BEEKEEPING
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DEVELOPMENT
Delegates from 44 countries travelled to the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago to participate in this Conference in September. These Conferences have |
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taken place every four years since 1976 with each one attended by ever greater numbers of people. The Conference was convened by IBRA and hosted by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
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Delegates had a full six-day programme arranged for them: nine Conference sessions; workshop meetings. two half-day visits to apiaries and beekeepers in Trinidad; a full day visit to Tobago; and social events too. Delegates reported that they found the Conference a worthwhile, useful and stimulating event.
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FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON APICULTURE IN TROPICAL CLIMATES Venue The Conference took place in the University of the West Indies in Trinidad where excellent facilities were made available.
Opening The week started with a splendid opening ceremony. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, government and university officials, and representatives of international organisations joined with all the delegates for this event.
Participants Delegates came from:
Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania
Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand Caribbean: Antigua, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Christopher & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago
Central & South America: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Surinam, Venezuela
Europe: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK
Middle East: Saudi Arabia
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Banners across Port of Spain proclaimed the Conference
North America: Canada, USA
Pacific: Solomon Islands Travelling from some of these countries to Trinidad and Tobago was a long journey! Delegates from developing countries were enabled to participate under sponsorship from CTA, The Commonwealth Foundation, FAO, GTZ, IFS (Sweden), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (The Netherlands), NORAD, ODA and VSO.
Sessions At our last Conference delegates asked for more time for discussion, and to have fewer concurrent sessions. In response we arranged this Conference over six days rather than five, and with a greater number of authors persuaded to give presentations as poster displays rather than orally. This certainly seemed to work well
them with the authors. Groups of people were gathered around the poster displays most of the time, with much sharing of ideas and experience.
Exhibition The exhibition consisted of beekeeping displays from Trinidad and Tobago and other countries, a national honey competition, equipment demonstrations and trade stands.
Technical visits Much effort was extended by the Local Organizing Committee in arranging an excellent programme of technical visits. Two half-day visits to beekeepers in Trinidad were provided, with a choice of five different destinations for each. The host beekeepers were well prepared for the visitors and most welcoming. Everyone had ample opportunity to satisfy their urge to handle honey bees. On Wednesday of the Conference week all delegates travelled to Tobago for a full day visit. The logistics involved in getting everyone to Tobago and back in one day were difficult and had been a major problem during Conference planning, mainly with regard to availability of sufficient return air tickets. However it was achieved on the day, with 170 delegates participating in the visit. There were visits to both government and private apiaries and again all had good opportunities to open hives and handle the bees.
Delegates enjoyed the chance to compare the behaviour of the different honey bees races: Africanized honey bees have been present in Trinidad since 1979 but the honey bees in Tobago are those still of european origin. African delegates did not find the “Africanized” bees greatly different from their bees at home. ~
Workshop sessions These were held towards the end of the Conference and allowed delegates to discuss matters which had arisen, or perhaps had not been covered, earlier in the week. Everyone could suggest resolutions, and these were then considered by all at the closing ceremony.
Simultaneous translation from english into spanish and french was provided, and every session was attended by 100+ people. Papers were followed by lively debate. Inevitably delegates had brought additional slides and videos for presentation - these were shown in evening sessions when discussions continued late! Mr Hallint explains fits plaints for Ute development to he Prime and Minister for Agriculture, Land and Marine
Minister
Resources
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The poster presentations proved very worthwhile as delegates had opportunities to view these throughout the week and discuss
Preparing
to meet
Africanized honey
bees
