News

GHANA

Participatory research to control African honeybees scientists and beekeepers meet

A one-day research workshop was organised in Kumasi to examine the possibilities of using plant extracts to subdue African honeybees. The workshop was attended by four research scientists from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi and ten members of the Ghana Beekeepers’ Association.

Dr Yeboah-Gyan, leader of the research team, outlined components of the participatory approach. Discussions centred around the use of extracts from the local climbing plant “Bekyem”, Adenia cissampeloides for subduing honeybees. Traditional beekeepers in the Central Region use volatile substances from the vines of the woody climber in subduing bees during honey harvest (for references see: B&D 8, March 1986; B&D 11, November 1987).

At the end of the discussions the Committee agreed:

- Extraction methods for volatile substances should be simple and appropriate to local beekeepers;

- Application methods should be simple enough to be easily adopted by beekeepers.

Kwame Aidoo, B&D's Correspondent in Ghana

KENYA

Beekeeping at Egerton University

Apiculture is taught within the Department of Animal Science to students on the BSc in Animal Production Programme. The Course comprises 30 lecture hours and 15 practical hours. Other students within the Faculty of Agriculture take apiculture as one of the subjects on the “Non-Ruminant Production Course”.

All students in the Faculty undergo about 14 hours of general beekeeping practice during their introduction to farming procedures.

Stephen Kagio, Lecturer in Apiculture

NEPAL

Min Bahadur Rana is resourceful man. After experimenting with keeping bees using traditional hives he found he could not get the honey out of the hive without destroying the comb. Only very small honey harvest was possible which did not give income.

In 1993 the Burtibang Community Health Programme (BCHP) announced beekeeping training course. Min was first to enrol. He learnt many aspects of beekeeping and visited nearby farmer with several successful hives. At the end of the course he invested his meagre savings in frame hive offered at a subsidised rate. Within year his honey yield rose to 10 kg and he was able to produce better quality honey. After the initial set up costs the hives cost nothing to run. Min’s major problem was honey extraction. The equipment was only available in Kathmandu. But BCHP came to his aid with the free loan of an extractor. Min has now learnt to make his own hives using local soft wood. He is the employer of two neighbouring farmers to keep up with village demand and is the BCHP’s honey supplier.

Min buys his veils from a local tailor and his next project is to develop his own locally made extractor.

Source: Today Nepal, August 1995

UNITED KINGDOM

The (inter)National Honey Show

For long time overseas beekeepers have been visiting and showing their products at the best honey show in the world, held at the end of November. Beekeepers from Trinidad and Tobago exhibit regularly. Someone with business acumen persuaded the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to sponsor transport of honey to the United Kingdom, with the result that they have won prizes, including the prestigious and toughest class of 24 jars of any kind of honey. This class is Open to the World; honey needs to be very good to win!

Irish beekeepers have also taken First Prizes at the Show, setting up great friendly rivalry between them and English beekeepers.

It is a great advantage for country to have a presence at the National: promotion of tourism and conferences is one valuable spin off. For individuals who go, the best experience is meeting other beekeepers, exchanging ideas, learning from the lectures and seeing the vast range of top grade exhibits. There is usually a stand with demonstrations of do-it-yourself, low-technology gadgets, which show the possibility of using cheap, alternative resources.

In 1995 trade stands showed better range of books and appliances (including candle- making) than can be found at any other Show. Bees for Development has splendid, eye- catching stand which attracts customers for their books, clothing and subscriptions to their excellent magazine. Village Aid volunteers also enjoyed the opportunity to publicise their activities in developing countries. A continuous demonstration of the Internet showed the value of this tool for instant exchange of information world-wide, while videos showed various aspects of practical beekeeping.

Consider how your beekeeping group could benefit from visiting or exhibiting at the National Honey Show, either from education, exhibiting, trading or simply enjoying the friendship of other beekeepers. It is lot of fun for you and extends the experience of British beekeepers to share world-wide methods of beekeeping and uses of bee products You will be very welcome.

Mary Fisher

WORLD SEED PROGRAMME 1996

The New Forest Project provides packets of tree seeds, technical information and training materials free of charge to groups world-wide interested in starting reforestation projects with fast-growing, nitrogen fixing trees. Available for immediate distribution are high quality seeds of Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea), Leucaena lecocephala (ipil-ipil), Gliricidia sepim (madre de cacao), Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) and Prosopis juliflora (mesquite).

For more information or to receive the reforestation packet, contact: The New Forests Project, Washington DC

Please include an environmental description of your area, including elevation, average annual rainfall, length of rainy and dry seasons, high and low temperatures, soil characteristics, and the purpose of the tree planting (fuelwood, lumber, forage, soil conservation, soil enhancement).

APICULTURE SANS FRONTIERES

is non-profit making association promoting beekeeping in developing countries. ASF also undertakes the supervision of projects. This summer ASF is organising courses on General, Tropical and Subtropical Beekeeping from 1-20 July 1996 at the Beekeeping Centre, Belgium.

Courses are in French

For more information write to Apiculture sans Frontiéres, Belgium