Bees for Development Journal Edition 80 - September 2006

OFFICECOPY Please return to the file

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INSIDE INFORMATION

dean priesas Here at Bees for Development people ask often for examples of good beekeeping projects. In this edition, we bring news of two projects - very different in scope and scale, that are achieving their

IN

THIS ISSUE...

original objectives. The first example is a relatively small, grass-roots project in Nigeria. Polly Eaton was working in the area and perceived that beekeeping could help local young people. A beekeeper back home in London, Polly realised that keeping bees in tropical Africa is a different proposition from

doing it in the UK. She did the best thing - to make contact with a local beekeeper and provide training using approaches that have already been found to work well in the area. As you can read on page 4, the trainees are getting on well.

The second example is a much larger scale project from Turkey (pages 5-7). A few years ago, an expert beekeeper realised that one of Turkey's remote valleys was home to Apis mellifera caucasica

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honeybees that because of geographical isolation, had not become mixed with other races of bees.

People living in this valley were remote, isolated by snow for much of the year, and financially poor.

A project was conceived to train people in queen rearing and in organic honey production, and fortunately found financial support from a philanthropic foundation. The project began in 1998, and by today, people living in the valley have had their income raised significantly, young people are no

longer leaving to seek jobs elsewhere, and everyone has incentive to maintain the valley's excellent natural environment. At the same time, good supplies of desirable Apis mellifera caucasica queens are readily available to beekeepers throughout Turkey. Nowadays in Europe, it is very hard to find, and to protect, stocks of original races of bees.

will be a wonderful thing if these pure stocks of Apis mellifera caucasica honeybees can be maintained for the future. it

Because bees pollinate plants and contribute to biodiversity maintenance, any intervention to encourage beekeeping can be only beneficial for the environment. The possibility to harvest products like honey and beeswax, or to rear queen bees for onward sale, also enables people to work their way out of poverty. Such a significant outcome, just by capitalising on the bees' industrious work of

collecting nectar and pollen from flowers. Amazing, isn't it?

SAVING THE

CAUCASIAN

HONEYBEE I TURKEY

Local style hives and frame hives in Camili village. north-east Turkey.

Irfan Kandemir CONTENTS

@u page

Inside information

2

Practical beekeeping

3

Nitlla Bradhea

ttumbuazo Beekeepers' Association ....4

Caucasian honey bee workshop

5

Bees/orDevelopment Journal

Caribbean update

8

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Apiculture and poverty alleviation in Cameroon

10

News around the World

11

Look and Learn Ahead

12

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12&14 13

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@v 1

PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING

MAKING WAX STARTER STRIPS FOR TOP-BARS Polly Eaton. UK When using top-bar hives, it is essential that bees are encouraged to build their comb centrally from each top-bar. This makes life very convenient for the beekeeper, as it enables combs to be lifted easily from the hive for inspection, or for harvesting. When bees build across top-bars, it means that the beekeeper needs to separate them and damage some comb, if a top-bar is to be lifted from the hive. To encourage bees to build their comb centrally, a small strip of wax can de placed along the top-bar. Here, Polly Eaton describes the method that was found to work well for beekeepers in Nigeria

1.

Cut off

small amount of beeswax from a cake of wax you have

a

qusly moulded when harvesting.

2. Heat the small amount of wax in a container that is standing in water (to avoid burning the wax). When the wax has turned clear 1! 18 ready to pour.

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4.

Fold the ends of the zinc over tightly

to

avoid the wax spiiecy out of

the ends Pour she ha! wax into the groove to a depih of

5.

After a few seconds. the wax will cool and harden.

abe:

2

em

When the wax is

hard, carefully remove the zinc strip. Slide the zinc gently so that you do not break the thin strip of wax.

3. The wax will be poured into the groove of the top-bar. guided by a strip of zinc. Soap the strip of zinc to prevent the wax from sticking to

it

You can prepare the wax starter strip for about five bars in each top-bar hive, to act as bait, and to guide the bees to build their comb ‘correctly’ along each top-bar.

Bees/vr Development Journal 80

HRN [eag7

THE BIRTH OF ITUMBAUZO BEEKEEPERS ASSOC IATION Polly UK Eaton,

Itumbauzo is a kingdom in a rural part of Abia State, south east Nigeria. in hilly vegetation one hour from the nearest town.

