Bees for Development Journal Edition 69 - December 2003

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Bees for Development Journal

69

dear pies Our cover picture shows Wellete Toby McMillan, Apiaries Officer for Tobago, working her apiary of top-bar and frame hives in Tobago. Wellete is member of Tobago Apicultural Society, working on the project to compare top-bar and frame hives in Tobago. The Project has been planned by Gladstone Solomon, President of Tobago Apicultural Society and Bees for Development, and has been supported by the Cariforum Agribusiness Research and Training Fund.

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Beekeepers in Trinidad and Tobago (as in many Caribbean nations) import most of their beekeeping equipment and materials - even down to the beeswax foundation used in frame hives. The idea behind testing top-bar hives is to see if this could be a more economical basis for a self-supporting industry. Everyone participating in the Project is already an experienced beekeeper. This means that they are perceptive to the various strengths of the different technologies and can make valuable conclusions. All plan to continue with their top-bar hives alongside their frame hive beekeeping.

One technical issue that has arisen is the presence of brood cells at the bottom of some honeycombs. This results in either (a) the beekeeper being unable to harvest the honey in that comb, or (b) the loss of valuable brood during honey harvest. This raises the necessity of considering the introduction of a physical device, or management method, to prevent the queen from laying eggs in honeycombs during the honey flow a

season.

A second technical issue has been the collapse of some honeycombs. This must have

been due to the temperature rising within the hive such that the beeswax comb increased in temperature, causing its loss of strength and comb collapse. In Tobago, average daily temperatures range between 32 and 34°C throughout the year. For this reason, we believe that it is important to take particular care about the siting of top-bar hives in shade, and to provide adequate ventilation to assist the bees to ensure that the nest temperature does not rise much above 35°C. To maintain the nest at 35°C in hot weather requires that bees expend much energy in fanning to ventilate the hive, and in collecting water. If hives are kept in the shade, then obviously this will result in greater honey harvests as less energy is wasted in maintaining temperature. Perhaps all hives in Tobago overheat in hot weather, but it is only in top-bar hives that this has been brought to the beekeepers’ attention? It is planned to continue the research for another season, to test the benefits gained by introducing greater shade, and possibilities for more ventilation, in the top-bar hives. The full results of the Project will be brought to you in a future edition of Bees for Development Journal.

in this issue...

Inside information

2

Zoom in to Nicaragua

3

Practical beekeeping

6

Letters

8

News around the World

10

Look and Learn Ahead

12

Notice Board

12

Project news from ICIMOD

13

This edition also contains more information about top-bar hives: our series by Pam Gregory continues on page 6, with additional technical comments from Bernhard Clauss on page 8. And there is news of bee projects and activities worldwide: starting with a Zoom in to Nicaragua. do hope you enjoy this edition: let me know what you think!

Book Shelf

14

Niwla Bradheav

Bees for Development helps people in poor couniries to create livelihoods involving bees, in ways that are

|

PS You can visit the beekeepers in Tobago by joining our Beekeepers’ Safari in March 2004: details on page 16.

Inside Information

Message Board at www.beesfordevelopment.org/ forums.shtml

Editor Nicola Bradbear PhD Co-ordinator Helen Jackson BSc

Copyright Please acknowledge BfD Journal if you reproduce items we publish and provide our contact details in full. Please send us a copy of the item.

Bees for Development Journal A quarterly publication from Bees for Development with readers in over 130 countries.

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Bees for Development Journal

ZOOM IN TO NICARAGUA Mexico

ZOOMINTO

4

NICARAGUA

Honduras

>

CENTRAL AMERICA Custa Rica

Gilles Fert, France

NICARAGUA Population: 5.2 million

Stingless bees The local bee 'jicofe' Melipona beecheii and Trigona sp were kept long before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors in the 16th century. Insects are very much a part of the country's tradition. For example, to prevent bad luck from entering a house, a nest of 'saltecon' Trigona sp is placed over the front door. The bee symbolises sunlight. .

Gilles Fe

NICARAGUA

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The biggest country in Central America, Nicaragua is a land of lakes, forests and volcanoes. Its famous lakes cover an area of 9240 km? and make up Central America's largest reserve of fresh water. Lakes Nicaragua and Managua cover 10% of the country's surface. There are 58 volcanoes, of which six are still active.

A series of economic crises, the civil war during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as a variety of natural disasters including Hurricane Mitch in October 1998 have reduced Nicaragua to the second poorest country on the continent after Haiti. In 2002 income per capita was under US$550. 25% of the child population is suffering from chronic malnutrition, and in some regions like Matagalpa this figure rises to 50%.

(left) Melipona beecheii brood and the queen in the centre

Honey produced by jicote’ bees was highly respected as a medicinal product.

It was harvested from swarms in the and from hives. forest local style Today, unlike other such as and countries Brazil this bee used 's very ine 4 nenezvelo, icaragua, but new interest is neeae because of all the advantages it offers.

Two types of honey are offered for sale by hawkers in the streets of Managua. One honey is from Africanised honeybees and the other from jjicote' bees. The second type is more expensive, because of its rarity and renown for great medicinal virtues. It is used to cure conjunctivitis by putting a few drops of honey directly into the eye. In some regions of the country, mothers rub a cloth impregnated with honey on their baby's tongue to get rid of parasites in the mouth. In other regions, new mothers ‘purify their blood! just after giving birth, by drinking large amounts of herbal tea made from jinocuago! bark and sweetened generously with ‘jicote'

horse to willingly take the bit by smearing with honey.

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Africanised honeybees European honeybees were introduced into the Pacific coastal region in the 14th century by German settlers who wanted to increase coffee production by improving pollination. In the 1960s the national agricultural programme

honey.

Beautiful ladies follow the tradition of using a beauty mask made of jicote' honey mixed with powdered milk.

