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SUSTAINA THE ROLE OF BEEKEEPING IN DEVELOPMENT
September Bees for Development joined forces with the Centre for Development Studies, University of Wales Swansea to organise a unique International Symposium. In
Over three days professionals from the fields of apiculture, development and rural sociology had an excellent opportunity to meet and
debate. The Symposium was held at Sketty Hall, a Victorian mansion with its own fine grounds adjacent to the University. The Symposium was attended by
50 participants from 14 different countries. The Symposium was convened to achieve the following objectives: @ To increase awareness amongst development
professionals of beekeeping’s valuable role in
creating livelihoods; @ To heip those involved in beekeeping
and other agencies are revising their
development strategies. The Sustainabie Livelihoods Approach is a new strategy for achieving poverty alleviation.
SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS AND BEEKEEPING Speakers presented examples of beekeeping development initiatives underway. These were selected to show how the sustainable livelihoods perspective enables a better understanding of beekeeping as a livelihood activity.
Viewed in this way beekeeping can be seen as an important aspect of people’s livelihoods, offering them worthwhile sources of income.
initiatives to become familiar with the
Sustainable Livelinoods Approach and the opportunities it offers for better development initiatives.
POVERTY ELIMINATION It is clear to everyone that efforts in recent decades to eliminate poverty have not
succeeded. New ideas about how to eliminate poverty are emerging. The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID)
David Wainwright and Tilahun Gebey enjoy a cup of
fairly-traded tea
The Troy Trust
is a Charity registered in the UK, Number 1078803. The Troy Trust is raising funds to provide information to applicants from developing countries, in particular to provide subscriptions for B&D. We are grateful to The Worshipful Company A message from Rev Francis Capener, Honorary Secretary of The Troy Trust of Wax Chandlers for providing sponsorship in 1999 and 2000, and indeed to all the “The Troy Trust is pleased to announce that British American Tobacco have agreed to be a Founding Sponsor and will
substantially support The Trust for each of the next four years.
The Trust is most grateful to British American Tobacco for their generous
beekeeping groups and individuals who assist us. You can help by sending a donation to The Troy Trust, c/o Bees for Development at the address
left. Please also encourage your Beekeeping
Association, your company or your employer to support this work.
donation and words of encouragement.
UK residents can help with CAF cheques
Some of this funding has already been put
and Gift Aid.
to work providing information to the long
The Troy Trust bank details are: Account Number 60274887 (code 20-00-85) at Barclays Bank plc, PO Box 29, Monmouth, NP29 3YG, UK.
list of those who have requested assistance from Bees for Development”.
LE LIVELIHOODS THIS INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM WAS SPONSORED BY THE DFID LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION PROGRAMME
THE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS APPROACH:
@ Is a different way of thinking about priorities
The Technical Centre for Rural and Agricultural
for development. It puts people at the centre
of development. People
—
Cooperation (CTA) The Netherlands,
rather than the
and The British Academy provided sponsorship
resources they use or the governments that
serve them
—
are the priority concern.
for participants from developing countries.
@ Builds upon people’s strengths rather than
their needs. @ Brings all relevant aspects of people’ lives
and livelihoods into development planning,
| Be Clive de Bruyn, Christine Tataw and Catherine Butcher take
a break for discussions
implementation and evaluation.
.
@ Unifies different sectors behind a common
theme.
o::..
kes into account how development
affect distinct groups of people (such as women compared with men) differently.
@ Emphasises the importance of understanding
the links between policy decisions and
household level activities. @ Draws in relevant partners whether State,
civil or private, local or national, regional or international. @ Responds quickly to changing circumstances.
THE BEEKEEPING PRESENTERS @ Nicola Bradbear of Bees for Development explained ‘How beekeeping fits well with the
sustainable livelihoods approach’. @ Tilahun Gebey working with SOS Sahel in
Ethiopia presented ‘Using beekeeping to achieve development in Ethiopia’. @ Liana Hassan, Director of Njiro Wildlife Research Centre in Tanzania explained
‘Testing different extension approaches with communities in Tanzania’. @ Ole Hertz from Denmark explained ‘The need for use of local knowledge
in beekeeping projects’. @ Pratim Roy from The Keystone Foundation
BEEKEEPING USES AND CREATES RESOURCES @ Beekeeping makes use of natural resources
and various human skills within a society.
‘
2keeping generates a variety of different ources: pollinated plants and the products of bees including honey and beeswax, as well as the secondary products that
can be made from them. @ Beekeeping spans many different sectors.
These include forestry, horticulture, agriculture, the natural environment, animal production and entomology. @ In terms of classification, honey is a food but beeswax is a non-food wax.
Pollination is an important part of horticulture, yet beekeeping is often
considered a form of animal production. @ Beekeepers themselves are variously categorised as farmers, hunters, livestock
keepers, or rural dwellers, with beekeeping remaining hidden as a useful skill and part of their lives.
Perhaps for these reasons beekeeping is too often overlooked by planners, academic researchers and in applied projects.
in India discussed ‘Helping tribal people by means of beekeeping’.
