CAYMAN ISLANDS
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
JAMAICA
Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean: 243 km long, between 36 and 80 km wide and with
a population of 2.5 million people
CLIMATE
BEES
HONEYBEE DISEASES AND PESTS
Jamaica has a maritime tropical climate.
British settlers probably introduced European honeybees Apis mellifera to Jamaica, but there is
American foulbrood, black ants, chalk brood, red ants and wax moths.
There is great variation in landscape from the coral sands and ironshore cliffs of the shoreline, through coastal wetlands, plains and highlands to the misty peaks of the Blue Mountains.
The warm trade winds blow by day and the average daily temperature varies according to elevation from 30°C at sea level to 15°C in the mountains. During the cooler months, December to March, the island sometimes experiences
no date recorded. The black bees originally
introduced were later mixed with Italian stock
SECTOR SUPPORT
brought from the USA. To date there has been no occurrence of Africanised honeybees. indigenous
From
species of stingless bees are still present, but not harvested commercially.
project stimulated Phase 2: the A// Island
BEEKEEPING
The success of this
Beekeeping Development Project. This placed special emphasis on the introduction of in schools from primary to tertiary level, providing them with equipment and extension assistance. Within the Ministry of
beekeeping
northerners: chill winds and high seas. July to September are the warmest months, May and
By 1896 Apis mellifera were being kept in frame hives. The Jamaica Agriculture Society provided
October are traditionally rainy. Jamaica is experiencing increasingly erratic weather patterns
training and field demonstrations throughout the island, with the formation of the Jamaica
due to deforestation and global warming. The last major hurricane to hit Jamaica was Hurricane bee industry was destroyed.
Beekeepers’ Association in 1902. Several organisations were subsequently formed and disbanded. At present beekeepers are represented by the All Island Bee Farmers’ Association.
CULTURE
NUMBER OF BEEKEEPERS
Rastafari is an indigenous religion that emerged during the 1930s as a grass roots answer to
A survey
Gilbert in September 1988, when 90% of the
1987-1991 the EU funded a pilot project
in the central parishes.
Agriculture the Beekeeping Unit is responsible for protection and development of the industry and has a staff of 16.
BEEKEEPING DEPARTMENT Bodles Research Station
Ministry of Agriculture,Old Harbour, St Catherine Email bodlesresearch@cwjamaica.com
1997 revealed 1262 beekeepers with an average age of 52, 11% female, 89% male.
LEGISLATION
in
social conditions. Beliefs include the divinity of the late Emperor Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari) of Ethiopia, re-incarnation, and a taboo against
NUMBER OF HONEYBEE COLONIES
The Jamaica Bee Control Act of 1918 relates to disease control and the prevention of imports of
40,000
bees, products and used equipment.
males cutting or combing their hair or beards. However not all Rastafaris adhere to all of these.
AVERAGE PRODUCTION
PREVIOUS ARTICLES
23 kg honey per colony per year.
Bees for Development Journal (Newsletter) 6: News around the world
Rastafaris developed their own version of the Jamaican dialect in which “I” is a frequent pre-fix. (For example “I and |” or “l-man” meaning or myself and “I-dren” meaning children or brethren, “I-tal” food is vegetarian.) |
Many Rastas regard the use of marijuana as a sacrament and aid to meditation.
ECONOMY Tourism is the largest foreign exchange earner with over one million visitors, over half of them
arriving as cruise ship passengers. Other major industries are agriculture, bauxite (the raw material of aluminium), and textiles.
AGRICULTURE The sugar industry is still the largest employer and major agricultural earner. The banana industry is in the process of rehabilitation. Coffee cultivation has been revived and vastly increased but too rapid expansion, especially in the Blue
Mountains, has created environmental problems. Other important export crops are Citrus, Papaya, pimento (allspice), and yams. Ganja (marijuana) though illegal, represents a significant contribution to the economy.
ANNUAL PRODUCTION LEVELS 9,000 tonnes honey and 7.3 tonnes
of beeswax.
Bees for Development Journal (Newsletter) 15: News around the world Bees for Development Journal 49:
FINANCIAL
$J 107 per litre Beeswax: $J 45 per kilogram Honey:
Total value of bee products per annum:
First Caribbean Beekeeping Congress
Bees for Development Journal 56: Nevis hosts the Second Caribbean Beekeeping Congress
$J 100,000,000
FURTHER READING
Total value of the beekeeping industry inclusive of bees, products, poilination, equipment and
COLLINS,P SOLOMON,G (1999) Proceedings of the First Caribbean Beekeeping Congress, Tobago 1998. Tobago Apicultural Society,
infrastructure:
$J 1,860
CURRENCY $J 1 = €0.023 =
million
Trinidad & Tobago. UK
0.014 = $US 0.021
MARKET All products are marketed locally, with limited export. Ten beekeepers harvest and sell pollen.
SOLOMON,G (2002) Challenges and opportunities for sustainable beekeeping in the Caribbean. /n: Sustainable livelihoods: exploring the role of beekeeping in development. Bees for Development, Monmouth, UK.
Thanks to Reginald Peddy for much of the
MELLIFEROUS FLORA Avincennia germinans, Blighia sapida, Citrus spp, Cordia gerascanthus, Fagara martinicensis, Gliricidia sepium, Gouania lupoloides, Guaidum officinale, Guazuma ulmifolia, Haematoxylum campechianum, Leucaena sp, Persea americana, Piscidia piscupula, Prosopis juliflora, Turbina corymbosa, Ziziphus mauritiana.
A Bees for Development publication
information used in this item.