Another interesting use is to get a young

An Africanised honeybee queen

developed beekeeping and in 1980 the Canadian government collaborated in development with the NGO CARE. In 1984, the arrival of the first swarms of Africanised honeybees radically changed beekeeping methods and work habits.

Beekeepers had to adapt to this new bee, which was much more defensive than the European bee.

Bees for Development Journal

69

ZOOM IN TO NICARAGUA

Fresco in the Masaya Museum depicting Nicaragua's different agricultural activities

Traditionally, hives were kept close to houses or in the garden. However, with Atricanised bees, hives had to be moved to a safe distance and the size of smokers doubled. Strangely enough, after the initial adaptation perod, evn if the number of beekeepers has fallen slightly, the number of hives has on the other hand increased. The most surprising result has been the notable increase in honey production per colony: from 10 kg to 30 kg per year. In the central region of Boaco, and to the north of Chinandega, production reaches 75 kg with well-managed colonies.

As long as beekeepers protect themselves well and are equipped with adequate smokers, beekeeping remains viable. if Africanised bees have shortcomings including defensiveness and desertion, they also have many good qualities.

The bees are slightly smaller than European races of Apis mellifera but adapt well to hives with frames. The distance between the axis of the frames needs to be 31.8 mm instead of 34.9 mm for European bees. Worker cells measure 4.8 mm whereas the diameter of European worker cells is 5.3 mm. The size of queen and drone cells is the same Lucia harvesting honey from Melipona beecheii

for Africanised bees as European bees.

Costs

Beekeepers may have to feed up to 5 kg of sugar per colony to counter one of the characteristics of Africanised bees absconding when stores run low. It has to be noted that most beekeepers make the mistake of not leaving enough honey when they harvest, blaming Varroa for winter losses when in fact the bees absconded.

Empty hive: Hive with two brood boxes ready to produce: 1

1

1

kg of sugar: kg of wax (block): sheet of foundation:

US$8-10 US$80 US$0.3 US$2.8 US$]

Fifty honeybee colonies can provide sufficient income to support a family.

Bees for Development Journal

ZOOM IN TO NICARAGUA

LED saae"sow Natural Miel Pura yEAE yoy

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CONSORZIO PER tL CONTROLLO DEL PRODOTT! BIOLOGIC! CCPB, ITALIA

Consumir antes de: 31

de agosto de 2005

Segun R. &. Lothrop ta compasiciér de fa miel pura y natural es la siguiente: Analisis Quimica %

Asociacion de Apicultores de Boaco (APIBO), J.R.A. Centro de Acopio y Comercializacion de Miel de Abeja B° San Nicolas, costado Este del Colegio Divina

Levadura

41.00

Glucosa Sacarosa

34.00

Dextrina Proteina Nitrégeno Acidos (Acido formico} Humedad

Misericordia, Boaco, Nicaragua.

Telefax: (505) 0-842-1606.

E-mail: apibo@tmx.com.ni

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2.86

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An organic honey label designed for the Italian market

Problems Theft is the most serious concern faced by beekeepers. This problem continues to grow, making beekeeping difficult especially during the production season.

Theft usually takes place at night when the hive is knocked over and the frames full of honey are taken, or the whole hive is stolen. Beekeepers must keep watch in an organised manner to protect their hives.

Africanised bees are strongly resistant to brood diseases and beekeepers need only to control Varroa. Currently it appears to be adequately controlled with

the use of thymol crystals: two applications a year of 200g per colony.

The melted crystals are simply put in a metal lid on the bottom board of the hive

during June and again in September.

Organic honey

and Germany. Each producer has to provide a minimum of 300 kg (44 gallon drum) to ensure traceability of the product - the producer can be identified if there is a problem. is exported to Italy

As well as providing a guaranteed market, the collection centre allows its 53 members to purchase thymol and other equipment and offers technical advice.

During 2002, APIBO exported six containers each containing 70 drums of organic honey, and sold 15 tonnes of ‘ordinary’ honey on the local market.

quite happy in a simple wooden box without frames, and do not require any anti-Varroa treatment. What is more, children can learn how to handle insects and sell the few kilos of honey at a good price.

Worthwhile investment Beekeeping is indisputably a highly lucrative alternative for numerous smallscale farmers in Nicaragua. The environment is suitable for producing the quality and even organic honey that is lacking on the world market. Investment in beekeeping remains greatly inferior to all other areas of agricultural production.

With regard to the defensive nature of Africanised honeybees, the solution of selective breeding for gentleness is preferable to importing European bees.

Further reading AGUILAR,J (2003) La Prensa 31/01.

ESPINA PEREZ,D; ORDETX,G S (1984) Apicultura Tropical. Editorial Tecnologia de Costa Rica.

RODRIGUEZ,C (1993) Vida Apicola 59.

WOOD,C (2000) Guide Ulysse Nicaragua.

Dimas Perez is a beekeeper. "I do migratory beekeeping in the ‘campanilla’' once a year. do not have transport so hire a small truck with a driver to take me 40 km, near Boaco.

It costs me US$37 per trip, but in two months harvest up to 40 kg of honey per colony. The land where put my hives is watched over by the owner and costs me US$34". |

Even if 'jicotes' produce small amounts of honey (5 kg/colony) the honey sells for three times the price of honeybee honey, especially during Holy Week. The honey is highly scented with a higher moisture content of 34%, compared with the 18% of Africanised honeybee honey. Stingless bees also offer the advantage of being

|

|

Nicaragua has very few areas of extensive crops requiring insecticide spraying and the farming community does not have enough money to buy herbicides. As a result, beekeepers prepared to respect a few rules of apiary management can easily produce organic honey.

Except for Varroa treatments there are no other real constraints for organic beekeeping - everyone extracts their honey, recycles their own wax and makes their foundation at the production cooperative in Baguas, Albisuris. It goes without saying that the interior of hives made from wood from the ‘pochote' Bombax ellipticum tree should not be painted. Producers interested in the export market cannot feed with sugar.