Speakers Borje Svensson and Liana Hassan join fellow participants for dinner on day two
MORE INFORMATION @ Proceedings from the Symposium will be available shortly. See the next edition
of B&D for more information. @ Find out more about Sustainable Livelihoods
at the website www.livelihoods.org
@ Gladstone Solomon, B&D’s Representative in Tobago talked about ‘The opportunities for sustainable beekeeping in the Caribbean’.
@ Bérje Svensson from Sweden discussed ‘Income from beekeeping: some examples
of expectations and experience’, and ‘Selecting the target group: a discussion around the gender issue of beekeeping development in Tanzania’. @ David Wainwright from the UK introduced ‘A success story from Zambia: North West
Bee Products Lta’.
THE DEVELOPMENT PRESENTERS @ Mary Ann Brocklesby and Jeremy Holland
gave a ‘Facilitated introduction to the sustainable livelihoods approach’. @ Catherine Butcher presented ‘Extension
revisited: what lessons can be learnt?’ @ Ele Fisher discussed ‘Sustainable livelihoods, poverty and beekeeping: a changing agenda’.
@ Helen Hintjens explained ‘Communicating ideas in development’. @ Janet Seeley (pictured right) talked on
‘Country level experiences of sustainable rural livelihoods’.
Beekeeping & Development 56
®
HOMEMADE QUEEN CAGES IN
SULAWESI, INDONESIA
by Gard W Otis!, Soesilawati Hadisoesilo2, and Gordon Wardell3 1University of Guelph, Canada 2Pusat Litbang Hutanan, Konservasi Alam, Bogor, Indonesia 3Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, USA
Successful beekeeping often requires some degree of queen management. For example, the transfer of a wild colony to a hive, or the capture of swarm often fails unless the queen can be caged and placed directly in the new hive. a
the queen is seen during inspection of a hive, one can prevent her accidental injury by caging her until the end If
of the inspection. And of course, requeening a colony requires a new queen to be caged for several days to
ensure she is accepted. From
1995-1998 we assisted
a beekeeping development
project designed to improve the incomes of villagers living near Lore Lindu National Park, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Part of the project involved beekeeping with Apis cerana and the recently rediscovered species Apis nigrocincta. We were
impressed by the queen cages the beekeepers invented to provide control over queens in their hives.
WHAT CRITERIA MUST A QUEEN CAGE MEET? Bee biology determines what makes an effective cage. Worker bees will kill a foreign queen unless they have been given several days to learn and accept her scent, therefore they must be abie to lick the queen to obtain her chemical pheromones. With this in mind, a queen cage: @ Must have openings large enough to allow workers
outside the cage to feed and lick the queen, but not so large as to allow the workers to enter the cage or chew on the queen’s feet.
@ Should be large enough to accommodate the queen
and 5-10 attendant workers. @ Should be easy to open and close so bees can be
efficiently caged and released.
Figure
€) Beekeeping & Development 56
1
- A hollow stick can be made into a simple queen cage
Figure 2 - This cage is similar to some cages used
Figure 4 Sticks made of leaf rib from Metroxylon sp tra plant stem into an elaborate cage
QUEEN CAGE DESIGNS The first queen cage we observed was a hollow stick (Figure 1). At +30 cm long it was longer than necessary.
The third cage was functional and beautiful. used a local palm Metroxylon sp with a thick that was soft inside and easily worked.
Several long slits about 3 mm wide allowed workers to ntact the queen inside.
A 10 cm slot was cut into 12 cm section o The soft interior was hollowed out around the
“»rter shaping, a piece of corn cob was stuck in one end to close the tube. The cage in the photograph was wired to a top-bar within a hive, allowing the queen to be
create the space for the queen and attendants
in commercial beekeeping operations elsewhere in the world
(7
positioned centrally near the top of the hive. Despite its simplicity, this design met all three criteria listed above.
A second design (Figure 2) consisted of an L-shaped block of soft wood. A piece of window screen was held in place with small nails. A thin U-shaped piece of wood attached to the end of the wooden block by a single nail could be easily rotated to allow entry or release of the queen and attendant workers.
Because the queen can be readily observed in this cage, it is easy to (_dd or remove the attendants without accidental escape of the queen. Depending on availability of materials (for example screen, nails) this cage may be relatively expensive to make. It is also fragile and could be broken through mishandling.
a
A row of seven small holes in each of the pit cage enabled thin hard sticks made from the inserted (Figure 4).
By sliding the two longer central sticks toward the queen and workers could be placed in the One additional design feature could have bee a hole in one end large enough for the queen
With such a hole filled with queen cage cand queen could be placed in a hive and she wou after several days without disturbance as the the colony ate the plug of candy.
All three queen cages demon functional designs. Cages ca made by copying the design above, but our intent was to ideas that can be adapted fo whatever materials are local
available. * Candy is made from icing sugar kneaded with a small to the consistency of bread dough.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Gard Otis
Y
ACN
OF TH E S U N DAR BAN S
by Michael Burgett, Oregon State University, USA
Lae RR a
One of the most fascinating and dangerous areas of the world where honey hunting maintains its historical traditions and importance is the Sundarbans of
J
x eS ~ i
.
