Zoom in on Benin

Size

112,600 km²

Former name

Dahomey

Location

West Africa. Neighbours are (clockwise) from the west, Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria.

Population

5,000,000 people. There are about 65 ethnic groups.

GNP

380USS per capita

Currency

CFA Franc. 1USS 570 CFA

Vegetation

Semi-arid savannah (trees and bushes) in the North. Humid tropical forests and grass savannah in the Central and Southern areas. Deforestation is obvious everywhere due to the expansion of arable farming. There are only few patches left along the rivers and in reserves with dense tropical forest.

Agriculture

About 75% of the population earn living from agriculture. Subsistence crops include cassava, maize, sorghum and yam. Cash crops include coffee, cotton, palm oil and peanuts. In addition avocado, beans, coconuts, guava, mango, millet, papaya, pineapples, and many other fruits and vegetables are grown.

Honeybees

The honeybee Apis mellifera adansonii is found everywhere in Benin. The bees are quite defensive and are feared by many people. Hives are usually kept out in the bush, not within villages. The swarming season is September-October, although colonies can be caught easily throughout the year.

Beekeeping

Honey hunting is still common as many colonies live in tree cavities or termite mounds. Nests are also found under large baobab branches or on the ceilings of houses in towns. These colonies are exploited by local people with fire and axes.

Calabashes, clay pots, gourds, hollowed-out tree trunks and palm stems are all used as hives for beekeeping. a unique way of constructing hives is found in the Somba Land. Hives made of clay are built directly into the forks of trees (between the stems and branches) and look like closed waterpots. Top-bar hives are made of cement, clay and wood. There are also cylindrical hives made out of iron sheets and insulated with layer of straw.

Frame hives including Dadant, the “France- Congo” hive, and Langstroth hives are used only in a few apiaries. Their distribution is limited to abbeys and some white people.

Equipment

Hive tools, protective clothing, smokers and veils are made in Benin by local craftspeople. Electric centrifuges and other such equipment are not commonly found.

Problems

Vandalism and theft of combs from frame hives often occurs when hives are in the bush or on farms. Beekeeping is only a minor income-generating activity. People are often not aware of the potential and value of the industry in terms of pollination and natural conservation

Number of beekeepers

Unknown

Honey production

November to April: this is the best time for honey production.

The total annual honey harvest is unknown. Most of the harvested honey still comes from honey hunting.

Beekeeping potential is great bees fly 365 out of 365 days of the year. There are always flowering plants available. There is not enough honey produced to supply the demand. Supermarkets still import large quantities of honey from Europe.

Honey price

The honey market is strong. One litre of good honey costs 2,400 CFA Franc (4.5US$). Honey jars are difficult to obtain so most honey is sold in recycled whisky bottles.

Honeybee diseases, pests and predators

No diseases have been reported.

Beekeeping Association

National Association of Beekeepers in Benin (ANAB), PO Box 1254, Cotonou. ANAB is a member of the West African Beekeepers’ Association.

Training

Available at the private beekeeping centre CIAT (Centre Intégré d’Apiculture Tropical), PO Box 662, Parakou. There is also a private honey production centre in Tobe near Bassila.

Projects

There is no project devoted to beekeeping alone in Benin, but about ten development projects have included beekeeping as a component in their activities in the past five to ten years. Research activities are only carried out by individuals dedicated to knowing more about bee

Thanks to Werner Lohr of API-Promo, and Sariki Yanntanou for providing the information for this article.