The collection centre in Boaco, APIBO, is situated in the middle of the country and allows beekeepers to market organic honey at a price of US$2 per kilo. Most

69

Training with ES44 in Boguas: Vicenié wilt his quser-rearing frame

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Bees for Development Journal

69

PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING

Better beekeeping in top-bar hives

Entrances ANd roofs We hope that this series of articles will stimulate discussion and sharing of ideas, experiences and techniques. Beekeepers are renowned for their diversity of ideas! Read Bernhard Clauss's response to previous articles on page 8.

Entrances and roofs have noticed two things when looking at top-bar hives. Firstly, there is debate about the location of the entrance and secondly that, having carefully made a nice hive body with neatly cut top-bars, the whole thing is spoiled by a poor roof. So this article takes a look at these two issues. |

Entrances

There are two choices of top-bar hive entrances panel or in one end (figures land 2).

- in the

side

Entrances in top-bar hive plans are sometimes shown as rows of holes located in the side panels. However, if you are using materials other than wood, especially plastered matting or strip materials, not only is it difficult to construct entrances in the side panels but doing so can affect the structural integrity of the hive, making it weaker. With these materials therefore the entrance is much better located in the end.

This has a small practical effect on the way the bees store their honey and consequently the way a beekeeper may wish to harvest it. Honey is always stored on the outside of the brood rearing area where it acts to protect the queen and insulate the precious brood. Thus honey is found above and below the brood combs and on the combs each side of the brood nest.

The honey is conveniently available for use as the colony expands and this also clears space for brood rearing - bees are so efficient. Furthermore, bees seem not to like storing their precious honey near to the entrance where it can be easily stolen. The practical consequence of this is that when harvesting honey, look at the location of the entrance. If the entrance is in the side panel the honey will be on each side of the hive probably in about equal quantities. If the entrance is in the end

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of the hive, the distribution of honey cylindrical or other local style hives.

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Size and number of entrances The size of the entrance is important. The worst problems arise if it is too large because pests that harm the bees or spoil the honey crop can get into the hive. Ideally entrance holes should be no more than 2 cm diameter, one cm is probably better. This physically prevents pests such as large hive beetles from getting in and allows guard bees to defend the colony more effectively against other intruders. However, with holes this small, several entrances are needed otherwise the bees will get in each other's way, especially when they are coming and going furiously during honey flows. Small entrances, especially if they are close to the hive floor, are easily blocked by dead bees and are less easily cleared by the undertaker bees, so need more attention from the beekeeper. The entrances play an essential part in maintaining hive ventilation. The free movement of air around the colony helps to evaporate water which is especially important when the bees are fanning to ripen nectar into honey, or to maintain the brood nest at a constant temperature. Nectar normally contains 60-70% water. Bees must reduce this to 20% or less to produce ripe honey so a lot of water has to be removed from the colony.

Landing boards and sizes There are debates about landing boards. In Europe many beekeepers like them; either for aesthetic reasons or because they consider it saves the bees some energy when taking off and landing. have no evidence that it makes much difference either way - it is a matter of personal choice. For tropical bees however, it is especially important that a landing board is no larger than 2 cm. Otherwise lizards, toads and other predators have a nice, comfortable place to sit while they eat foraging worker bees. |

(below) Cross section diagram of frames in the brood box from the book Practical Beekeeping by Clive de Bruyn

Figure 1. Triangular end entrances made by cutting v shapes

Figure 2. A row of circular entrances in a side panel

=>

Pollen

=>

Larvae

~

Nectar

&> Sealed Brood

Honey

Bees for Development Journal

PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING

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Hive roofs Hives need good roofs to provide shade and to keep out rain and intruders. Often, a lot is said about the hive body, which is demanding to make, and litile is said about the importance of the roof, so people skimp at this point to save money. But just think about your own home for moment. However strong the walls are, would it be a comfortable place to live if the roof leaked? A leaky hive is an excellent recipe for encouraging absconding, so a good roof is especially important for tropical bees.

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flat, wooden roof, sometimes covered with plastic or roofing felt, is often shown in top-bar hive plans. These are easy enough to make but do add extra costs and suitable materials may be expensive or difficult to find. Quite often a sheet of wood or metal tied on top of the hive takes the place of a properly constructed roof. Sometimes plastic and grass are used: these can lead to real problems with leaks, and intruders such as robber bees, beetles and ants.

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length of the hive. Make a hole in each uncut corner of the bag and insert two fairly heavy sticks on each side of the bag pushing them right through the holes in the corners. Cover the top-bars of the hive with a good piece of plastic and maybe some grass insulation.

Then lay a thick stick along the length of the hive. Finally, put your bag over the top of the hive with the heavy sticks hanging over the edge of the hive to hold it down and give it a roof shape. You can tie the sticks together at each end for extra security. The stick on the top-bars acts fo lift the plastic up and shed the rain.

Note: A warm, flat, many layered hive roof can be a nice place for a lizard or snake to bask: take care of snakes in the grass!

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Alternative roof materials and styles can be explored. For instance, consider a thatched roof.

This protects against the effects of both sun and rain and potentially gives a space for protected sugar feeding. A handle on each end makes it easy for two people to lift.

Alternatively, put a thatched roof over the stand area for extra protection. Thatched roofs are comfortable for both people and bees, are made of inexpensive materials and look good.

For a cheap roof to protect hives from rain, that is quick and easy to make, use a large plastic bag that will cover the whole

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Bees for Development Journal

Lette rS

LETTERS

Bernhard Clauss from Germany writes:

fam enjoying the top-bar hive articles by Pam Gregory

(BfDJ 66 onwards). It is some time since we had a good debate on top-bar hive beekeeping, so Pam's series is welcome, as it will trigger fruitful exchange. Here are my thoughts.

What is meant by ‘better beekeeping’?