“
Fee Tyrm}
YS
Bangladesh and India. The Sundarbans, which translates as “beautiful forest”, is the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world, occupying an area of about
10,000 km2, 60% of the forest within Bangladesh and
40% within India. The Sundarbans is located
in the delta of the
River Ganges where it discharges into the Bay of Bengal. Numerous international programmes have attempted to preserve the biological richness and beauty of the Sundarbans, and recently
UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In Bangladesh the Sundarbans has been managed and protected by the Forest Department for nearly 125 years and has the status it has been acknowledged by
of a reserved forest with controlled and very limited human access
(Eaton 1991).
No one Is allowed to live within the
Sundarbans. The only permanent human presences are the Forest Department Ranger Stations.
Ceriops decandra; and Keora, Sonneratia apetala. Zmarlicki (1994)
magnificent honeybee into the Sundarbans, beginning in
pollen resources for the bees. In Bangladesh the Sundarbans honey
December and continuing through January and February.
harvest is estimated to be between 130 and 185 tonnes per year--s
exposed nests high in the forest canopy, must here construct its large, single-comb nests relatively close to the ground, and therefore
accessible to honey hunters. In
Bangladesh it is estimated that 2,000 honey hunters
(termed ‘Mowallis’
in the
Bangla language) utilise the Sundarbans
during a controlled hunting season of two months in April and May
(Zmarlicki 1994; FAO 1998).
In
the Sundarbans this exploitation
of the giant honeybee resource has a long history, with one of the
earliest records being that of Buchanan, 1798: “A particular class ~
honey hunter
The Sundarbans is home to the giant honeybee Apis dorsata. There is an annual migration of thousands of colonies of this
Because of the nature of the mangrove forest, the tree species do not grow to great heights. Apis dorsata, which normally builds
-
Singarggas
of men make a profession of collecting this ...honey and wax.
They are Mohammedans and pay a duty to the Zemeendars (local land owners) for the liberty to follow their profession.”
The main period of honey production takes place during April to _.June, Nectar is obtained from three major tree species found within the Sundarbans. These are Khulshi, Aegiceras corniculatum, Goran,
@ Beekeeping & Development 56
lists an additional nine plant species that are important nectar and
(Zmarlicki 1994; Hussain & Acharya 1995). The wax harvest, citing data from the same authors, is estimated to be between
42 and 45 tonnes. Mowallis must obtain permits from the Forestry Department before entering the Sundarbans. The Forestry
Department allocates quotas of honey and wax per man, currently set at 78 kg of honey and 20 kg of wax, for which the Forestry Department charges approximately US $4 for the honey allotment and US $3 for the wax allotment.
The honey harvested, estimated to be 50% of all honey produced in Bangladesh, is sold locally for US $2-3 per kilogram. The wax sells for about US $3 per kilogram. Processing of the honey is limited, usually being confined to a straining procedure, to remove extraneous matter that accumulates during the collection process.
There is an exception to this found in one company, South Bengal Focd Products, Khulna, which markets an attractive honey pack in
50, 100 and 200g glass jars, advertising the honey as "collected from the Sundarbans." The packed honey retails for the equivalent
of about US $7 per kilogram.
“
e
Mowallis are forbidden to carry Ҥ and seek protection from tiger
acks by wearing amuiets and Hi
arms, beleving that powerful SINa@ass WI
wil
prevent tiger incidents.
When a giant honeybee colony is found, the Mowallis drive the bees off the comb with smoke and flame from a large burning torch. During their daytime plundering of honeybee nests, the Mowallis The honey as collected and processed by the Mowallis has a high moisture content, often exceeding
have little if any protective clothing with the exception of long scarves that they wrap around their heads.
25% and therefore
readily fermenting. However Sundarbans’ honey is
a
traditional
Giant honeybees are capable of mounting a very stout defence of their colonies (Wallace 1869; Morse & Laigo 1969; Seeley et a/ 1982)
food and medicine, is rapidly consumed by local people, and is in high demand. The Mowallis must enter the Sundarbans by boat:
and the Mowallis experience many hundreds of stings in their efforts
there are no roads in the mangrove forest that is dissected many times by river and tidal channels.
to collect the honey. The sections of comb containing honey are quickly cut out and placed in wicker baskets for transport back to
The honey hunters work in groups of 5-8 people, spending their ys venturing into the forest to seek out nests. Their nights are
the honey boat.
The Mowallis attempt to get all the honey and nectar from a colony. The presence of tigers and the denseness of the mangrove forest make it important to exploit the individual colonies as quickly as
opent on their boats anchored as far as possible out into the river channels. The reason for this is the presence of tigers in the forest.
Even the security of a boat is no guarantee of safety as tigers are reported to swim out at night and carry men away (Burton 1933). This is the Royal Bengal Tiger, Panthera tigris tigris. |t is estimated
possible. Once back at the boat, combs are deposited into a collection barrel, usually made of plastic with a 150 litre capacity. This composite of ripe and unripe honey is a major reason for the
that 250 tigers live within the Sundarbans, making it one of the largest biogeographical concentrations of tigers remaining in the world. Not only is the density of tigers high, but the tigers of the
high moisture content of the final product.
Mowallis report that they can harvest the honey and wax from 7-10 colonies a day, and that the amount of honey from one colony
Sundarbans are also known to be frequent man-eaters. In
will be 7-1Okg. Extrapolation of their reports suggests a honey ‘extraction’ of between 50-100kg per day per team.
