News around the World

BERMUDA

In the week that the Island’s Parliamentary Throne Speech (6 November) announced a new queen rearing project, Varroa was discovered in Bermuda. BfDJ reader and beekeeper of 37 years Randolph Furbert commented that there would have to be a different approach to keeping bees: "There has been an expanding bee industry in Bermuda and tourists and locals alike take our honey home”. Stuart Hayward, Chairman of the Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce said: "It is good to acknowledge the importance of bees in food production. However, while the land on which food can be produced continues to be converted to commercial and residential use it will not matter how many bees, queen or otherwise, we rear. We need a concerted and comprehensive approach to food security on the Island, of which bees are a vital component".

Source Amanda Dale, The Royal Gazette

INDIA

Beekeeping is popular in Dhanchaur and Dhikura village development committees. The farmers have taken up beekeeping for it requires little investment and provides high returns and in total earn about Rs 5 million (US$108,000; €71,950) each year selling honey. Village Chief Pitamber Bhusal says honey is exported to Dang, Butwal, Kathmandu and Sindhikharka in Nepal. Honey production has doubled recently and local farmer Suprakash Ghimire said that he earns Rs 100,000 (US$2,125; €1,440) from his 20 colonies. The harvested honey is sold at Rs 300 (US$6.5; €4.3) per kg. Sumitra Magar, a resident of Dhanchaur, earns Rs 80,000 (US$1,700; €1,150) per annum from beekeeping and her standard of living has increased. On average, each house in Dhanchaur has two or three hives of Apis cerana honey bees. The District Agriculture Development Office has provided technical assistance, training and 150 hives to the farmers in order to increase output. There are 17 beekeeping groups in the district.

Source www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews

NEPAL

Lila Ram Neupane of Shantinagar VDC, Dang, used to be a farmer. In Neupane's village, there are many more like him. "When I was a farmer, I used to work around the clock, tilling the land and taking care of my animals. But the returns were dismal. Beekeeping has been great for me. I have already built 150 hives."

Neupane is President of the Sworgadwari Multipurpose Beekeeping Co-operative and earns Rs 3,000 (US$40; €30) per hive annually from the honey that he harvests. Neupane's journey began nine years ago, when people in his village formed a micro entrepreneurs' farmers group. Three years later, they formed a beekeeping co-operative. Secretary of the Co-operative, Tej Bahadur, says there are 70 families involved in beekeeping and each family owns 260 hives. Initially Neupane bought 18 hives after undergoing 10 days of beekeeping training conducted by Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP), but all efforts went in vain because the trainees did not know how to implement the knowledge. "But I went through another round of training, and I was then able to use the knowledge effectively," said Neupane. According to him, the beekeeping trade started to grow after that second round of training and when the members of the group shared their knowledge. With support from MEDP the farmers took out loans of Rs 8,000 (US$40; €72) from the Agricultural Development Bank. Now their honey is sold in Butwal, Nepalgunj, Kathmandu and international markets. Durga Lal K C, www.kantipuronline.com

TANZANIA

Onana Beekeeping Research and Extension Centre was established in 1988 with the intention of conserving indigenous bees of the Mount Kilimanjaro locality Apis mellifera monticola, and stingless bees whose honey is known locally to be of medicinal value. Conservation of indigenous bees means conservation of indigenous flora whose pollination depends on bees. So, conserving bees means sustainable environmental conservation and enrichment of biodiversity. The Centre studies the behaviour of both types of bees and designs appropriate techniques to keep them: hives, stocking methods, day to day management for maximum production and their sustainability. All the findings from the studies are disseminated to the public for practice and development of the beekeeping industry and we have attracted a great number of visitors both domestic and foreign. The Centre has been receiving a sponsored subscription to BfD Journal for five years. Thanks to the sponsors who made this possible. Alloysius Joe, Onona Beekeeping Research and Extension Centre

UGANDA

Muruda NGO recently held a five day workshop to learn more and improve their beekeeping.

PHOTO © ODIPO ENUKA

Risk governance of pollination services

The International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) is concerned that insufficient attention is given to the risks associated with the loss of pollination. Although it is well acknowledged within the scientific community, IRGC considers that pollination appears to be neglected by policy makers, industry (particularly the agricultural sector) and the general public. As a result IRGC believes that threats to pollination services and related risks are not adequately taken into account in policies that may affect pollinators and their habitats. Their Concept Note provides a brief summary of the most relevant and urgent issues and a preliminary identification of risk governance deficits.

Download a copy at www.irgc.org