Does it mean that keeping bees in top-bar hives is more profitable than with other hive types, whether fixed-comb or movable-comb? As Pam indicates: any hive type can be good

or even the best possible under given local conditions. In other words: there is no hive type that can be called ‘primitive’, ‘modern’ or ‘outdated’. A local technology and management can be good and successful if adapted to local conditions, beekeepers' opportunities and limitations. Intensive observation and intimate knowledge of materials and natural resources are just as important as innovative ideas to improve equipment and methods.

A good bark hive beekeeper

in the Zambian miombo woodlands is self-confident in the management of colonies: is a keen observer and knows about the ups and downs of flowering seasons and related swarming and occupation rates; knows about colony development and behaviour; and is flexible in response. Attending to colonies in daylight makes it possible to handle them in a gentle (non-aggressive!) way. Beekeepers smoke and crop selectively to achieve good quality honey, and avoid overcropping. Eventually the work is finished with some hive maintenance and pest control measures.

These elements of good colony management are essential also for keeping bees happy inside movable-comb hives, and for better results.

Beekeeping with movable-comb hives can be better than with fixed-comb hives However, the success is based on a more complex management.

This means that frame and top-bar hive beekeepers need thorough training by experts to fully exploit the advantages of the systems. An untrained owner of a frame hive will gain less profit than an untrained owner of a top-bar hive. This is because the top-bar hive is a less expensive and simplified version of the frame hive system, and designed nearly a hundred years after Dadant or Langstroth hives.

Major objectives of top-bar hives: to reduce the costs of hive construction,

—

to'slimline' frame hive management, to use less expensive, simpler equipment, ~ to make bee handling easier - especially with African honeybees, — to encourage and increase wax production.

Beekeeping in top-bar hives can be better if the beekeeper follows five essentials: — —

1. Accurate measurement of

top-bar width.

2. Consistent application and maintenance of starter strips on

top-bars, 3. Minimum internal hive measurements and top-bar

expansion, 4. Accurate measurement of entrance holes, 5. Consistent control of natural enemies, especially ants. will now focus on the requirements of African honeybees with regard to these five essentials.

1. In addition to what Pam mentioned about ‘bee space’ 32 mm is the absolute minimum width for a top-bar - but bees will tolerate 1-2 mm more. therefore suggest to instruct a carpenter to cut an exact width of 33 mm. Pam gave an excellent example of using 9 V batteries as a measuring tool to give 32 mm. Add a pencil line and you have 33 mm. You are then on the safe side in case the carpenter deviates by a millimetre in one direction or another.

Give the carpenter a sample or any object with the correct measurement that must be used consistently. Top-bars with the wrong measurements should be rejected NB: Propolis between the top-bars has to be constantly scraped away so that the required measurements can be retained. (See illustration overleaf) |

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Bees for Development Journal

LETTERS

top-bars, because these tend to expand in width due to propolisation and moisture. This makes them stick together too tightly to work comfortably. It is better to have the hive a little longer and to provide two or three narrow filler bars to close the last gap.

=.

5. Most absconding of colonies is caused by invading ants.

Rags soaked with diesel and wrapped around suspension wires or hive stands must not be allowed to dry out. Hive stands with their legs standing in tins of oil are a safe measure, but care should be taken to prevent returning forager bees falling into the tins.

se,

ent"

Bernhard Clauss

4. The width of entrance holes must never be less than exactly 10 mm. It must not be more. A bigger width and the large black hive beetle or death's head hawk moth can enter the hive. If the beekeeper prefers an entrance slit of 100 mm or so, it should not be higher than 5 mm for the same reason.

After the holes or the slit have been drilled or cut, the remaining splinters should be removed from the edges, otherwise the bees will find difficulty getting through.

Finally: protect hives against hot sunlight - otherwise there will el be to y coloni

Illustrations

|

32 mm is the absolute minimum width for a top-bar 2.

top-bars are not v-shaped underneath but flat, a starter strip for comb building of wood or straight grass stalks should be provided. Wax strips are easy to make for this purpose, but have to be restored time and again, as bees chew them down if they are not used.

If

Top-bars with the wrong width measurements and faulty or missing starter strips always cause severe problems with cross-built combs - a process that eventually turns the top-bar hive into a fixed-comb hive.

The internal hive length should be 85-90 cm, 3. accommodating a minimum of 25 top-bars. One should not calculate the internal hive length according to the number of

Something to add? Write to The Editor at Bees for Development or visit Working with top-bar hives at www.beesfordevelopment.org/forums.shtml

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Bees for Development Journal

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD BELARUS Our meeting held in December 2002

in Minsk was attended by more then 100 beekeepers, bee researchers and business people. Participants discussed the problems of bee diseases, unfavourable weather conditions and environmental pollution. An outcome of the meeting was the establishment of 'Byelorussian bees’ - Minsk Beekeepers’ Club. Statutes were accepted, a Board appointed and Kamenkov Vladimir elected as President. Byelorussian Bees exists to: — promote the craft of beekeeping; ~ improve the relationships of professional and amateur beekeepers, young and old; stimulate private enterprise and democratic institutions; — develop and promote good bee management systems;

—

—

train and inform Minsk beekeepers and involve young people in apiculture; select for the good qualities of indigenous bees;

support research into bee health management; liaise with relevant government departments;

establish international contacts and correspond with beekeepers around the world; To date Byelorussian Bees has taken part in ‘Inter honey 2003' in Moscow, Russia and ‘Polish beekeeping days Pszczela Wola bee freedom’ in Lublin, Poland.

—

Our next step

is to unite beekeeping organisations throughout Belarus to initiate a Republican Beekeepers' Association, and in connection with this we hope to form partnerships with beekeepers from other countries.

Serge Verheichik Vice-President of Byelorussian Bees, Minsk

BRAZIL Indigenous communities in Mato Grosso in the Xingu region are harvesting and processing honey which is now being sold outside the State. The communities currently market 1,500 kg of honey per month and production is increasing. In July, a shipment of honey was sent fo three SGo Paulo supermarkets. The producers are in negotiation with the Pao de Acgucar supermarket chain (with shops in twelve states of Brazil): a deal could open the door to the international market.