1887 Baker wrote: “The sole distinctive characteristic of this
tiger, so far as is known, is its utter fearlessness of man, and its inveterate propensity to kill and devour him on all and every
How damaging the honey robbing is to the giant honeybees is unknown. In the Philippines, Morse and Laigo (1969) have shown that many thousands of adult bees are killed when fire is used to
opportunity.” The earliest known record of man-eating by tigers in the Sundarbans goes back to the mid-17th century (Khan 1987). There is much speculation as to the reasons for such behaviour,
drive bees off the combs. However, the continual, annual harvesting of honey over many hundreds of years suggests that the population
as man-eating tigers are a rarity in other areas of Asia where tigers found, but nonetheless, in the Sundarbans, human attacks
of Apis dorsata is large enough to sustain such pillage.
annual occurrences and honey hunters are frequent victims. Records maintained by the Bangladesh Forestry Department (Gani 2000) suggest a honey hunter mortality from tiger attacks 1% mortality rate based on the of 20 persons per year, which is number of honey hunters allowed into the forest. At least as many
A large-scale project is being undertaken in co-operation with the Bangladesh Forestry Department to review the resources of the Sundarbans: current utilisation, and the effects of resource extraction on the sustainability of biodiversity within this special
a
forest. This could eventually result in major changes in the traditions of honey hunting within the Sundarbans.
are attacked but manage to survive the ferocity of tiger assaults.
Acknowledgments consultant to the Asian Development Bank project The Sundarbans: Biodiversity Conservation and recently spent a month reviewing the honey hunting activities within the Sundarbans. He expresses his thanks to Mr Osman
The author is
a
Gani of the Bangladesh Forestry Department for allowing him access and exposure to the fascinating world of giant bee honey hunting in the land of the Royal Bengal Tiger.
References BAKER,E B (1887) - Sport in Bengal: How, When, and Where to Seek It. Ledger, Smith & Co, London, UK.
Sundarbans.
J Seidensticker, R Kurin, A K Townsend (Eds). The International Center, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA. BURTON,R G (1933) - The Book of the Tiger. Hutchinson & Co, London, UK. -
Human settlement and colonization in the Sundarbans: 1200-1750. fn: The Commons in South Asia: Societal Pressures and Environmental Integrity in the Sundarbans. J Seidensticker, Kurin and A K Townsend (Eds).
EATON,R (1991)
R
The International Center, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA.
KHAN,MA (1987) The problem tiger of Bangladesh. RL Tilson and U Seal (Eds). R
S
Tigers of the World: the Biology, Biopolitics, Management, and Conservation of an Endangered Species. Noyes Publications, Park Ridge, Nj, USA.
MORSE,R A; LAIGO,F M (1969) - Apis dorsata in the Philippines. Monograph No 1, Philippine Association of Entomologists Inc.
SEELEY,T D; SEELEY,R H; AKRATANAKUL,P (1982) Colony defense strategies of the honeybees in Thailand.
FAO (1998) Integrated resource management plan of the Sundarhans Reserved Forest Volume 1. FAO, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Ecological Monographs 52: 43-63.
by Order of the Board of Trade through the Provinces of Chittagong and Tipperah in Order to Look Out for the Places Most Proper for the Cultivation of Spices (March-May 1798).
GANI,O (2000) - Conservator of Forests, Khulna District. Personal communication.
& Co, London, UK.
As cited by R Eaton (1991) in: The Commons in South Asia: Societal Pressure and Environmental Integrity in the
HUSSAIN,Z; ACHARYA,G (Eds) (1995) - Mangroves of the Sundarbans Volume Two: Bangladesh. UCN, Bangkok, Thailand.
BUCHANAN,F (1798) - An Account of a Journey Undertaken
WALLACE,A R (1869) - The Malay Archipelago. Macmillan ZMARLICKI,C B (1994) - Integrated resource development of the Sundarbans Reserved Forest. Draft Final Report on the of apiculture. FAO BGD/84/0S6, Rome, Italy.
development
Beekeeping & Development 56
@)
NEWS AROUNT CAMEROON Bonakanda-Bova Bee Farmers Group (BOBEEFAG) organised a two-day Workshop attracting 33 participants. We found the charts supplied for use at the Workshop by Bees for Development particularly useful.
BOBEEFAG is striving to produce good returns of high quality honey, beeswax and propolis for the ever increasing market for these products and at the same time conserving our biodiversity and environment.
We are welcoming new members to the Group on a regular basis. BOBEEFAG provides basic materials for the construction of top-bar hives. Our Group's bees contribute significantly to the pollination of cultivated crops throughout the local community.
The photograph shows Lyonga Mbake Samuel harvesting from one of his hives
NIGERIA In
April
1
addressed the
1300 participants of the 28th Annual National ijtema Convention on the subject of beekeeping.
After my speech many interested listeners asked me how they could become beekeepers. An arrangement was made that each State will compile a list of interested members that is then sent to me. A comprehensive
training programme will be arranged.
