Beekeeping & Development 62
NES AROUN CAMEROON
SWEBA News
Bonakanda Bova Bee Farmers Group
of bee farming in South West Province, South Western Bee Farmers Association
(BOBEEFAG) recently organised workshops in three villages to introduce women’s groups to beekeeping. The three meetings attracted a total of 59 participants. Business Enterprises Defying Poverty (BEDO) provided the groups with top-bar
hives, smokers, veils and other equipment. BEDO aims to support small businesses, particularly
women’s groups, with the objectives of eliminating poverty and disease. BEDO Facilitator the Hon Mrs Gwendoline Burnley MP attended the workshops to oversee the distribution
GHANA
Following a meeting to discuss the revival
(SWEBA) Members decided to organise training workshops and seminars to motivate local beekeepers. President of SWEBA, Afendia Fobella Julius encouraged bee farmers to organise themselves into clubs or common initiative groups and keep in contact with
SWEBA for training.
Ghana is noted for its tropical climate that is very conducive for African honeybees. However in 2001 there was a dramatic and negative change in the weather pattern, nectar production was less, honey harvests were reduced, and this led to a shortage of honey in local markets.
There are a lot of problems challenging the beekeeping industry including:
Afendia hobella Jutius
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lack of capital for the construction of hives and purchase of equipment;
of equipment.
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Lyonga Mbake Samuel, resource person from BOBEEFAG, lectured on hive management, hive
theft of honey and hive destruction by humans;
products and pollination. Participants went home with beekeeping literature (donated by
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termites attacking hive stands;
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danger of snakebites during harvesting
Bees for Development) and at the end of
or tending hives;
meeting enjoyed the invitation to sample honey and honey wine from the display of hive
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spiders making webs in empty hives which trap or strangle scout bees and prevent them from reporting back to their colonies;
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ants and lizards that attack bees
products provided by BOBEEFAG.
Lyonga Mbake Samuel (pictured right)
in
and around their nests.
In my view the best solution is the construction of a bee house, which will provide a solution
to many of the problems.
Julius Attipoe
LESOTHO The Lesotho Bee Product Company was launched
in
1999 to continue the
beekeeping work established as part of a soil, water conservation and agroforestry project initiated in 1996. The Company has the
following objectives:
ETHIOPIA Eastern Shoa Beekeepers Association has a membership of 284 including farmers, women's
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to ensure that farmers produce the highest quality honey and hive products;
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to give farmers a fair price for honey and arrange collection of honey from farms;
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to ensure enough honey is produced to meet the domestic market;
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to provide training and extension input for farmers;
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to link with other African countries (namely Swaziland and Malawi) for entry into the
and youth groups.
The photograph sent in by ESBA Chairman Abu Negese showsa fine display of wax and honey.
export market. It is hoped these objectives will ensure sustainability since the company is directly dependent on the farmers and vice versa. |.
A Bees for Development publication
Mahalefele