This honey has strong commercial appeal as it is produced by Indians and has organic certification from the Biodynamic Institute. The Certificate is awarded only to products from sustainable practices that do not harm the environment. The honey is the first indigenous product to receive a Federal Inspection Seal from the Ministry of Agriculture, which means it is produced in accordance with health and safety legislation. The Seal authorises sale of the honey in other states.

Source: Amazon News, 17 July 2003, (newsletter@amazonia.org.br)

DR CONGO Zébédée Lusambya Lubinda sent in this photograph of members from Actions de Charité pour le Développement et la Réadaptation des Handicapes who practise beekeeping in Fizi District, South-Kivu Province. The group recently started receiving Bees for Development Journal thanks to Bees for Development Trust sponsorship.

MEXICO Coffee to honey = profits Miguel Pérez gave up on coffee seven years ago. Like other small growers in Xaquild, a rural hamlet in the state of Chiapas, he was finding it harder and harder to make a living with this traditional crop, trading at some of the lowest prices for a century. So Miguel decided to try honey production. "It is less back-breaking than growing coffee, because bees do most of the work for you," he points out.

Many of his fellow members of Productores Agropecuarios de la Selva Lacandona, a co-operative based in Ocosingo, in the highlands of Chiapas, followed a similar path. Starting with a few hives obtained through a government programme in 1992, the co-operative grew to have 1,700 active colonies within seven years. The co-operative members built a storage shed by pocling some subsidies and giving in eight days of labour per member.

Despite these efforts, most of the co-operative's members were only just getting by. Bad weather and diseases sapped output. The co-operative lacked vehicles to pick up honey in remote areas, and equipment to properly filter the product. Worst of all, the co-operative never had enough cash available to make advance payments to its members.

As a consequence, most members had to sell to ‘coyotes’ - itinerant intermediary traders who pay farmers a fraction of what they should receive for their crops.

The beekeepers heard about loans offered by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which had launched a programme to help organisations in marginal areas of southeast Mexico. The co-operative fitted the basic requirements of the programme: established for over three years and with members in 30 rural communities in Chiapas, the poorest state in Mexico and almost all of them belonging to indigenous groups. They had a potentially profitable product, but lacked the financial and technical means to extract more value from their honey.

After applying to the programme, the co-operative started working with an IDB team to develop a four-year plan to increase output and productivity. In January 1999 they signed an agreement for a ten year, US$490,000 soft loan that would help them buy 3,000 new hives and equipment to raise queen bees. The loan allowed them also to make improvements to their storage plant and equip it with sanitary filtration and homogenisation vats.

(continued overleaf) 10

.

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

The IDB gave the co-operative a US$137,000 grant to strengthen the organisation, with everything from office equipment to assistance with organising taxes and accounting, and resources to hire technicians to train members in the production of organic honey.

2003 the co-operative reported 6,000 hives in production and an annual output of 180 tonnes. Trucks now pick up honey which is processed and bottled in the co-operative's own plant under their brand name, La Cafiada. Cough syrups, lozenges, tonics, royal jelly and propolis complement honey sales.

By

Importantly, the co-operative has cash flow to pay their members at rates far better than those offered by ‘coyotes’. In fact, some intermediary traders have tried to join to make a quick profit by reselling honey they continue to buy from

non-members.

TANZANIA Beekeeping in Handeni The idea to encourage beekeeping as a way of raising income was thanks to the efforts of enthusiastic traditional beekeepers. The abundance of honey produced in Handeni meant that it was consumed locally as well as across other parts of Tanzania. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT)}, in collaboration with local and international agencies, decided to sustain the traditional beekeepers by boosting their beekeeping practices. The following agencies have been involved: — Tanga Integrated Rural Development Programme (TIRDEP a GTZ agency) 1974-1977. As soon as it was phased out it was replaced by Mwambao Beekeeping Project established under the MNRT. — Diocesan Integrated Agroforestry Programme (DIAP an Anglican Church agency) 1995 to date.

— NORAD (Norwegian government agency) 1999 to date.

— World Vision (a Pentecostal Church agency) 2000 to date.

Evaluation TIRDEP catered for all traditional beekeepers.

— DIAP catered for only twelve beekeeping groups in the central part of the District. ~ NORAD catered for three selected —

The co-operative is raising queen bees to stock its hives and to sell to other producers. It has a carpentry shop where hives are made and offered on a hirepurchase system to members. There is a tree nursery to raise seedlings of Citrus and other flowering trees that produce nectar and pollen for the bees and generate other sources of revenue. The members have decided to diversify by growing tomatoes and chilli peppers in hothouses.

Originally sold in Chiapas and in Mexico City, the co-operative's honey is now exported also to Europe. "We get e-mails every day, requesting hundreds of kilos of honey,” says Enrique Velazquez, the co-operative's general manager. The members hope to place their own brand in organic food stores and supermarkets around the world, thereby capturing an even greater portion of the retail price.

There are also more opportunities in the

villages: Mswaki, Negero and Suwa. ~ World Vision catered for only twelve other selected beekeeping groups in the eastern part of the District.

Because of the District's flourishing honey production, a honey processing plant was established in Handeni Town. This honey plant catered for Handeni and neighbouring districts but sadly did not last long and is now a defunct object due to: lack of capital fo purchase crude honey from rural areas; lack of capital to run the honey plant and wear and tear of working resources.

At its peak the honey plant was capable of producing 800 tonnes of processed honey per year. Out of this 350 tonnes were exported annually to fetch foreign exchange. A honey wine company was established in the town. This was ‘The Nyiti Wine! alias 'The Honey Wine Co Ltd’.

It was a privately owned enterprise but also did not last long for reasons best known to the owner. However, before it collapsed it became very famous for its nice honey wine.