A GB Babalola
TANZANIA have just finished facilitating a ten-day Beekeeping Workshop at Madale Youth Settlement, 30 km north of Dar es Salaam. The Settlement is home to 100 young men and women who are involved in agricultural production, mainly growing passion fruits. 1
Other activities include brick and tile
considered a menace but now they are thought of as a blessing, because the _
benefits they bring are understood.
The most important benefit the bees bring to the Settlement is pollination of the passion fruit. A wide variety of hives will be used depending on the materials available for their construction.
making. Their Beekeeping Project is a new activity and has been received with enthusiasm. Bees can be found
The Workshop was co-financed by the participants and the German Development Service.
everywhere at the camp: occupying offices, houses, and workshops. Before the training sessions bees were
Thomas Chale
Bees for Development supplied Workshop materials.
|
) THE WORLD UGANDA ROUND-UP
ETHIOPIA
Penywii Youth and Women’s Development Association have established beekeeping as a useful activity to include in their work. The work of
A new bank, The Nib International Bank, has been formed in my
the Association includes: @
|
Educating beekeepers on how to increase yields of high quality
The Association is hoping to establish
honey; previously beekeepers were boiling their honey and adding water prior to selling;
in
a library to help people involved
their beekeeping projects.
country. Nib in Amharic means “the honeybee”. Therefore, our
energetic friend has been recognised in the banking world as well.
Surafel Abay
would like to help please contact Ariko Stephen c/o If you
Demonstrating new beekeeping
Bees for Development.
techniques, for example using a brick hive inside the house, instead of a log hive; @ Encouraging local communities
to take up beekeeping.
The Association is responsible for seven projects which include a total of
350 traditional hives
and 50 top-bar hives; @ Buying honey - providing it is good
quality - to motivate the beekeepers.
Ariko T Stephen, Chairman, Penywii Youth and Women’s Development isociation |
Ochoun Uthuma Emirious from
Apis Family Ltd, in Nebbi sent us the photograph above of participants
|
at the “Apiary Management and
Honey Harvesting” Beekeeping
Workshop held in June 1999
“Bees can be kept by people of all ages. Bees do not need daily care and beekeeping can be done when Fe
other work allows.”
; Muhereza Chris Tibemanya and ,
family (left) prepare to set up a hive. Muhereza has kept bees for 21 years in Bushenyi District using both
Beekeeping & Development 56
@
EVIS HOSTS
THE SECOND CARIBBEAN BEEKEEPING CONGRESS .ycive
a: srayn,
ux
The first Caribbean Beekeeping Congress was held in Tobago in 1998. In August 2000 it was the turn of the Island of Nevis to welcome over 50 participants to the Second Congress, with the theme ‘Expanding the Horizons for Caribbean Beekeepers’ Delegates were welcomed by Nevis Premier Vance Amory who told them that honey production could become a world-class income earner for the region: “We are being forced to place
emphasis on the development of agriculture and the sub-sectors within to ensure that we remain outside of the poverty a greater
circle” he said.
vTl
2
4,
“The Caribbean has the opportunity fr Step up and take tts place in the wor: ok 72? th raletes ta 2
ae
tg
Lo
it
ra wer ves
1
e
Participants at the Congress
During the five days of the Congress, papers were presented on: marketing, Africanized honeybees, stingless bees, pests and
e+
Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Finland, The Netherlands, UK, USA and Venezuela.
Vincent Weekes uncapping the drone brood to find Varroa (top-bar hive)
“tn the Caribbean, the days when sugar was king, bananas were
profitable and cotton was a major crop, are mostly gone. Today the Island economies feed on tourism, off-shore financial institutions
and other service businesses. It will not replace any of the crops but beekeeping offers tremendous potential,” said Mr Bailey.
Gladstone Solomon, President of Tobago Apicultural Society and a driving force in organising Caribbean beekeepers,
;
told the meeting that the Caribbean
y"
currently produces about 7,000 tonnes of multifloral honey with an exotic taste
and a romantic aura, most of which is
consumed in the region.
:
oH
.
|
Laurence Cutts, Quentin Henderson
Junior Minster Livingstone Herbert praised beekeeper Quentin Henderson. “It would
and Vincent Weekes inspecting 5ees ina top-bar hive
be remiss of me in lauding the success story of the Nevis Beekeepers’
Society Cooperative Ltd (now
20+
members strong), if failed to pay |
tribute to the man who | perceive to be the heartbeat of that society
and certainly the heart beat of beekeeping in Nevis,” he said,
“the
Jamaica wii be nesting the Third Caribbean Beekeeping Congress a
me
A Congress Resolution called upon Caribbean Governments to collectively impose immediate restrictions on the importation of queen bees and honey in order to minimise the spread of pests and diseases.
+
ie,
diseases, Varroa control and food safety. Participants came from many Caribbean islands: Antigua, Bermuda, Dominica, Jamaica,
government and people of Nevis truly appreciate his work.”
During post-Congress apiary inspections Varroa was identified in every apiary visited. We concluded that the mite had probably arrived since a survey in 1998 declared Nevis free of brood disease and Varroa. Nevisian beekeepers now have to learn how to assist their bees to cope with Varroa.
The Congress Proceedings are now in preparation - read B&D for more information and details of the next Congress. Proceedings of the First Caribbean Congress reviewed in B&D 54 are available from Bees for Development price 30.
