5th AAA Conference

In Thailand, March 2000

The Asian Apicultural Association AAA,, holds a Conference every two years. The International Bee Research Association holds a Conference every four years, and by joining forces with AAA, was able to share in the excellent venue, facilities and ambience provided by Chulalongkorn University, hosting the Conference in Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand.

Professor Siriwat Wongsiri, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Vice-President of AAA did a great job. Conference Participants were warmly welcomed and treated to lavish receptions accompanied by music and dance. Dancers included classical Thai as well as modern bee!

The Asian region enjoys great diversity in bee species, and in the types of apiculture practised. In recent years this has attracted many of the world’s apicultural scientists to research in Asia, with the consequence that there is much new information to report on the biology of Asian bees. Not just honeybees of which there are at least eight Asian species and many more races, but stingless bees too: the city of Chiang Mai can alone boast seven species of stingless bees.

The Conference therefore heard plenty of new findings from the academic research community. Most sessions included news of advances in understanding gained by genetic research on honeybees. The distribution of Apis cerana, extending from the temperate zone in the North of Asia, South through the Equator and beyond in tropical Asia, resembles that of Apis mellifera, which similarly extends from cold, northern Europe, through the Middle East, and far South of the Equator in Africa. Like Apis mellifera, Apis cerana also has many races: genetic analysis is giving clues as to how and when these evolved.

The Conference took place in the huge, ship-like, Lotus Hotel in central Chiang Mai. Alongside the meeting rooms an exhibition of bee products and beekeeping equipment took place. Here much business was underway with representatives from many companies in Asia and Australasia.

A small number of the world's largest beekeeping companies practise near Chiang Mai. Thousands of Apis mellifera colonies are managed intensively to produce crops of honey and royal jelly, every drop for export. This is a relatively young industry, only developing within the last 25 years and highly dependent on export markets and demand for royal jelly remaining strong. The history of this success story was provided by Professor Pongthep Akratanakul, the keynote speaker at the final session of the Conference: "International Aid and Sustainable Beekeeping Development”.

Professor David De Jong gave an interesting overview of the strong support available to beekeepers in Brazil, and Professor Shimanuki outlined possible USA support for beekeeping development. These were followed by papers describing recent development work in India, Nepal, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In total more than 50 papers were presented at the Conference, with the majority reporting on research into the biology of Asian bees.

Other highlights included several excellent new videos given their first public showing at the Conference. The most remarkable of these was Gerald Kastberger’s video The Magic Trees of Assam, reviewed on page I!. The Conference provided plenty of opportunity to meet with colleagues, make contact, exchange ideas. And Professor Wongsiri ensured that the Conference ended with a bang: with fireworks wishing participants bon voyage!

AAA 2002

The next AAA Conference will takeplace in Bangalore, South India

Details of forthcoming beekeeping meetings and courses are featured in 'What's on' on page 9.