimes in cardboard boxes. Due to the inaccesibility of the nest cavity in tree trunks, which only have narrow openings at each end, part of the brood may be destroyed when the honey is taken out. This makes colonies suffer badly from the harvest. Only after a long recovery do the bees again start to produce excess food.

Meliponiculture ignored

The honeybee Apis mellifera did not occur originally in the Americas but was introduced from Europe. The excellent flora allowed Mexico and other tropical American countries to become major honey exporters. In contrast to this development, traditional beekeeping with the less productive indigenous stingless bees gradually obtained the status of a lowly enterprise.

Introduced honeybees Recent problems have arisen as a result of the spectacular spread over South and Central America of highly defensive Africanized honeybees. These bees crossed the Panama Canal in 1982 and have now spread over Central America and Mexico. Mixing easily and competitively with domesticated honeybees, beekeeping with these newer bees is difficult.

However this has resulted in meliponiculture recently receiving greater attention.

In Costa Rica certain regions are well known for their traditional meliponiculture, especially the area around Nicoya.

Domestication of Melipona A colony of these bees can produce several

litres of honey. The most important species is Melipona beecheii, ‘jicote gato’, which is commonly domesticated in the peninsula of Nicoya and other parts of Guanacaste, as well as in the north of Puntarenas. It is still common in areas with nearby forest. Little of this meliponiculture is found at altitudes above 700 m. In the area of Perez Zeledon, colonies of a dark variety of the species Melipona fasciata, ‘jicote barcino’ are being kept.

Most owners keep their ‘jicotes’ on logs hanging under the roof of the house, under special roofings. The same hives are kept for many decades (sometimes more than 80 years!) by generations of one family living in the same house. All campesino families consider their ‘jicotes’ as very valuable domestic animals.

This information was provided by Dr MJ Sommeijer, Utrecht University and the Netherlands Ministry for Development Co-operation.

TWELVE

Domestication of Trigona

This type of meliponiculture occurs throughout the country, also at higher altitudes and even

in urban areas. The nests of the minute Mariaola (Tetragonisca) are frequently kept in small boxes in calabashes or bamboo pipes.

These nests produce much less honey, only up to one litre. In certain parts of the country nearly every house of the village has these small hives! It is not exceptional to find 20 hives hanging on the walls around one house.

Great medicinal properties are assigned to the honey of these small bees and it is sold at a high price. Some producers sell this honey as a medicine to local pharmacies.

The Maya Indians in Yucatan still differentiate between more than ten types of stingless bees, especially regarding the medicinal use of the honey.

MELIPONICULTURE PROJECT IN COSTA RICA This is a joint project between Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica and Utrecht University, Netherlands. The objectives of the research are:

Co-operative research The project will provide results that can be applied to beekeeping in Costa Rica and neighbouring countries. It will expand knowledge about the domestication of stingless bees which may contribute considerably to rural development. We are seeking results that will be of importance initially for government and other extension workers. The rationalisation of traditional meliponiculture will offer new possibilities for people in rural areas and might improve the economy of many households.

Complementary beekeeping Meliponiculture is especially important for those who wish to practise small-scale beekeeping and can be developed as an economically important complementary activity. Even the quantatively important honey production with Apis mellifera in Yucatan (Mexico is the second largest honey exporting country) is also based exclusively on smallscale production.

Limiting factors

To develop efficient beekeeping with stingless

bees it will be necessary to study the following: ]. reproduction and multiplication of stingless bee colonies 2. efficient harvest of honey without damage to brood combs 3. the relative importance of the various foodplants 4. pests and diseases of stingless bees.

Relation to other resources Stingless bees are of great importance as pollinators of tropical ecosystems.

Understanding the distribution of stingless bees in ecologically different zones and their relation with specific food plants may also contribute to conservation of tropical forests.

The project started in February 1990 and has duration of three years.

a

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

ASIAN APICULTURAL ASSOCIATION transparencies which illustrate apiculture or bees in Asia {including Apis mellifera) are required. A set of eight pictures will appear in the quarterly journal Honeybee Science (Mitsubachi Kaguku) published by the same Institute.

Send transparencies to the Institute (they will be returned after July). One may win around US$200 per selected picture as well as sets of postcards. We hope to feature pictures of different Apis species as well as beekeeping scenes

The Asian Apicultural Association (AAA) is now established as described in the previous Newsletter To join, please contact AAA at the address below unless you have already done SO.

Vespa mandarinia attacks honeybees in the autumn. One of the new postcards featuring fine drawings of honeybees See Bookshelf (page 10) for further details

The membership fee is US$20.00, but do not send this at the moment. A chapter of AAA in your country will collect the membership fee

Administrative Office: Institute of Honeybee Science,

-

Tamagawa University, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194, Japan.