Villages are nestled

Most people live in clay dwellings and sustain themselves through farming. There is also small-scale palm oil processing, logging and some cocoa farms: the latter bring little income due to the low price of

cocoa. The prospects for local youth are limited and most expect to continue with subsistence farming, with little additional income. For three years have lived at Amaudo, a rehabilitation community. The |

nearby village, Moukwa, was the donor of land for Amaudo. attended one of their regular Youth Association meetings and presented my |

proposal to train a group in beekeeping.

Tropical differences Although honey was a much desired product, beekeeping was not practised in the area and it was a revelation for the people that they could 'keep bees’. The suggestion was eagerly accepted and four trainees were nominated by the Association - another two joined from other villages. The first task was to find local expertise: my experience of beekeeping in London was not adequate preparation for tropical

beekeeping. turned to Bees for Development, (an organisation had admired and supported for many years), who put me in touch with Israel Onyemaechi, an entrepreneurial beekeeper based in Umuahia. realised |

|

|

that local management methods involved much less manipulation and handling of the colonies and bees than was used to. Queen rearing

israel Onyemaechi runs Davicon Honey Bees and Apitherapy Ventures in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

and re-queening were not practised. Despite the reputation of the ‘defensive’ African bee. felt safe in my protective clothing.

Starting out

|

.

|

Funds were raised by our friends overseas who were invited to ‘buy a nive' or ‘equip a beekeeper’. Gradually each member of the project was supplied with five hives and basic equipment of smoker, hive tool, and-

clothing (vei!, garment and boots). We started using a mixture of frame, standard and long top-bar hives, so the beekeepers could gain experience and see which design was best suited to their environment.

The main method for acquiring colonies in this area is to bait the hive with honey or bee plants every few days, and wait for a swarm to arrive.

Hive making In

further efforts to ensure the sustainability of the project we organised

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By ihe end of the two-day workshop, all members of the project had constructed hive and were delighted with the experience. a

Training Israel explains: "Polly was given my email address by BfD, and we arranged to meet at my home. The first meeting with Polly and her husband that day was quite thrilling and interesting, and led to our collaboration to start up the beekeeping project in Itumbauzo. Weekly

training sessions began in May 2005. The training involved practical and that took us to Davicon the apiaries Honeybees sessions of Ventures, and included videos of other beekeeping Apitherapy

activities’.

Israel is passionate about beekeeping and conveyed his belief that: "Beekeeping is one of the ventures that can be practised by anyone who is interested, regardless of academic background and gender".

ALL PHOTOS §

a ,

POL EAIG,

a Hive making workshop. Timber is readily available in Itumbauzo one beekeeper was already trying to construct his own hives. Two

facilitators taught basic carpentry skills, and designs were given for top-bar hives and a swarm catcher box.

Forming an association The trainee beekeepers were encouraged to formalise themselves as a group. This would help them to support each other as well as being a strong voice for honey marketing and beekeeping in the area. The itumbauzo Beekeepers’ Association was formed and a constitution

developed. The Association was donated a small piece of land in Mbukwa village, to build a store and house for harvesting. The group also have plans to involve more members of the community through a ~ simple ‘buddy’ training system each beekeeper has a helper who them and is accompanies gradually trained in practical skills. By the end of 2006, 10 of the 30 of the hives were occupied and we look forward to a good harvest this year!

Polly Eaton is a British occupational therapist with Amaudo ltumbauzo, a charity working with homeless, mentally ill people based in a rural part of Abia State, south-east Nigeria. Polly returned to the UK in March 2006, and will send us further news when the Association's honey

factory a bee safe room for pressing and bottling honey is established.

CAUCASIAN HONEYBEE WORKSHOP

Bees/vu1 Development

Journal 80

CAUCASIAN HONEY BEE WORKSHOP In

RPAN KANDEMIR

July 14-23 2006, Camili, Artvin, Turkey the Caucasus Region of North-east

Turkey, a remarkable project has been taking place. It has been planned to

PECTS)

conserve precious stocks of Caucasian honey bees (Apis mellifera caucasica). to provide people in this remote

northeast corner of Turkey with an excellent livelincod, and to support

held in Camiti

villagein Artvin, Turkey, in to consider the project and

its approach.

Apis mellifera caucasica: A caucasian queen with worker honey bees

Jorkshop began with field visits to Eastern Anatolia beekeeping sites, and the lectures and discussions were held in Macahel (Camili) village of Artvin Province. The honey bee selection, breeding and queen rearing programme has been carried out in Macahel since 1998.

