BEEKEEPIN
& DEVELOPMENT
33
THE SECOND ASIAN APICULTUR 26-29 July
Mr Dyamaludin Suryohadikusumo, Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia opens the Conference by sounding the ceremonial
gong. He is watched by Professor Tetsuo Sakai, President of AAA.
ASIAN APICULTURAL ASSOCIATION
‘NN gM
%
AAA welcomes new members. there is a chapter (listed opposite) of AAA in your country then join by sending the local equivalent of US$20 to your representative. If your country is not listed then join by sending USS20 to: If
AAA c/o Honeybee Science
The eyes of the beekeeping world are focusing on Asia as the great diversity of Asian honeybees is recognised. However it was only relatively recently that a regiona! organisation the Asian Apicultural Association - AAA - was formed AAA’s first, founding Conference was held in Thailand in 1992. In July this year AAA held its Second Conference, this time at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta in Central Java, Indonesia it was attended by about 150 delegates from 20 countries. it is often stated that the honeybee is one of
the most researched of all animals. However, all of the fundamental knowledge of honeybee biology elucidated by Karl von Frisch and others has been determined in Apis mellifera of European origin. It is therefore of great interest for scientists to have other honeybee species to study and compare.
Alongside the Asian honeybees are of course their various predators and diseases Industries exploiting honeybees elsewhere in the world are based entirely on Apis mellifera, the only honeybee species not native to Asia. The European race of Apis mellifera is highly susceptible to Asian predators and diseases, and one of these predators, the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni, has now been spread by man_.to
many regions For this reason apicultural scientists are focusing their research efforts towards understanding the defence mechanisms employed by Asian honeybees.
The possibility for European honeybees to survive in the presence of Asian mites has had another major consequence too it means that, with the right techniques, they can survive in Asia. This has led to Asian industries being established using all the techniques and equipment developed for honeybees of European origin. Because labour costs are relatively low, these large-scale industries based on Apis mellifera can be highly profitable. This has consequences for world honey markets.
From a biological point of view, the consequences of these high populations of
introduced honeybees upon the survival of native honeybees are not clear. It seems possible that some races of Asian honeybees are already facing extinction.
AAA consequently finds itself with
a large area to cover from the subject pure biology of Asian honeybees, the development of beekeeping in Asia, the analysis and marketing
of honey and other products, to the ethnological study of honey gathering in
traditional cultures, and the protection and conservation of the bees.
beekeeping, particularly beekeepers endeavouring to manage native honeybee species, needs to be strengthened in many ways. Standards need to be defined for local honeys so that their marketing can be developed Research and analysis facilities to assist beekeepers with disease identification and honey analysis are lacking within Asia. The high moisture content of local honey remains a serious problem in most Asian countries. The Conference highlighted some of these areas, and the following are amongst the resolutions endorsed:
With regard to the conservation of different species of Asian honeybees through the promotion and development of better beekeeping techniques, the Conference recognises that: e
The Asian region is the richest in the world in honeybee species and genetic diversity.
e
Bees and beekeeping are important components of sustainable agriculture and forest ecosystems.
e
The biology and management of Asian honeybee species are poorly understood.
e
Asian bee species have many characteristics of biological and economic
Tamagawa University SECOND ASIAN APICULTURAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE “Bees And Beekeeping bor socral Keirare and sustainable Savalopment
Tokyo 194
JAPAN
importance. e Delegates visited a beekeeping extension and training centre at Regaloh in Pati, Central
Java About 700 tonnes of honey are produced in this region one of the main nectar sources is
Ceiba pentandra,
the
e
Different Asian bee species are scientifically neglected.
Major constraints in beekeeping with Apis habitat alteration, competition exotic Apis mellifera, sacbrood virus by diseases.
cerana are:
kapok tree.
FOUR
‘
Papers and discussions at the Conference reflected all of these problems. Research scientists presented new information on the biology of recently identified honeybee spec and their distributions. although standard beekeeping texts continue to assert that there are four species of honeybees, the total is seven and rising, with all but Apis mellifera native to Asia. While scientists work to unravel the biology of Asian honeybees, support for
Research Centre
Machida shi
1994
A Bees for Development publication
“
-
