Bees for Development Journal Edition 56 - September 2000

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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

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.

“

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