In Issue 85

Apimondia Congress Melbourne

In September 2007 beekeepers from around the world travelled to Melbourne, Australia to attend the 40th Apimondia International Apicultural Congress. Apimondia organises its work and events according to seven Standing Commissions: Apitherapy, Bee biology, Bee health, Beekeeping economy, Beekeeping for rural development, Beekeeping technology and equipment, and Pollination and bee flora. Within the Standing Commission for Beekeeping for Rural Development, the plenary session included papers from around the globe, providing perspective of beekeeping development underway worldwide.

The second session focussed on bees and beekeeping in Asia. A presentation by Mr Fujio Hisashi of Japan discussed his endeavours to re-introduce Apis cerana to some Japanese islands where this indigenous bee species had become extinct (see pages 6&7). His paper contrasted with that which followed, where Father David Galvin from Solomon Islands described the problem being faced by beekeepers, where recently arrived Apis cerana is out-competing the Apis mellifera that had been introduced previously, and used by beekeepers with great success until this recent and unexpected arrival of Apis cerana. The newly arrived Apis cerana is of a race that is not easily manageable, but the beekeepers may yet have to learn to live with them.

The third session was organised by Ms Harriet Eeles, Chair of the Working Group concerning co-operation and association between beekeepers, and heard about groupings in South America, Africa, Asia and Australasia. Harriet was kept busy, not just Chairing the session, but also serving as Spanish interpreter. The fourth session was titled: The Darwin Initiative Workshop on Bees and Biodiversity. Central to this session were papers presented by members of the team from the Keystone Foundation in south India — see the central pages of this edition for more information about their work. Other papers discussed research in Brazil, Colombia, USA, Venezuela and Zambia. It was interesting for this Commission to have a paper from the US — Dr Tammy Horn presented her findings concerning an area of Kentucky where coal mining has resulted in the removal of habitat, yet where beekeeping can be a significant source of livelihood for local people with few employment opportunities. You will see the full texts of some papers in Apiacta, now published on-line at www.beekeeping.com/apimondia/apiacta.

Apimondia Congresses provide a great way to meet other people working in this field of beekeeping development: the next will take place in Montpellier France in September 2009.

Nicola Bradbear, Director Bees for Development

President, Apimondia Standing Commission for Beekeeping for Rural Development

Bees for Development

1 Agincourt Street, Monmouth NP25 3DZ, UK Tel: +44 (0)1600 714848 info@beesfordevelopment.org www.beesfordevelopment.org