6 minute read
Zoom in on - Liberia
Area
111,369 km²
Climate
Hot and humid with high rainfall. The dry season from October to April has hot days and cool to cold nights. The rainy season is wet and cloudy with frequent heavy showers (Apri! to October).
Vegetation
Three areas - Mangrove swamps and beaches along the coast, wooded hills and semi deciduous scrublands along the immediate interior, and dense tropical forests and plateaux in the interior. Liberia has 40% of West Africa's rain forest.
Population
3.3 million
People
Ethnic groups: Kpelle 20%, Bassa 16%, Gio 8%, Kru 7%, 49% Spread over 12 other ethnic groups
Religions: Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, animist 40% Education: Literacy (2003) 20%
Health: Life expectancy (2005) 42.5 years
Work force: Agriculture 70%; industry 15%: services 2%. Unemployment is 80% in the formal sector.
Economy
GDP (IMF 2005 estimate): US$548.4 million
Real GDP growth rate (2005): 5.3%
Per capita GDP (2005): US$119.4
Average annual inflation (2005): 6.9%
Natural resources: Diamonds, gold, iron ore, rubber, timber and tin. The Government of Liberia believes there may be sizable deposits of crude oil along its Aflantic Coast.
Trade (2005): Exports US$112 million (of which rubber US$99 million). Major markets Germany, Greece, Poland and USA. imports US$272 million (petroleum US$89 million; rice US$30 million; donor and foreign direct investment-related US$141 million).
Capital
Monrovia, with an estimated population 1-1.5 million.
Languages
English is the official language. There are 16 indigenous languages.
Agriculture
Bananas, cassava, Citrus, cocoa, coffee, corn, palm oil, pineapple, plantains, rice, sugarcane, sweet potatoes and vegetables.
Bees
West African honey bee Apis mellifera adansonii Stingless bees Dactylurina sp; Meliponula sp; Liotrigona sp Solitary bees Xylecopa sp; Pseudapis sp; Brausapis sp
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is mainly with the honey bee Apis mellifera adansonii for honey and beeswax production. Top-bar hives are widely used by beekeepers. Honey hunting is widespread throughout rural areas.
Melliferous vegetation
Plant species: Aspilia africana, Bombax buonopozense, Ceiba pentanara, Chromolaena odorata, Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus sinensis, Cocos nucifera, Elaeis guineensis, Hevea brasiliensis, Khaya senegalensis, Lantana camara, Mangifera indica, Manihot esculenta, Mimosa pudica, Musa spp (banana and plantain), Persea americana, Spathodea companutata.
Trade in bee products
Production figures are not available. Honey and beeswax are all sold in-country: demand far outstrips production.
Organic honey
The honey produced is from the country’s rich natural forests and could readily be certified as organic.
Honey production
Production figures are not available but beekeepers state 10-20 kg of honey per colony per one annual harvest. In the northern parts of the country where climatic conditions are drier, good vegetation available ground water for bees could yield two harvests in the year.
Pests and predators
Ants, lizards, small hive beetles, spiders and wax moths
Other problems
Charcoal burning and logging of forest trees are destroying many forage sources for bees.
Beekeeping development and training
Since 2003, the Agricultural Programme of the United Methodist Church Monrovia, has organised and trained farmers in four communities in the Ganta area of the Nimba County. Two hundred top-bar hives have been constructed and distrobuted to farmers.
In 2003, Arjays Farm located in Carysburg (east of Monrovia) obtained funds from the European Union to involve the local people in its operational area to keep bees for income generation. They started with 10 top-bar hives and now handle 100 colonies in various apiaries in the communities. Their honey bee colonies also improve pollination of fruit crops in farmers’ fields. Honey yields in the area range between 10-20 kg and this is readily bought at Liberian $500-600 (€6-8; US$8-10) per kg.
In September 2007, the Community Development Service of Mercy Ships’ MV Africa Mercy trained and equipped 45 women in two groups from communities near Monrovia. Ninety-two top-bar hives were set out to attract bee colonies in the dry season.
Beekeeping equipment
Most beekeeping projects in the country use top-bar hives constructed by local carpenters. Other equipment such as smokers and bee suits are either imported or fabricated locally.
Beekeeping associations/organisations
There are no organised beekeeping associations operating in the country.
Research
No documented research into bees and beekeeping.
Education
Beekeeping is not a taught subject in any known institution in thecountry.
History
The country was first named as the Grain Coast (abundant grains of Malegueta pepper) by the Portuguese in 1461. Liberia, which means ‘Land of the Free’, was founded by free African-Americans and freed slaves from the USA in 1820.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts of the True Whig Party was Liberia's first President. The True Whig Party ruled Liberia from independence in 1847 until 12 April 1980 when indigenous Liberian, Sergeant Samuel K Doe, seized power in a coup d'état.
On 24 December 1989, Charles Taylor invaded Liberia from Céted'Ivoire. From 1989 to 1996 one of Africa's bloodiest civil wars ensued, claiming the lives of more than 200,000 Liberians. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened in 1990 and succeeded in preventing Charles Taylor from capturing Monrovia. Prince Johnson - formerly member of Taylor's National a Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) - formed the break-away Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL). Johnson's forces captured and killed Doe on 9 September 1990.
An Interim Government of National Unity (IGNU) was formed in The Gambia under the auspices of ECOWAS in October 1990, headed by Dr Amos Sawyer. During the general election of 19 July 1997, Charles Taylor and his National Patriotic Party emerged victorious. Taylor’s misrule led to the resumption of armed rebellion from among Taylor's former adversaries. On 11 August 2003, under intense US and international pressure, President Taylor resigned office and departed into exile in Nigeria.
On 18 August 2003 a two-year National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) was formed, headed by Gyude Bryant. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) took over security in Liberia in October 2003 with a force of nearly 15,000.
The 11 October 2005 presidential and legislative elections and the subsequent 8 November 2005 presidential run-off resulted in Ellen Johnson Sirleaf defeating international soccer star George Weah 59% to 40%, to become Africa’s first democratically-elected female president.
References
ADEVU, M (2007) Personal communicatioṇ
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE (2007) Bureau of African Affairs 2007. www.state.gov/p/at/ci/li/
Thanks to our West Africa Correspondent, Kwame Aidoo, for sending the information and illustrations.
