News

BULGARIA

More than half of the honey produced in Bulgaria is exported to other countries, mainly within the EU, reports the Chairman of Sofia’s Bulgarian Apiarist Union. Bulgaria produces 6,000--8,000 tonnes of honey annually of which 4,000-5,000 tonnes are exported. Bulgarians’ honey consumption is very low - only 150-200g per person per year. Beekeepers recently had clashes with legislation amendments, which imposed taxes on their production. Source: FOCUS News Agency www. focus-fen.net

INDIA

I appreciate the sponsored subscription to BfD Journal, for | have just started beekeeping with Apis cerana. This was possible because Rubber Board, a body constituted by the Government of India for the development of rubber plantations in India, implemented beekeeping courses for Rubber Producers’ Societies throughout Kerala State. Asa member of the local | Society, had the opportunity to attend a course. Subsequently in December, I 2006, bought four colonies and proud to say that all of them are in good health. The main nectar source are the I am flowers of rubber trees and the season starts in February. Our area has plenty of small scale rubber plantations and therefore good scope for beekeeping.

PC Paul, Angamaly, Kerala

Beekeeping development workshop

The International Workshop on Integrated Beekeeping Development in South Asian Countries took place in New Delhi, in November 2006. The Workshop was organised by Century Foundation with financial support from FAO. Summary of the Resolutions:

International Centre for Apicultural Research and Training: There is urgent need for the establishment of a Centre that supports beekeepers, the bee industry and farmers.

Honey bee resources: South Asian countries are blessed with diversified bee fauna, suitable weather conditions and rich honey potential to support beekeeping all year round. It is recommended that suitable measures be initiated for the conservation of wild honey bees.

Bee flora. Surveys of honey bee flora and preparation of floral calendars for different ecological zones in South Asian countries are needed.

Standardisation of beekeeping equipment and technology. Development of appropriate technology and regular reviews of management practices are needed for the development of sustainable beekeeping.

Organic beekeeping and hive products: The awareness of organic honey and its marketing potential should be encouraged. Clear marketing strategies to sell hive products are necessary to increase financial benefits in national and international markets.

Honey bee protection: Strategic approaches should be implemented to enforce certificatio of disease-free status of colonies with a network of laboratories for identification, testing and control! of bee diseases and pests.

Research, development and extension: It is recommended that each country in the region establish R&D and training centres.

Dr V Sivaram, Organising Secretary

TAIWAN

Over the past two months, farmers in three parts Taiwan have reported most of their bees gone United Daily News reported. Taiwan's TVBS television station said that about 10 million bees had vanished in Taiwan. A beekeeper on Taiwan's north-eastern coast reported colonies missing “for no reason”, and one in the south said 80 out of 200 hives were empty.

Experts have suggested possible reasons for the disappearance including disease, pesticide poisoning and unusual weather, varying from below 20°C to over 30°C in a few days. “These days in Taiwan you can see climate change clearly”, said Yang Ping-Shih, entomology professor at the National Taiwan University. He added that two kinds of pesticide can make bees lose their sense of direction.

“The Taiwan Government Council of Agriculture may collect data to study the causes of the vanishing bees and gauge possible impacts”, said Kao Ching-Wen, pesticides chief at the Council.

TAIPE! (Reuters) sent to BID by Mr Ganesh, B R Hills, India

UGANDA

Bees build peace

Since 1986, Joseph Kony’s LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) has carried out merciless attacks in northern Uganda. In the late 1990s most of the rural Acholi population was ordered into what the Ugandan Government termed ‘protective camps’ across Gulu, Kitgum and Pader Districts.

In November 2003 Jan Egeland, UN Under- Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, stated that “the humanitarian situation in northern Uganda is worse than in Iraq or anywhere else in the world”. Three years on, he described the situation in the camps as “the biggest neglected humanitarian crisis in the world today”.

CORD has recently partnered with Kitgum Women Beekeepers’ Association (KITWOBEE) to work across the troubled Districts of northern Uganda providing livelihood opportunities, training in peace building, raising awareness of HIV and AIDS and providing support to children affected by the conflict.

KITWOBEE was established in February 1995 as a response to tackling the problems of looking after orphans in Kitgum District. KITWOBEE operates a scheme for honey producers with a current membership of 50 beekeepers and 1,140 outreach members.

The CORD and KITWOBEE partnership recently launched a £500,000 appeal to bring hope to the people of northern Uganda through beekeeping and related activities. The initial three year partnership will support the development of KITWOBEE, enabling the organisation of 600 beekeeping co-operatives using locally manufactured top-bar hives across the camps.

Announcing the partnership, Margaret Ogaba, KITWOBEE's Chairperson said that “beekeeping is totally relevant to the current environment and this partnership with CORD will offer many people a chance to break out of the chronic poverty they find themselves in as a result of the conflict”.

The good news is that since July 2006, the Ugandan Government and the LRA have pursued dialogue in an attempt to bring an end to the conflict. The peace talks provide a window of opportunity for this beekeeping partnership between CORD and KITWOBEE. Margaret Ogaba says: “it will mean a real, positive difference to the lives of people in northern Uganda after so many years of suffering’.

Mark Atterton, Programme Officer, CORD, UK

VENEZUELA

The outcomes from three meetings that took place in Venezuela in 2005 concerning honeys harvested from honey bees and stingless bees have been published in Denominaciones de origen de la miel de abejas en Venezuela.

If you are interested to obtain a copy, contact the book’s Editor Patricia Vit on vit@ula.ve

Cord

In 2007 CORD celebrates its 40thanniversary. It has many years’ experience in helping people affected by conflict to rebuild their lives and their communities, peacefully and sustainably. CORD believes ail people are equal and have the right to decide and direct their development and to live in dignity. CORD implements or supports projects across the conflict spectrum linking relief, rehabilitation and development also in Burundi, Cambodia, Chad and Zambia.

For more about CORD see

www. cord. org.uk