Zoom in on 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

Jamaica has a maritime tropical climate. 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 northerners: chill winds and high seas. July to September are the warmest months, May and October are traditionally rainy. Jamaica is experiencing increasingly erratic weather patterns due to deforestation and global warming. The last major hurricane to hit Jamaica was Hurricane Gilbert in September 1988, when 90% of the bee industry was destroyed.

CULTURE

Rastafari is an indigenous religion that emerged during the 1930s as a grass roots answer to social conditions. Beliefs include the divinity ofthe late Emperor Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari) of Ethiopia, re-incarnation, and a taboo against males cutting or combing their hair or beards. However not all Rastafaris adhere to all of these. Rastafaris developed their own version of the Jamaican dialect in which “I” is a frequent pre-fix. (For example “I and I” or “l-man” 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.

BEES

British settlers probably introduced European honeybees Apis mellifera to Jamaica, but there is no date recorded. The black bees originally introduced were later mixed with Italian stock brought from the USA. To date there has been no occurrence of Africanised honeybees. indigenous species of stingless bees are still present, but not harvested commercially.

BEEKEEPING

By 1896 Apis mellifera were being kept in frame hives. The Jamaica Agriculture Society provided training and field demonstrations throughout the island, with the formation of the Jamaica Beekeepers’ Association in 1902. Several organisations were subsequently formed and disbanded. At present beekeepers are represented by the All Island Bee Farmers’ Association.

NUMBER OF BEEKEEPERS

A survey in 1997 revealed 1262 beekeepers with an average age of 52, 11% female, 89% male.

NUMBER OF HONEYBEE COLONIES

40,000

AVERAGE PRODUCTION

23 kg honey per colony per year.

ANNUAL PRODUCTION LEVELS

9,000 tonnes honey and 7.3 tonnes of beeswax.

FINANCIAL

Honey: $J 107 per litre

Beeswax: $J 45 per kilogram

Total value of bee products per annum: $J 100,000,000

Total value of the beekeeping industry inclusive of bees, products, pollination, equipment and infrastructure: $J 1,860 million

CURRENCY

$J 1 = €0.023 = £UK 0.014 = $US 0.021

MARKET

All products are marketed locally, with limited export. Ten beekeepers harvest and sell pollen.

MELLIFEROUS FLORA

Avincennia germinans, Blighia sapida, Citrus spp, Cordia gerascanthus, Fagara martinicensis, Gliricidia sepium, Gouania lupoloides, Guaidum officinale, Guazuma ulmifolia, Haematoxylumcampechianum, Leucaena sp, Persea americana, Piscidia piscupula, Prosopis juliflora, Turbina corymbosa, Ziziphus mauritiana.

HONEYBEE DISEASES AND PESTS

American foulbrood, black ants, chalk brood, red ants and wax moths.

SECTOR SUPPORT

From 1987-1991 the EU funded a pilot project in the central parishes. The success of this project stimulated Phase 2: the All Island Beekeeping Development Project. This placed special emphasis on the introduction of beekeeping in schools from primary to tertiary level, providing them with equipment and extension assistance. Within the Ministry of Agriculture the Beekeeping Unit is responsible for protection and development of the industry and has a staff of 16.

BEEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

Bodies Research Station Ministry of Agriculture, Old Harbour, St Catherine Email bodlesresearch@cwjamaica.com

LEGISLATION

The Jamaica Bee Control Act of 1918 relates to disease control and the prevention of imports of bees, products and used equipment.

PREVIOUS ARTICLES

Bees for Development Journal (Newsletter) 6: News around the world

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FURTHER READING

COLLINS,P SOLOMON,G (1999) Proceedings of the First Caribbean Beekeeping Congress, Tobago 1998. Tobago Apicultural Society, Trinidad & Tobago.

SOLOMON,G (2002) Challenges and opportunities for sustainable beekeeping in the

Caribbean in: Sustainable livelihoods: exploring the role of beekeeping in development. Bees for Development, Monmouth, UK.

Thanks to Reginald Peddy for much of the information used in this item.