Development of beekeeping in Laos

Bounpheng Sengngam, National University of Laos and Jerome Vandame, Comité de Coopération avec le Laos, France

The development of beekeeping in Laos faces an important strategic choice: the introduction of the exotic species Apis mellifera? the slow Or development of local beekeeping with indigenous species Apis cerana and Trigona laeviceps?

lf Laos adopts beekeeping activities with ‘modern’ technology and the introduction of Apis mellifera (in the image of what has been done in Thailand and other neighbouring countries) the beekeepers will have to bear numerous risks. These include economical risks linked to significant investment costs; pathological risks due to the high sensitivity of Apis mellifera to pests and bacteria; genetic risks engendered by the introduction of new genetic material: and marketing risks resulting in the necessity to feed colonies with large quantities of sugar that has a fluctuating market price. In addition these specialised beekeepers would have to face the highly competitive beekeeping systems of neighbouring countries. These new actors would be economically weak.

On the other hand, should Laos concentrate on the development of beekeeping based on the indigenous species, Apis cerana and Trigona laeviceps, this would give the Lao farmers the possibility to diversify their activities and to strengthen their farming systems. This policy would require strong support regarding the extension of beekeeping practices suitable for the resources of each province, and research to improve the local bees to permit efficient beekeeping using selected varieties, with low absconding and swarming.

This policy would permit the Laotian Provinces to highlight their advantage of interesting marketing niches both inside the country with forest honey, medicinal honey and Phongsaly honey, and outside the country with organic honey with ‘Protected Geographical Indication’.

The full text of this interesting publication about beekeeping in Laos can be downloaded from the Bees for Development website Information Centre at www.beesfordevelopment.org.