Beekeepers in Handeni are now quite aware of preserving biodiversity and bee fodder plants in a sustainable style. They have stopped using bark for making hives and felling valuable timber trees for making log hives. Instead they use dead tree trunks to make log hives.

These figures could have been much higher if all the extension services had been maximised by the MNRT through

Statistical information on Handeni beekeepers Total number of beekeepers in the district

Number of hives in the district, mostly local styles

Total annual honey harvest in the District

15,050

120,400

1,500 tonnes

11

Bees for Development Journal

domestic market. Enrique notes that Mexicans consume far less honey than their North American neighbours. So they want to tap into a school lunch programme run by Mexico's Social Welfare Department in order to provide tube-shaped sachets of honey for children.

Miguel Pérez now has 60 productive hives, four times as many as when the IDB programme started. He receives nearly three times the price for his honey the 'coyotes' used to pay him. ‘I'm doing much better and hope to give my three children a good education."

A serious reminder from the IDB team is that prices are good today but they may not be always that way: strengthen your organisation, so that you reap the benefits later.

Source: Peter Bate, www.iadb.org

allocating to the District more qualified beekeeping technicians.

Isaac Nshama, Forestry Training Institute, Arusha

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69

LOOK AHEAD, NOTICE BOARD

LOOK AHEAD ARGENTINA Xil Fair and Beekeeping Meetings 14-16 May 2004, San Francisco,

Cérdoba.

Further details: www.apicultura.com.ar

COSTA RICA APIMONDIA Conference on Tropical

ITALY

European Conference of Apidology EurBee 19-23 September 2004, Udine Further details: www.uniud.it/eurbee/ --

Beekeeping: Research and development for pollination and conservation 22-25 February 2004, Heredia Further details: www.apiservices.com/apimondia/ manifestations.htm

PHILIPPINES 7th Asian Apicultural Association

Conference

26-28 April 2004, Fortaleza

GERMANY 1st German Congress on Propolis 26-28 March 2004, Passau

23-27 February 2004, Los Bahos Further details: www.laguna.net/uplbbees

Further details: freitas@ufc.br

Further details: www.apitherapy.com

XV Congresso Brasileiro de Apicultura

APIMONDIA Symposium: Prevention of

VIETNAM APIMONDIA Symposium: Issues

(XV Brazilian Apiculture Congress) 18-22 May 2004, Ponta Negra Further details: conbrapi2004@ig.com.br

residues in honey Il 27-28 April 2004, Celle Further details: info@bieneninstitut.de

8th International Conference on Tropical Apiculture 6th Brazilian Bee Research Meeting 6-10 September 2004, Ribeirdo Preto Further details: www.ibra.org.uk

IRELAND XXXIX APIMONDIA International Apicultural Congress 21-26 August 2005, Dublin Further details: www.apimondia2005.com

BRAZIL Bees as Pollinators

concerning developing countries’ international trade in honey 23-28 November 2004, Hanoi Further details: www.apimondia.org If you want notice of your conference, workshop or meeting to be included here send details to Bees for Development, Troy, Monmouth, NP25 4AB, UK

E-mail info@beesfordevelopment.org

Bees for Development helps projects in developing countries with copies of BAD Journal and other information for use at training courses and workshops. We must receive your request three months ahead of the meeting date with an indication of the number of participants. Organisations with some funding resources available can order a Workshop Box: 50 for 25 participants (includes surface mail delivery). See our website store.

NOTICE BOARD

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HONEY FOR SALE

CONGRATULATIONS

Eastern Shoa Beekeepers' Association seeks buyers for top quality honey and beeswax from Ethiopia. Two tonnes of pollution-free honey and two tonnes of well extracted wax.

Bee Craft! Awarded the Bronze Medal in the Journals on Bees and Beekeeping’ contest at the 2003 Apimondia Congress. FREE SAMPLE COPY on request, 18.00 (UK), €36 (Ireland), US$51 (USA) for 12 issues (all other currencies on request). Credit cards accepted.

Contact us soon: esba@freemail.et

PROJECT SUPPORT

Contact: www.bee-craft.com

FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United

REQUEST FOR PUBLICATIONS

Nations, supports beekeeping projects in developing countries.

For projects with budgets under US$10,000, beekeepers’ groups and associations may apply for small project funding from the TeleFood Special Fund. Request documents should include a brief description of the project's objectives, the proposed food production or income-generating activities, the work plan, the number of participants, a detailed list of inputs with cost estimates and the reporting arrangements.

Submit your request to the office of FAO or UNDP in your ,

Bawa llyasu Umar, Chairman of Karshi Shukrah Farm, Nigeria writes: "It is my pleasure to inform you that our documentation and research centre offers a public service to agricultural research institutes in Nigeria. We are calling for donations of apicultural publications, journals, video tapes and other information materials to our library".

Contributions can be made through the Bees for Development Book Alert. See page 15 of BfD Journal 68 for further details.

- BfD Journal offers a great to contact thousands of readers in over 100 opportunity countries. Quarter page, two-colour advertisements 65;

IT PAYS

country.

Applications for projects with budgets over US$10,000 must be submitted through a Government Ministry.

See: www.fao.org

TO ADVERTISE

Notice Board items 0.50 per word. Other full page 200; sizes available: details from the address above. Enclosures also accepted. Why not advertise on our website?

BEE BOOKS NEW AND OLD

The Weaven, Little Dewchurch, Hereford HR2 6PP UK, for your new and second-hand books.

Telephone +44 (0)1432 840529 or www.honeyshop.co.uk

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A special opportunity

in 2003: obtain free digital editions of Apiacta, the journal of Apimondia. Visit www.apimondia.org

12

PROJECT NEWS

Bees for Development Journal

69

PrO} ect N EWS Information from sermon

Min Gurung, Faroog Ahmad, Surendra Raj Joshi and Chet Raj Bhatta

The value of Apis cerana beekeeping for mountain farmers in Nepal More news from the Austrian Government funded beekeeping project at ICIMOD in Kathmandu; Nepal.