The formal establishment of AAA will be at the Apimondia Congress in Yugoslavia in September. Please gather to celebrate our foundation! You will have several newsletters containing local Asian information on honeybee sciences and apiculture, as well as world-wide ones which refer to Asian aspects.

Call for transparencies The Institute of Honeybee Science, Tamagawa University plans to publish a set of postcards of Asian honeybees, celebrating the establishment of AAA. Attractive colour

LOOKING AHEAD Please note that if you want details of an event to be advertised in this column it is important that you send information to the Editor well in advance of the planned date.

Further details from: Dr Siriwat Wongsiri, Bee Biology Research Unit, Department of Biology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

China

Trinidad and Tobago

XIX International Congress of Entomology.

28 June — 4 July 1992, Beijing.

Further details from: Professor Z L Zhang, Secretary-General, XIX international Congress of Entomology, 19 Zhongguancun Lu, Beijing 100080, China. Telex: 222337 ICCST CN; Fax: (861) 2565689.

Ireland International Partnership: alternative trade in the 1990s.

23-28 April 1991, Kilkenny.

This event will provide an opportunity for member organisations to brief themselves on the major developments in their field, and to meet representatives of more than 30 producer groups drawn from every continent.

Further details from: Ms Carol Bergin, Conference Co-ordinator, New Orchard, Kilkenny, Ireland. Fax: 63220.

New Zealand Annual Conference of the New Zealand Beekeepers’ Association.

15-18 July 1991, Blenheim.

Overseas beekeepers and members of the scientific community are welcome to attend as observers.

Further details from: R J Clarke, 81 Lakings Road, Blenheim, New Zealand. Tel: 057 89803

Thailand International Symposium on The Asian honeybees and bee mites and APIEXPO 92.

10-14 February 1992, Chulalongkorn University.

Fifth International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical Climates.

7-12 September 1992, University of the West Indies.

Further details from: International Bee Research Association, 18 North Road, Cardiff CF1 3DY, UK.

UK 2nd Quadrennial Meeting of the International Society of Hymenopterists.

11-17 August 1991, University of Sheffield.

The programme will include papers, posters and symposia on all aspects of Hymenoptera research.

Further details from: Paul M Marsh, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, c/o National Museum of Natural History NHB-168, Washington DC 20560, USA. Tel: (202) 382 1782; Fax: (202) 786 9422.

USA International Conference on Black Locust: biology, culture and utilization.

17-21 June 1991, Michigan State University.

One Session will include ‘Honey production’.

Further details from: Dr James W Hanover, Department of Forestry, 126 Natural Resources Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1222, USA. Fax: (517) 336-1143.

Yugoslavia XXXII

International Congress of Apiculture — APIMONDIA. 29 September — 4 October 1991, Split.

Further details from: Poslovna Zajednica ZA, Pcelarstvo Bulevar 17a 11070 Beograd, Yugoslavia. jugoslavije, 11

THIRTEEN

BEEKEEPING

AND DEVELOPMENT

Mr R Kannaiyan from Coimbatore (India), a life-time beekeeper, wearing a bee beard on procession with a group of devotees and a music party. So far he has exhibited his bee beard at 60 different occasions. The beard is a colony of Indian honeybees Apis cerana. He walks, cycles, tales and even eats as he displays the bee beard!

Photograph by

S Sadakathulla.

Pay your subscription in BEESWAX We understand that some beekeepers face difficulty in obtaining foreign currency to pay their subscription for Beekeeping and Development.

Any parcel containing comb, adulterated

We are therfore willing to accept beeswax in payment, subject to the following conditions: I,

Beeswax must be reasonably clean and of good quality.

2.

Beeswax must be presented in solid form (ie not as scraps of wax or pieces of comb).

3.

Beeswax from Apis mellifera is preferred.

However beeswax from Asian species of Apis will be accepted as long as the species from which it is collected is clearly marked on the parcel.

4.

Beeswax should be sent to: IBRA, 18 North Road, Cardiff CFl 3DY, UK. On the inside of the parcel state your name and postal address, the weight and origin of the beeswax you are sending, and the number of subscriptions you are paying for.

gt WL Fvenrce 4,

230

Beautiful stamps from Sweden. An excellent way of bringing bees and beekeeping to the attention of the public.

FOURTEEN

Mark on the outside of the parcel "BEESWAX RAW FOR IBRA’ and the WEIGHT of beeswax in kilograms.

or very dirty wax or otherwise unusable wax will be destroyed on arrival at IBRA. It will not be returned to the sender, and will not be accepted for barter, neither will future beeswax received from the sender.

