News

ARGENTINA

Buzzing market

Honey producers in Argentina are getting a new buzz from their export markets. Now that the sting of Argentina's worst economic crisis is past, farm exporters of everything from soybeans to honey are enjoying a boom.

The sweet smell of export success is what honey producers in the La Elisa ranch in Capital Sarziento, about 150 km north of Buenos Aires hope will be their economic bonanza.

This year, Argentina's 25,000 honey producers have sent 87,000 tonnes abroad which is a 69% increase compared to last year, to markets as far away as Europe and the USA.

Florence Hornsby

CAMEROON

Beekeeping in Berudep

You could be forgiven for thinking that the B in BERUDEP stands for beekeeping, because we have become synonymous for honey! Even if someone in the area cannot tell you about the other health, rehabilitation and agricultural projects with which we are involved, they will know that there is honey harvesting and beekeeping training going on. BERUDEP has several outlets for their honey, stretching far from their headquarters in Boyo Division. A new honey shop in Limbe is preparing for opening and Cameroon's second honey show was organised by BERUDEP and the beekeeping department of Mount Cameroon Project in October 2003. Honey's health benefits and natural good taste are the reason for the growing market and interest in keeping bees. BERUDEP promotes beekeeping for diverse reasons such as income generation, health and environmental protection: we like to see Cameroon becoming the playground of bees!

BERUDEP's interest in bees started when the Director was in the USA studying community development. Having a family history with honeybees, Simon Ngwainmbi remembered his father going out honey hunting and this led to a desire to increase the number of farmers harvesting honey. Simon made it a reality and BERUDEP began in 1990.

Bees for Development played a role in BERUDEP's success as it was through an article about BERUDEP in 1997 that led to a contact and subsequent relationship with Bees Abroad, another UK-based organisation. Bees Abroad has helped

BERUDEP establish the bee department as a self-sustainable enterprise, and many successful beekeepers owe their start in the industry to this relationship. Brian Durk has visited Cameroon several times to survey the beekeeping activities, experience the differences between the two countries’ methods, and to share his knowledge of bees.

Beekeeping was adopted as one of our main activities because it fits well with BERUDEFP's primary concern: rural poverty alleviation. It was seen as the motivation needed for the local people to protect their forests from damaging fires and the destructive felling of fuel wood for cooking, and of timber for building. Training in beekeeping ensures independence for those who learn and practise the art of keeping bees and gives a future guarantee against the poverty so common in the rural areas of Cameroon. Beekeeping has always been a way of life for the people of Cameroon's North West. The main difference is that women - who were previously excluded. from honey hunting - now own and run successful colonies. Modern equipment is on the rise and with the introduction of good smokers the incidence of accidental fires caused by beekeeping is decreasing. Simon Ngwainmbi introduced top-bar hives to farmers in 1990 and has been using them ever since. The top-bar hive has been well received and new techniques are being put into practice immediately after training sessions. All hives - from local style to top-bar - are being used by BERUDEP farmers, and the training methods taught for the harvesting of honey and the materials produced by BERUDEP ensure top-quality, clean honey. The dissemination of the health benefits of honey has been very successful and along with all BERUDEP medicinal plant training courses, comes information about the nutrients contained ‘naturally in honey. Honey popularity in Cameroon ensures that demand for honey always exceeds supply.

BERUDEP training within Boyo Division has been in ail villages. The courses range from basic, to training of trainers. There is also training in by-products for those who want to sell body creams, shoe polishes and wax products like candles and soap. There is a permanent training location in Belo at the training room in the headquarters, and courses takes place during school holidays. Outside of Boyo Division, training has gone far and wide, and BERUDEFP's philosophy of training the most competent of students as trainers ensures that the work and knowledge continues to spread. The idea that those who benefit from BERUDEP's training can go on to help the rest of their village and surrounding villages means that BERUDEP can geographically serve a large region and see their results multiply beyond their own capacity. As the Director always says "Knowledge is for sharing" and beekeeping is a valuable skill worth sharing.

