Bees for Development Journal 64
NEWS AROUND BHUTAN
CAMEROON
GHANA
BEKAB
BOBEEFAG
BEEKEEPING:
The only Beekeeping Association in Bhutan was formed by a group of farmers
Following on from their successful training workshop reported in BADJ 62 BOBEEFAG
involved in beekeeping in 1997. A Swiss
are hoping to hold a workshop on apitherapy and bee products in November
person working in Bumthang introduced the European honeybee Apis mellifera to Bhutan in 1986. A few colonies were also
purchased from a private apiary in India and used on a private basis. When the small venture proved to be successful, a
this year. Financial support is required as well as a volunteer to assist with teaching. If
you are interested to help please
contact Samuel Lyonga Mbake c/o Bees for Development.
beekeeping development programme was
A major source
of additional income for women
The Supportive Women’s Organisation (SWO) has a membership of over
500 women trained
in
beekeeping. The
organisation gives special emphasis to
helping women working as subsistence farmers. The UK DFID and German
Development Service (DED) have supported 100 women in two districts in the eastern area of Ghana. These women
worked out and named as
can now benefit from additional income
‘The Beekeeping Association of Bhutan’ (BEKAB). This is an independent NGO
from honey sales. One beneficiary,
be
Mercy Addo has this to say:
a
aiming to be self-supporting. It is based in Bumthang, in the east-central region of
“|
have six children and my husband, with
no land of his own, has been practising
the Kingdom and currently has a group of 30 farmers as members.
crop sharing: life was very difficult for us.
At this stage, being a young organisation and having a mandate to train new
hives by SWO. The yield was so good
Two years ago
es sire
key to the success of the industry. This is because the Association does not have
funds to pay for the honey produced and bought from the members, which is increasing every year. BEKAB has also to buy essential packaging materials like
was provided with two
(28 litres of honey) that was able to pay |
beekeepers and provide them with colonies, it cannot meet the costs of its
activities. Currently BEKAB is facing problems in marketing honey, which is a
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my children’s school fees for one year”.
SWO says:
COLOMBIA
“If we give a women four hives she can
Asociacion Regional de Apicultura
children, pay their school fees and ensure a better diet for all.”
has been offering training to medium and
small-scale beekeepers to help them solve technical and economical problems facing them in the coffee zone Eje Cafetero, an
obtain enough income to look after her
Mrs Christina Hall (Ex-Director of SWO)
has organised a National Beekeeping
honey jars and lids. Therefore, we are
excellent area for beekeeping. Helping these
looking forward to being able to help
Programme for women as a source of employment. SWO is inviting interested
groups and providing the opportunity for
honey export in a sustainable manner to
partners to support women beekeepers
processing honey, propolis and wax helps
an outside country.
them to care for the mountains and
Beekeeping has the potential to become a lucrative enterprise for the small-scale
vegetation and helps them to be peaceful
farmers with limited land holdings and other assets. BEKAB’s long-term objective
Jose Alrejo Velasco
in
Ghana.
Christina Hall
and nice people!
is to promote a sustainable beekeeping
industry in the country and thereby improve the crop pollination by bees, and raise the income of the rural population by increased crop production and honey
GUYANA VARROA
production.
Varroa sp has been identified by the UK National Bee Unit in a sample of bees
Chairman, The Beekeeping Association of Bhutan, Bumthang
in
®
Annai,
in the Guyana interior.
David Wainwright, UK
A Bees for Development publication
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collected
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