In Issue 5

The purpose of this Newsletter is to provide beekeepers in developing countries with ur to date information on what is happening, in the world of beekeeping. I want future editions of the Newsletter to be as helpful and interesting as possible, and I would be pleased to hear your views on it, your likes and dislikes, and what you would most like to read about in future editions. I will be very grateful if you can find a few moments to complete and return to me the questionnaire which is on the last page of this edition. I would also welcome any piece of beekeeping news or information you have for future editions of the Newsletter. My post as Information Officer for Tropical Apiculture is funded by the Overseas Development Administration, UK, to provide an information service for beekeepers in developing countries, so if you have any specific problems with your beekeeping and the information you require is not available locally, then write to me and I will try to help you. Since my last Newsletter. I have been very busy both here at Hill House and visiting beekeepers and beekeeping institutes. In August I attended the International Beekeeping Congress organized by Apimondia, in Budapest, Hungary. At this conference I met beekeepers from many different parts and learnt about beekeeping in their countries, and some of the constraints which they face.

The six main sessions for the conference were beekeeping economy, bee biology, bee pathology, honey flora and pollination, beekeeping technology and equipment, and the use of hive products. The most popular subject for discussion was varroa disease and its treatment, and more papers were given on varroa than on any other subject. There was also much debate about the problem of the "africanized bee" in Southern and Central America, and it was useful to hear from commercial beekeepers how they can now successfully manage these bees and obtain very good yields of honey.

The 36 000 beekeepers of Hungary annually produce 15 000 metric tons of honey. The main nectar sources are the forests of Robinia pseudoacacia (also known as false acacia or black locust) from which the bees produce a very liquid, mild tasting, golden honey. After the conference I visited the Hungarian Forest Research Institute at Gödöllő where researchers are selecting Species of Robinia to produce a maximum period of nectar flow throughout the summer months, combined with good quality timber. The Institute is also selecting other species of trees and shrubs to continue the nectar flow after Robinia has finished flowering. At the Bee Breeding Research Institute I met

Professor Örösi-Pal a famous bee scientist who has been responsible for the identification of 6 of the 8 known species of bee louse (Braula spp.) and mapping: their world distribution. Prof. Örösii-Pal requires more samples of bee lice, particularly from Africa (see page 7).

In December I travelled to India and visited the staff of the Central Bee Research Institute at Pune, who had just moved into their splendid new headquarters. The new building incorporates laboratories, a large library and office facilities, and also houses the branch of the IBRA library for tropical Asia. Research work is concentrated on building up information about beekeeping in India and developing beekeeping management appropriate for different areas of the country. I was pleased to meet Dr. Kehirsagar who has made an excellent study of the bee diseases present in India (published in Bee World 63, 162-164, 1982), The Institute has proved that many different Indian crops benefit from bee pollination; another research topic is the identification of plants valuable for filling dearth periods in the annual nectar flow. Also at the Institute honey processing equipment is evaluated and distributed to village co-operatives. The Central Bee Research Institute has associated institutes and stations in different parts of India, and these are organized by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

Khadi is a type of handwoven cotton cloth, and this word was chosen by Gandhi to symbolize the rural crafts that can create employment in villages. Gandhi felt that such low-capital, labour intensive work organized at village level could produce a self-reliant community. In 1934 he created an association to promote this idea, based at Wardha in central India. After the independence of India, the government established the Khadi and Village Industries Commission to continue with this work, and the Commission now has under its wing 19 village industries including beekeeping, and organizes beekeeping in 33 000 villages throughout India.

While in India I also visited the original centre established by Gandhi at Wardha, now developed into The Centre of Science for Villages. This Centre encourages the application of useful new technology where it is appropriate to village crafts, for example recycling waste cotton, using solar energy, improving sanitation, finding economical methods of house construction, and soon. Of course beekeeping is included amongst the projects at the Centre, and in particular the migratory behaviour of the rock bee (Apis dorsata) is being studied in an attempt to allow some management of this species.