.

The ICIMOD bee project recently looked at the socio-economic value of the Himalayan honeybee Apis cerana for mountain farmers. We used data from a case study carried out in the Alital Village Development Committee area of Dadeldhura District, in far western Nepal.

We also used information obtained during conversations with rural beekeepers and staff from partner organisations.

in the project area produced 85% of last year's honey: 1,000 kg. The average honey production per household was AO kg in the project wards and 10 kg in the non-project wards.

Overall, Brahmin and Chhetri farmers with medium-sized land holdings (1-2.0 ha) were the most successful at exploiting Apis cerana beekeeping. These farmers made NRs 6,000 on average per year from honey. Farmers with larger landholdings earned NRs 3,100 annually, and those with small (0.2-1 ha} and marginal land holdings (less than 0.2 ha} NRs 1,800 and NRs 700 respectively.

Beekeeping with Apis cerana isa community activity with a rich tradition within existing farming systems. Just over half the households surveyed in the case study were beekeeping, and of these, two-thirds had been keeping bees for ten years or more. Two indigenous honeybee species are present in and around Alital: Apis cerana and Apis dorsata. We also observed nests of Trigona sp: 'putka' or stingless bees.

The average annual expenditure on beekeeping also varied by ethnic group, from NRs 260 invested by Chhetri households, to NRs 180 and NRs 90 by lower caste and Brahmin groups, respectively. The Brahmin spent less on beekeeping than their neighbours from lower caste households during the survey year. This is because a few of the lower caste beekeepers purchased frame hives during the year.

Apis cerana bees are kept mostly in log hives, although frame hives have been recently introduced. Households have an average of four colonies each, with a range of 1-29 colonies. Two-thirds of the colonies are kept by the most experienced farmers, with an average yield of 6.5 kg of honey per colony per year. The yield varies according to type of farmer, ethnic group, and whether the household is in the project area or not. 60% of households belong to the predominant caste groups Brahmin and Chhetri; together they own 84% of the colonies, and these colonies have higher yields than those of other ethnic groups. Wards

Income from Apis cerana beekeeping provided nearly 75% of the total annual average income from on-farm sources for farmers with medium-sized landholdings.

The overall average income from Apis cerana beekeeping was NRs 3,200 (US$43): more than one-third of the total annual cash income from farm activities of beekeeper farmers. The remainder of their income came from sales of livestock, maize and bananas (see figure). Beekeeper farmers also earned NRs 15,000 (US$200) per year from non-farm sources - almost twice the on-farm income of NRs 8,400. Nonbeekeeper households had a much

Annual cash income from crops, livestock and Apis cerana beekeeping in Alital Village Rs. 1913 (US $ 25.76)

O Rs. 3231 (US $ 43.51)

m

Crops B Livestock O Beekeeping

m

NRs 74= US$1 approximately

Rs. 3235 (US $ 43.57) 13

smaller cash income from on-farm activities, depended even more heavily on non-farm income, and had a lower total annual average income (NRs 20,500 compared with NRs 23,300). The amount varied among ethnic groups, farmer category, and between project and nonproject wards. Non-farm income included earnings trom tailoring, construction work, and carpentry work within the community, particularly for members of the occupational castes, and outmigration, particularly for non-beekeepers.

The case study from Alital suggests that an integrated approach can be particularly successful in cash terms on medium-sized farms. In other areas, the same approach could be used in similar environments, with local partner organisations like Mauri Palan Samuha in Alital taking the lead in building capacity in communities similar to their own.

NOTICE In

2004 ICIMOD, the

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, based in Kathmandu, Nepal will begin a new regional Project concerning indigenous bees and livelihoods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

Organisations based in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, and mountain regions of Thailand and Vietnam, are invited to submit Concept Notes for work they would like to undertake within the field of indigenous bee studies, beekeeping and livelihoods.

The format for Concept notes, and eligibility criteria, will be on ICIMOD's website from December 2003. Applications will be considered only if they use this format, and are submitted by e-mail.

Closing date for applications: 15 February 2004.

ICIMOD www.icimod.or

Bees for Development Journal

69

BOOKSHELF

Book Shelf te

The natural history of bumblebees: a source book for investigations

‘Bumblebees

Carol A Kearns and James D Thomson 2001 130 pages 27.30 (€40.95) Code K110

A neat book that will provide both amateurs and professionals with the knowledge required to observe and investigate these insects. Chapters on life cycle, foraging behaviour, predators and parasites, conservation, raising bumblebees, and research projects are followed by three appendices. Appendices 1 and 2 give brief details of sources of information and suppliers. Appendix 3 is a full colour photographic field guide to assist in the identification of 50 bumblebees species of North America.

Enfermedades de las abejas: nociones prdcticas Susana Beatriz Bruno 2003 104 pages 25.20 Code B510

A practical guide

in the

(€37.80} Spanish language

ISON 9087-20777

KRY

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,BR

03

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Susana Beatry Bruno Ingeanr Chonan «

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to bee diseases and pests. Larval diseases are discussed first, with observations on diagnosis, treatment and

the differences in the disease situation in the Americas and in Europe. Information on Nosema and Acarapis are followed by a comprehensive chapter on Varroa.

More problems are covered in the next chapter including wax moth, hereditary defects, and half moon syndrome. Tables for defining problems and treatments and suggestions for prevention are given, as well as a bibliography. Colour photographs accompany the text.

Apiculture en Bas-Congo Projet Développement Integré de I'Armée du Salut, DR Congo (edited by Paul Latham) 2003 46 pages 7.20 (€10.80)

Code L120

What good are bugs? Insects

An A5 booklet in French that provides an enjoyable introduction to the beekeeping of Bas-Congo. Full colour, cartoon illustrations and brief text make an easyto-read manual describing working with top-bar hives and all aspects of honey and beeswax harvesting.

in the web of life Gilbert Waldbauer 2003 366 pages Hardback 21.60 (€32.40) Code W005 Many people are completely unaware of our dependence upon them, but without insects (bugs) the world would be an impossible place for humans to survive.

