Bees/or Development Journal 89
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD ARGENTINA Argentina will promote sustainable development in Norte Grande region by making select industry clusters more
competitive with support from a 25 year, US$16 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The Region’s main activities are the production of sugar, grains, olives, metallic minerals, tea, oleaginous crops, wood, paper, fruits, honey and wines.
Source: www.iadb.org/news
BULGARIA The Bulgarian Bee Union informs us that Bulgaria produces 8,000-11,000 tonnes of honey each year. The annual consumption of honey per person is 0.4-0.5 kg (average
consumption for Europe is 1.5-2.0 kg per year). Between 5,000-8,000 tonnes are sold
European honey trade. The major trade partner for Bulgaria is Germany, followed by France, Italy and Spain. The Union aims to
popularise honey consumption in Bulgaria because it is proven that the price on the
local, Bulgarian market is better than the export price.
within Bulgaria and 3,000-6,000 tonnes are
Agency Focus
exported. Every year in Europe 140,000150,000 tonnes of honey are traded and
www. international.ibox.bg/news
therefore Bulgaria accounts for only 1% of the
CAMEROON BERUDEP Training Farmers working with the Belo Rural Development Project (BERUDEP) have been benefitting from reading BfD Journal and books in their three branch offices in Boyo Division. They have received also a Resource Box sponsored by BFD Trust to hetp with their training work (picture
right). The Living Earth Foundation, Cameroon and an Italian NGO, AQA, recently sponsored BERUDEP’s training activities in two provinces ot
Cameroon. The practical course showed people how to make a top-bar hive, manage their apiary and how to harvest honey and wax. One of the
participants said her interest in becoming a bee farmer started because her child had recently been treated successfully with honey.
Ngwainmbi Simon Chia, BERUDEP Director
Forest resources The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Jengi Southeast Forest Programme recommends that Baka pygmies be given more access to forest resources and space within national parks. Baka pygmies make up 40% of the population living around the three national parks:
Boumba Bek, Nki and Lobeke, in south-east Cameroon. They are hunters, gatherers and semi-nomadic in their lifestyle. The results of the study will provide a basis for the negotiation of access rights for Bakas within protected areas.
Baka Pygmies hunt, live and have their sacred sites inside the forest. This dependence on the forest makes them crucial to conservation efforts and prompted this recommendation. They harvest honey, mangos, wild yams, medicinal plants and many other non-timber forest
products (NTFPs). Honey is used during two important traditional dances called Mboma, performed during funerals, and Moomo, performed to chase away evil spirits.
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any limit in their quest for forest resources and performance of their traditional rituals. They carry out activities both in and around the parks.
For John Nelson of Forest Peoples Programme there is a big difference compared with when he first arrived in 2001. "We are feeling very optimistic and we are going to be increasingly collaborating with WWF
They see both as continuity and disregard the boundaries erected by the minds of men. "It is important to give them unfettered access to harvest NTFPs, (especially medicinal plants) and to visit sacred sites’,
and its partners to work on a common agenda to secure indigenous peoples rights”, he said. "People should remember that when they ialk
about wildernesses in Africa, a lot of these places are actually
recommends the study.
populated by people”.
According to Dr Louis Defo, WWF advisor, the studies will provide necessary information for the integration of these indigenous forest people in natural resource management. “Given WWE's philosophy of participatory management, it is fundamental to address the needs of local communities in order to win their support for conservation work”,
But Podo Mois, a Baka from Massia, still in Boumba-Bek North cid not enthuse. "The forest is our home. We have our honey, wild yams and
A WWF research team concluded that Baka pygmies do not recognise
mangos to harvest. Once we are in the forest we feel very good, so there is no need to move out”.
Source: Peque Manga, www.postnewsline.com
he said.
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