This beeswax barter system will operate for an initial period of 12 months. It will be extended only if successful and subscribers abide by these conditions.

Payment in beeswax is only available for subscriptions to developing countries and cannot be used for any other journal subscription or purchase from IBRA. .

Arrangements for and costs of carriage of the beeswax to IBRA are the responsibility of the sender and IBRA will not be responsible for any postage or other costs whatsoever. Proof of postage is not accepted as proof of receipt. Ensure packaging used is adequate to endure the effects of travel.

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

REMEMBER TO MENTION BEEKEEPING

AND DEVELOPMENT WHEN RESPONDING TO ENQUIRIES

WORK FOR DEVELOPMENT

IN

THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN

BEEKEEPER

For many centuries the Yemeni bees have been producing some of the world's most valued honey. CIIR working with local development organisations, are seeking to extend the expertise of beekeeping communities in the Yemen, by encouraging the use of new and efficient methods. We are seeking an experienced beekeeper who can train local counterparts and assist farmers to develop and expand production.

CIIR Overseas Programme acts to challenge poverty and promote development. Our workers are experienced professionals motivated to share their skills with local communities in developing countries.

CIIR offers

a

comprehensive benefits package including salary based on local rates, accommodation, pre-departure and UK savings allowance, insurance cover and language training. Two years’ minimum contract.

you have beekeeping qualifications, practical experience and the flexibility to adapt your skilis to local needs MAKE A MOVE

If

>

FOR DEVELOPMENT. Write to The Enquiries Desk, CIIR Overseas Programme, 22 Coleman Fields, London N1 7AF, UK. Please quote reference YBEE/NL/MAR.

APICULTURAL ABSTRACTS This quarterly IBRA journal. published since 1950, consists of 1400-1500 entries a year: a fifth issue contains annual subject and author indexes. Each entry reports a new research publication, book, worthwhile review or extension pamphlet, or other item of interest on apiculture, bees (Apoidea), bee forage, pollination, and subjects especially relevant to bee research, honey investigations etc.

Since 1973 Apicultural Abstracts has been produced via the computerized system of CAB-International and forms part of the CAB ABSTRACTS database.

Subscription rates to Apicultural Abstracts in 1991: IBRA Members 80 Non-members 130

or US$150 or US$240

Subscription orders and requests for specimen copies of Apicultural Abstracts and other IBRA journals, and details of IBRA membership and services should be sent to:

International Bee Research Association, 18 North Road, Cardiff CF] 3DY, UK.

ARID LANDS INFORMATION NETWORK The Arid Lands Information Network was established in March 1988 to help project staff working on development in arid and semi-arid areas in Africa to communicate with each other and exchange ideas. As well as funding exchange visits and workshops, the network produces a magazine, Baobab, in English and French through which network members can air their ideas, problems, brainwaves, etc. Membership is free. For more information and subscriptions, contact:

Arid Lands Information Network

274 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7DZ, UK OR

Réseau d’Informations des Terres Arides Casier Postal 3, Dakar Fann, SENEGAL

OVERSEAS PROGRAMME

WORKING FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Pwea 208

FORESTS, TREES AND PEOPLE

NEWSLETTER FTPP stands for the Forests, Trees and People Programme.

This FAO/SIDA (Swedish International Development Authority) Programme helps people to cultivate, manage and utilize trees and forests. To encourage ag effective networking the Programme publishes the FTP Newsletter, which carries readable articles on all aspects of community forestry, for example improving planning, making forest extension effective, forest management, and lots of other relevant information and news. .

Daphne Thuvesson is the Editor:

For further details of the FTP Newsletter write to her at FTP Newsletter, IRDC, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,

Box 7005, S-75007 Uppsala, Sweden.

AT-Source

is a quarterly magazine on appropriate technology aiming to create more effective communication concerning small-scale technology transfer and development.

AT-Source articles are published in the fields of agriculture, energy, engineering, services and health. Information is given on small-scale technology and on the social and economic impacts of technology introduction.

AT-Source is published by four organisations in the Netherlands and Belgium in both English and French versions. At the moment, AT-Source has 2,500 subscribers.

In

Information and a free issue can be obtained from:

Editorial Staff, AT-Source, PO Box 41, 6700 Wageningen, The Netherlands.

AA,

FIFTEEN

Cardiff CFI 3DY. UK Beekeeping and Development is published quarterly by the International Bee Research Association, 18 North Road, 44 222 eee Fax: 0222 665522 International 44 222 International 372409, 0222 372409 re Telephone ISSN 0256-4424 See page two for subscription details.