PHOTOGRAPHS
@ Beekeeping & Development 56
Clive de Bruyn
ZOOM IN ON
Sierra Leone lies on the West Coast of Africa. Pockets remain of the rainforest that once covered all but the extreme north-east of the country. Most of the southern part of the country is covered with farm bush and dotted with oil palm bush giving way to wide savannah. SiZ@ 72,000 km2, with
Population 4.5
Climate
a
The problem of unavailability of funds to facilitate the development of projects in beekeeping is hampering progress in that direction, as most
coastline of 485 km.
million.
Tropical with
a
aid agencies are now concentrating their resources on relief supplies for the displaced people.
single rainy season between May
and November.
n agriculture Cocoa is the main crop, but since the recent civil cocoa wa: production has been very difficult. Other crops include coffee, palm kernel and ginger.
Honeybees Apis mellifera adansonii.
Beekeepers in Sierra Leone find these bees very productive, highly defensive and frequently absconding.
Beekeeping
In the Northern
Province traditional methods of
beekeeping are widely practised. Traditional beekeepers use hives made
Top-bar hives and modified Langstroth hives (designed by the Technology Consultancy Centre, Kumasi, Ghana) were first introduced to Sierra Leone
1980s, and were promoted by
nectar and pollen for bees.
Production
Honey: the average price is US $3 per kilogram. Beeswax is used mostly on threads for weaving cotton clothes, batik, candles, and in leather shoe manufacture.
Honeybee diseases
No diseases have been found.
Beekeeping Association
of logs, bark or baskets hung in the forest.
in the late
Species of Acacia, cashew, Citrus, coconut, Eucalyptus, guava, hibiscus, mango, neem, palm and wild sunflowers and many other native species are significant sources of
Melliferous vegetation
a number of projects during
that time. Most beekeepers have less than fifteen hives.
for the first Beeswax Global Contest in 1999 (reported in B&D 51).
Training
which bee hive is most appropriate? The answer is that Africa needs a low-technology top-bar hive. have modified wooden It is often asked
|
sierra Leone’s National Agency for Beekeepers was awarded a Bronze medal and an honorary certificate, plus US $500 by Cera Rica Noda Co Ltd Japan in the presentation
a
top-bar hive design to more appropriate mud design which apart from nails uses materials available from the bush.
The Njala University College-Newton Link, sponsored by the
British Council from 1994 to 1996, sponsored training of trainers and honey hunters. During the training, equipment manufacture and supply
was encouraged through workshops, seminars and exhibitions.
a
is affordable for farmers and similar enough to the traditional hive
Lunodtuction method that is easy for Sierra Leoneans to pick up and adapt. With a large-scale programme and a small input of funds for
protective clothing and smoker manufacture, high quality honey could be produced from many areas of Sierra Leone using this hive.
Present situation
The nine-year civil war has had serious
implications for beekeeping. Since Sierra Leone won the special prize in the Cera Rica Noda Contest (see Beekeeping Association) we should have been active in producing honey to supply the local market.
Also beekeeping encourages an increase in bee populations and thus enhances their role in the pollination of local crops.
Research
Abu Ansumana has been doing research on honeybees hives at the Certificate Training Centre, Njala University College, and bee Freetown.
Support for Projects
in recent years beekeeping has been assisted and promoted by church organisations and the British Council.
Journal
articles have been published in B&D, the British Council Newsletter, the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone News/etter and AGRISIL, the monthly newsletter of FAO's Co-ordination Unit.
Previous B&D articles on Sierra Leone the
sierra Leone
Green PawPaw Beeswax Mould B&D 37: 3 News around the Wortd B&D 55: 8.
Number of B&D recipients in Sierra Leone
Fifteen.
We would like to thank Mr Abu Ansumana for providing the information and photographs for this article. tigure
1
Ligure 2
Hive body in construction
The hive is coated with mud
inside and out Figure Abu Ansumana and the finished mud hive with raffia cane 3
top-bars
Beekeeping & Development 56
@
AL BELGIUM
INDIA
SLOVENIA
Fair Trade Seminar O October 2000, Brussels
6th Asian Apicultural Association Conference
XXXVIII Apimondia International Apicultural Congress
Further details from: Miel Maya Honig Asbi, Maya Fair Trading asbl, rue du
January/February 2002, Bangalore
Mont, 13, B-4130 Esneux, Belgium, Fax (+32) 4380 4599
ebsite www.maya.be
Further details from:
6th AAA Conference, c/o Century Foundation,
#193 Double Road
(KMJ Education Trust Building),
BRAZIL XIil Congreso Brasileiro de Apicultura 13th Brazilian Apiculture Congress) 14-17 November, 2000, Floriandpolis
Indiranagar 2nd Stage, Bangalore 560 038, India.