This is the first book to catalogue ecologically important insects by their roles: how they work in ecosystems, what they do, how they live and how they make our life possible. The book is in six sections: Macrocosm, Helping plants (the first chapter here is 'pollinating'), Helping animals, Limiting population growth, Cleaning up, and Microcosm.

Full of interesting facts and statistics and GILBERT

WALDBAVER

accompanied by black and white drawings, there is an appendix of selected reading and an index with plenty of bee-related entries.

14

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BEES

CD Dictionary of beekeeping terms Apimondia FIITEA 2003 Price to be confirmed Code VID27

RURAL LIVELIHOODS

A useful new addition to reference works

DICTIONARY |

of

Beekeeping Terms

about apiculture. Seconds after you hit the search key - the dictionary has 1036 entries ranging from abdomen to worker bee - you find the translation of the term you seek in 23 different languages. The information is stored as an Access database and makes the accessibility easy and effective.

Video Shelf Beetle versus bee: the dramatic story of a cunning parasite

Bees and rural livelihoods

Produced by Gerald Kastberger and Otmar Winder 2003 28 minutes PAL/VHS 34.80 (€52.20) Code VID28 NTSC 43.40 (€65.10) Code VID28A

Nicola Bradbear 2003 16 pages Code B485 5 €7.50 Available free of charge to beekeepers and projects in developing countries

A new publication from Bees for Development: explaining why beekeeping is such a great activity. :

wey ».

BEE;

A film reportage by Gerald Kastberger Otmar Winder _

The African Small Hive Beetle threatens

This film won Gold Medal for videos at the Apimondia Congress in Ljubljana, Slovenia in August. It provides an excellent review of the devastation caused by the unintentional importation of the Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida into the USA. Everyone thought Varroa was terrible, but in most American states beekeepers will tell you this infestation is far worse: within three years the beekeeper who first found the beetles in his hives has lost 500 colonies.

The small hive beetle originates from Africa where it creates a nuisance for the bees but does not kill the colony.

African ay 8} The beetle larvae feed voraciously on pollen stores and brood cells. Guard bees chase some beetles away, but when there are too many beetles, African bees have developed the defensive mechanism of ‘moving on' ie absconding from the nest, leaving behind their brood. European honeybees Apis mellifera present in the USA do not have this defence and will remain in hives even when there are thousands of beetle larvae destroying the combs. Female beetles lay their eggs in cells. Within one day the larvae hatch and begin eating. Honey stores are damaged and the honey drips from the comb and is lost.

Apis & Osiris

Violette Le Quéré, Gérard Arnold and

Joseph Cady 1997 32 pages Hardback 15.80 (€23.70) Code Q100 This colour cartoon book is in French and uses a mystery story with a question and answer section between. Gérard Arnold and the friendly cartoon robot SAM, to provide an introduction to the honeybee. Not your usual textbook format but fun!

There is no successful treatment. The only chance is to break the beetle's life cycle by preventing larvae pupating and infesting more hives. Good, clean management and hygiene are necessary to ensure this process. The beetle originated as a tropical animal and may not tolerate cold conditions - although safe and warm in the middle of a hive, beetles have now been reported in Canada.

The film ends with thoughts of the inevitability of the beetle being brought into Europe.

The film producers state that there is need to enforce strict laws to prevent the importation of bees and queens to reduce the risk. Even then, the sombre conclusion is that the beetle will soon be present in Europe.

ORDERING —

— —

IS

EASY

through our website store; with the form printed in our Books to Buy catalogue; or send by e-mail, fax or post. Payment details in BIDJ 68 page 15.

15

69

NEW POST

IN

SOUTH INDIA

Bees for Development and Keystone Foundation are establishing an

Apiculture Resource Centre at Keystone Centre in Kotagiri, Nilgiri Mountains, Tamil Nadu. We intend to employ a Resource Person to work at Keystone to ensure the provision of Bees for Development information services throughout India.

Requirements: You will have good qualifications, academic and personal, with initiative, imagination, and ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team. The post will include training in UK at Bees for Development. You need to be abie to work at field, office, governmental and international levels. There will be a contract with Keystone Foundation for three years, with an initial probationary period of six months. You need to be an Indian citizen.

Applicants should send their CV, as soon as possible, with the names of three referees, and a one-page statement of purpose as to how you would help to develop this Information Resource Centre for India.

Applications by e-mail (only) to:

kf@keystone-foundation.org www.beesfordevelopment.org

ORGANIC HONEY, BEESWAX, ROYAL JELLY AND PROPOLIS FOR SALE from

NUALI ENTERPRISE PO Box 9404 Airport Accra GHANA E-mail nwali2002@yahoo.co.uk Phone +233 2456 5791 or +233 2437 1747

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Fax +233 2230 4517

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Bees for Development Beekeepers’ Safaris - holidays to remember Exotic locations, cuisine and experiences to last a lifetime

Tobago and Trinidad 8-18 March 2004

‘| have been telling everyone about our lovely holiday. It was extremely well organised and Gladstone went out of his way to make our stay memorable. Our fellow Safarians were absolutely charming and we ail got on well.'

Kathleen Chapple, London

‘We are back after a fantastic visit to Trinidad and Tobago.

Great group, Gladstone was fantastic and the beekeepers most welcoming. Learnt a lot; relaxed a lot. Many thanks for organising the Safari.’

Mike and Sue Thornley, Helensburgh

Contact Bees for Development (address at foot of this page) for more details and your booking form NOW!

Also

in

2004

South India - dates to be confirmed Our Safaris are part of our work to promote awareness of beekeeping as a worthwhile and sustainable activity for development and are joint activities with our partner organisations in developing countries

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