Michelia Ward, BERUDEP Administrator

MALAWI

Beekeeping started in Nyika National Park in 1986 under the sponsorship of the German Government. The Beekeeping Association of Malawi (BAM) was formed and things worked very nicely until the late 1990s when the German Government pulled out its sponsorship. Since then honey production has dropped tremendously due to lack of market, and lack of people skilled in handling beekeeping activities.

In Nyika National Park it is possible to produce one of the best honeys in the world. Due to the reasons stated above most farmers have been discouraged and they no longer practise beekeeping. In view of this | write to ask if you can assist me to revamp the beekeeping industry in the Park. Especially for the communities surrounding the Park - | am employed by the Government to do beekeeping extension work with these communities. I thoroughly enjoy reading BfDJ - it has really boosted my morale.

Paston Simkoko, Rumphi - contact Mr Simkoko via Bees for Development

TANZANIA

News from Niiro

We are doing research on Beekeeping for Poverty Reduction, and Markets and Marketing of Bee Products. We have started this in Arusha and Kilimanjaro Regions, and we are planning to continue with this research in other parts of the country. We are also doing research under the Beekeeping Development Project, which is funded by NORAD and co-ordinated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. In the financial year 2004/2005, we plan to organise a stakeholder workshop to identify research needs for bees and beekeeping in the country.

Angela Mwakatobe, Acting Director, Njiro Wildlife Research Centre

Arusha Meeting

According to the meeting held in February 2003 (BfDJ68, page 12) sponsored by Heifer International, the results are promising for the Southern Highlands Zone. A strategic meeting outlined the outcome of the Arusha resolutions and it was agreed that a meeting of stakeholders should be convened to include: beekeepers; buyers of bee products; manufacturers of beekeeping equipment; Non-Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organisations and Faith Based Organisations; exporters of bee products and extension officers. Participants attending the meeting were from the Big Four Provinces and Dar-es-Salaam. The Big Four Provinces are famous for maize production in the country and include Rukwa, Ruvuma, Mbeya and lringa. The Stakeholders Meeting was held in Mbeya in August 2003 and a committee was formed to move forward with beekeeping development.

Percival Lwoga, Iringa

UGANDA

Honey exports to the EU

Uganda will start exporting honey to the UK in October according to Maria Odido, Chair of the Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation. "The International Organic Certifiers say that Uganda already conforms to 65% but we have not yet gone through the criteria of international control system for traceability. Once we meet this then we shall be able to export," said Ms Odido. She was speaking at a meeting in Kampala in March with the Norwegian delegation interested in importing organic honey from Uganda at the Uganda Export Promotions Board offices. Ms Odido said that the Ministry of Agriculture and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards are working towards forming a Uganda National Honey Standard to conform to EU requirements.

The certification clearance is to cost US$40,000, which has already been donated by the Shell Foundation (US$32,000} and the National Agricultural Advisory Services {US$5,000). The certification will involve classification of honey according to flavour, colour, and taste. Most of Uganda's honey exports go to the regional market in Democratic Republic of Congo Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Small quantities are indirectly exported to the UK by RECO.

Ms Ellen Gjeruldsen, an import adviser of the Federation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises, said that they are interested in the importation of ready products, which are organically certified. "We urgently need organically certified ready products, which we are going to put in our groceries," she said. "We need help in the certification of our exporters" said Ms Florence Kata, Executive Director of Uganda Export Promotions Board. She warned exporters to be careful of fake certification bodies lest they lose money and face the challenge of balancing between quantity and quality. "It is no longer about quantity alone but quality, double your effort to meet the international standards," Ms Kata said. A 45-person Norwegian delegation has been in the country looking for investment opportunities.

Dorothy Nakaweesi, The Monitor (Kampala) , 23 March 2004

ZAMBIA

Since a I received sponsored subscription to BfDJ I have enjoyed it and appreciate your concern for beekeeping development. With your support was able to write a project proposal. In late 2003 my proposal was accepted by the International Labour Organisation in Lusaka and a small project called Kasempa Community Beekeeping Project has been initiated with 15 beekeeping groups and an initial seed capital of K15,200,000 (US$3,500}. This was meant to jump start a process of beekeeping with top-bar hives. | am sure the project will succeed as the groups are well organised.

Moses Mulenga, Kasempa