E-mail: cenfound@sparrl.com
eral-FAASC, Rodovia Virgilio Varzea, P554 Saco Grande II, 88032-001 loriandpolis SC, Brazil. ax: (+48) 238 1066
ZECH REPUBLIC olecular Mechanisms of Disease olerance in Honeybees 7-19 October 2000, Kralupy
XIV International Congress of the International Union for the Study of
urther details from: Bee Research nstitute Dol, CZ 252 66 Libcice nad itavou, Czech Republic Fax (+4202)
P094 1252 Website www.beedol.cz
Art |\
Fax:
(+386) 611 261 335
E-mail: cebelarska.zveza.slo@siol.net
SOUTH AFRICA XXXVII Apimondia International Apicultural Congress
Irene
0062, South Africa. 12 667 3680
Fax:
28 July
Website: www.apimondia2001.com
—
3 August 2002
(+27)
Further information from:
UNITED KINGDOM
Professor Seigo Higashi,
National Honey Show 16-18 November 2000, London
Graduate School of Environmental Earth
oo
Further details from: Apimondia 2001, Conference Planners, PO Box 82,
Social Insects
Science, Hokkaido University,
near Prague)
Further details from: Cebelarska Zveza Slovenije, Cankarjeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
1-7 September 2001, Durban
JAPAN
urther details from: Secretaria
24-29 August 2003, Ljubljana
Sapporo 060 0810, Japan. Fax: (+81) 11706 4867
Further details from: Rev F Capener, 1 Baldric Road, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2NR, United Kingdom.
Website:
E-mail: nathon@zbee.com
www.coop. hokudai.ac. jp/gakkai/iussi2002/
Visit Bees for Development's stand!
AT
”
NOTICEBOARD NEWS FROM INDIA
HONEY FOR EXPORT
BEE BOOKS NEW AND OLD
Madhuprapancha is a quarterly Journal (in Kannada language) on beekeeping,
We are interested in exporting honey to overseas buyers. We would be pleased
published by S K Beekeepers’ Cooperative Society, Puttur. This is tts 19th year of publication.
to hear from prospective buyers of honey, wax and propolis.
10 Quay Road, Charlestown, PL25 3NX, United Kingdom, for your new and secondhand books. Telephone 01726 76844 or
Annual Subscription: IR20. Permanent subscription: IR1000.
Contact: The Secretary, K Beekeepers’ Cooperative Society, Puttur 574 201 Karnataka State, India E-mail: madhuprapancha@usa.net S
Contact: The Managing Director, Hephzibah Handicapped and Orphanage Training Centre, Cameroon, c/o Bees for Development
BEEKEEPERS SAFARIS
INFORMATION PROVISION ™
for Development can help you posters and information for use at your workshops and meetings. -s
1
Bees for Development Beekeepers’ Safaris encourage exchange of ideas and on-going contacts, friendship and support between beekeepers from different countries. Bees for Development are planning the
following Safaris:
We must receive notice at least three months ahead of the date and an indication of the number of people you
Tanzania, February 2001 Tobago, January/February 2001
www. honey.mcmail.com
ADVERTISING
IN B&D
B&D production is supported by advertisements and enclosures in the journal, and in this way advertisers can reach readers in more than 100 countries. We offer excellent rates.
Advertisements: quarter page, two-colour costs 65; a full page 200. Request our rate card for further information on colour and cover prices. Advertisements in ‘Notice Board’ cost only 0.50 per word
Enclosures: The cost of insertion and distribution of flyers is 50 per kilo.
expect to participate.
Further details from:
This service is free of charge to those in developing countries.
Bees for Development at the address on page 12
(Prices subject to VAT in EC countries).
PROPOLIS ‘\
\t
hunbo International Importers and distributors of bee products want to import a total of 100 tonnes of crude propolis annually from beekeepers world-wide.
Specifications are: Purity - over 50% Total flavonoid content - over 5%
The Clover The Plover
Heavy metal content- below 10 ppm Colour - red, brown or green (grey may
be accepted on inspection)
Prices negotiable in accordance with purity and quality
and
The Plover and the Clover cah be told apart with ease, By paying close attention to the habits of the Bees, For enlo-molo-gists aver, the Bee can bein Clover, While ely-molo-gists concur there’ is no B in Plover. Reproduced with kind permission from Positive News 18
Beekeeping & Development 56
®
BOOKSHELF
Income we receive from orders supports the Bees for Development Information Service for beekeepers in developing countries. Please buy all your bee reading and viewing from us! A complete list and description of all the books, posters and videos available from Bees for Development is on our website at www.planbee.org.uk.
Generating income from beekeeping in Afghanistan: a guide for beekeepers, farmers and extension workers
Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping Dewey M Caron
1999
Nicola Bradbear <=="
1999
- 168 pages.
Spiral bound.
In Dari
and English. Published
to support the training
.
-
course for Afghan
“beekeepers held during 1999 organised by FAO and funded by DFID, UK. The
manual is built upon 22 fact sheets
covering beekeeping and the production and
-
355 pages.
Price on application. Order code B480.
Skep-Making .
Toon Brekelmans
2000
SKEP-MAKING
-
8 pages. Available in Dutch
Hardback. Available from
The Swahili edition of “Beekeeping and some honeybee plants
that they are a convenient and interesting social animal to study, and makes
(it’s history and genetics), anatomy, communication, foraging, the basics of management, hive products and pollination. The beekeeping described is predominately that practised in North America using Apis mellifera honeybees of European origin.
Price US $40.00 (postage extra).
1998 - 30 pages. Hardback. Available from Boyds Mills Press,
910 Church Street,
straw and cane, but it is possible to use
Honesdale PA 18431 USA.
Bx. uate
other materials.
illustrations help to explain the design
techniques.
Bees for Development price 5.00. Order code B490.
® Beekeeping & Development 56
available. This book
Swahili Order code L110
management of honeybees. Subjects include: what is honeybee
hives. Skeps are usually constructed from
the top-rim is added. Black and white
;
biology followed by ten on beekeepers’
Beekeepers
construction of the disk and bowl before
Latham (reviewed in B&D 54) is now boasts over 100 colour photographs.
Linda Oatman High
There are step-by-step instructions on the
A
comparisons between the human and the bee world. Out of 21 chapters the first eleven concentrate on honeybee
This book provides a concise and clear preparation of traditional European skep
Umalila, Southern Tanzania” by Paul
in
Chapter One of his new book Dr Caron asks “why study honeybees”?. He explains In
or English.
explanation of the
Paul Latham
Wicwas Press, PO Box 817, Cheshire, CT 06410-0817 USA.
a
use of hive products.
Ufugaji Wa Nyuki Na Baadhi ya Mimea ya Asali Umalila (Mbeya) Kusini Mwa Tanzania
A story book for children ages 5-8. Coloured hand-drawn illustrations
accompany the story of a little girl's first attempt at hiving a swarm of bees under the watchful eye of her grandfather. The best of frame hive beekeeping and a
happy ending!
Price US $15.00 (postage extra).
Both editions are priced each 33.00 English Order code L105
We are amongst India’s top five FMCG companies with interests in Natural Health Care, Personal Care, Foods and Pharmaceuticals. We are also the largest Honey marketer on the Indian sub-continent. To further develop the Honey market in India and create
@
Prior international experience would be necessary
@
Should be able to guide and impart expertise on
a market for speciality Organic Honey and related
products around the world, we require a qualified full
Honey to Darbur India Ltd
time person well versed in the following areas: ®
Supervision of Honey purchasing/procurement
®
Honey processing (preferably through CTC equipment. Must have prior experience in this area
®
®@
and would like the challenge of working and living in an
exciting environment send your CV within 10 days to:
Development of other Honey related products
Ms Madeleine Heam
i.e frames, queens, bee hives etc
Dabur India Limited
Good understanding for international honey market
Lion Court
for exports and related laws @
An internationally competitive package will be offered to the right candidate. If you can deliver on the above
Bordon
A self-driven person who will not wilt under tough circumstances
Nat;
°
4
ey si
Ss
16th November 2.30pm - 7.00pm
Friday
17th November 9.30am - 7.00pm 18th November 9.30am -
5.00pm
Adults - 4.00,
Schedule of details:
Daur
Life decisions never end, So make a beeline for our show And ask us all you wish to know.
Thursday Saturday
Admission:
Hampshire GU35 ONF UNITED KINGDOM
50/50 or phone a friend?
20 0 0
Show times:
Farnham Road
Children under
|
6
-
50p, Members Free
Hon. General Secretary Revd. H F Capener Tel & Fax: 01303 254 579 E-mail: nathonshow@talk2 |.com
www.honeyshow.co.uk
Why not hire a coach to arrive fresh & buzzing! The National Honey Show takes
place in London,
UK
1[6,17,18 November 2000
Beekeeping & Development 56 @®
trained the Trainer
He built a
|
Beehive
;
His
She trained her friend
neighbours sold the honey
VV
And they all built a well with the proceeds
Vv
Some people are surprised by the development potential of beekeeping. To many, it's rewarding hobby. To others it's their livelihood. But some use it to help alleviate
skills to build strong relationships all round. You will also be flexible and resourceful, delivering excellent returns on a limited budget.
poverty. Through VSO, you may have the opportunity to do just that. If you are an experienced Beekeeper, you could travel to a developing country for a two-year
You will receive a locally appropriate salary and accommodation. VSO also provides return flights,
a
placement to share your skills with people who really benefit. But it's not a one-way relationship. You will learn as much as you teach, living and working at the heart of a unique culture. You could return with a whole new
perspective on life. Does this appeal to you?
We have vacancies for experienced Beekeepers in Malawi and Nigeria. You will work with local people to develop honey production and exploit market opportunities.
With your input, the proceeds can be put to great use. Positive and realistic, you will use excellent communication
cE ee] CeKee
NI and pension contributions and full medical insurance.
This is the experience of a lifetime. For more information, please contact our Enquiries Unit on 020 8780 7500,
quoting reference BD/NR77. Minicom: 020 8780 7440. E-mail: enquiry@vso.org.uk Website: www.vso.org.uk
Why not find out what it’s really like? Chat to someone who's done it on 0845 603 0027, weekdays 6pm ~ 9pm. Come to our Open Day on 23rd September between 10 am and 4.30 pm at Bradford City Hall, Bradford.
FREE ENTRY.
e
1
Beekeeping & Development is published quarterly by Bees for Development, Troy, Monmouth, NP25 4AB, UK. Telephone: +44 (0) 16007 13648 Fax: +44 (0) 16007 16167 E-mail:busy@planbee.org.uk Website: www.planbee.org.uk. Printed on environmentally friendly paper. ISSN 1369 9555 Bees for Development 2000
Vy