Beekeeping in Turkey There are approximately 4.5 million bee colonies, 38,000 beekeepers and an annual honey production of 65,000 tonnes. Average honey production per colony is 17 kilograms. 75% of the colonies are owned by beekeepers that move colonies from one place to another as different plants come into flower. The queens of these colonies mate with local

drones, yielding natural cross-breeds of various kinds. The current commercial production of queen bees in Turkey is around 200,000 per year, however, the quality and the quantity of this production is insufficient.

Before the advent of migratory beekeeping, regional honey bee races such as Apis mellifera anatolica, A. m. caucasica, A. m. syriaca, A. m. meda and A. m. carnica retained their original status. In addition, there were several local races depending on the floral diversity, such as Mug/a in the

specification

of

continues all summer, due to the

Social and economic structure

“

Region. The

in March and

300 families live

a

an

densely forested and abundant in nectar-rich, flowering plants. The mountains reach a summit of 3,415 m, and the lowest elevation is around different elevations: the most important honey plants are species of Castanea, Rhododenaron, Ribes, Salvia, Taraxacum, Tilia, and Trifolium.

outputs are proving successful.

Researchers from several other countries were brought together at Workshop,

diseiiss

Camili Valley is 27,000 hectares in the north-eastern, mountainous region, close to Georgia. It is accessible only during summer months, as the roads are closed in winter because of avalanche danger. The land is

400 m. Flowering starts

beekeeping throughout Turkey by provision of queen bees. All three

July 2006,

The Artvin/Borgka/Camili Rural Development Project

those

isolated

veal

races

is still not

other hand, due to the high honey yield, migratory hoskoaners are now moving their colonies to those remote areas, thus resulting in

hybridization and even loss of those unique local races. Some of the commercially produced queen bees on the market are known as Apis mellifera caucasica although they are produced in the Mediterranean and Central Anatolia. The colonies used as mother colonies for grafting and the mating nucs are established for mating in areas where Apis mellifera caucasica \s not present, so the resultant queens are not pure Caucasian because the drones are coming from the surrounding region - which are not Caucasus honey bees.

Beekeeping on a large scale in the isolated Turkish valleys

in six villages within the valley. They have typically 0.5-1 hectare of land, one or two cows, and walnut, apple, pear and cherry trees to provide their home consumption. The average annual

income for a family here is $1,000.

Local style beekeeping In 1998, there were approximately 2,400 honey bee colonies within the valley. 50% of these were housed in local style, log hives made from the trunks of Linden trees (Tilia spp.) These hives were installed at the top of

trees to protect them from bears and other possible damage. The honey was harvested by climbing the trees. The other 50% of the colonies were kept beside the village houses. Some of these colonies are in local-style log hives. The average annual honey production from colonies in these

hives was approximately 25-30 kg. Currently, some exceptional colonies are producing annually

80-100 kg of honey.

Developing isolation During a study by Ahmet Inci in 1998, it was discovered that all colonies in the valley were of the pure Caucasian line, indicating that it is possible to produce and maintain pure line queens with natural mating in this area, and making a necessity to protect these pure colonies from

crossbreeding. A number of other researchers have proved the identity of these bees. In the surrounding areas, Caucasus honey bees were hybridized with the other races, due to the effect of migratory beekeeping.

One reason why Camili valley is retaining its precious stocks is its isolation, preventing honey bee colony movements by man. Also, the

geographical barriers do not allow bees to fly over the high mountains to reach the valley. It was determined that the closest honey bee colonies on the Georgian side were more than 30 km away, so that it is unlikely that bees will reach this valley from Georgia. There was urgent necessity for conservation of this region for the sake of Turkey and for the

beekeepers. The TEMA Foundation began to take action to protect both the pure ine Caucasian bees and to protect other natural surroundings and habitats. It is now prohibited to either bring in or remove any bees or other biological materials from this valley.

CAUCASIAN HONEYBEE WORKSHOP

TEMA Natural Values Protection Project This Project, begun

in 1998, is to protect the pure Caucasian honey bees and their natural surroundings in the valley area. while at the same time to increase substantially the income of families in the valley, and

therefore halt any further damage to the natural area that has been caused by poverty. Several achievements have been made: there has been a growth in ecological agriculture activities and eco-tourism. A new Training Centre and living accommodation have been constructed.

Youth training in the production of queens TEMA has established

a programme in which young men and women are trained to produce queens. During the first month, trainees learn the theoretical knowledge necessary to produce the queens. Successful

candidates are next given 5 colonies and 20 mating boxes, and begin practical field training. The trainees, from this point on, live in their own household. and technicians visit the trainees every 2 days throughout the The local-style log hives are beautituily last for 40-50 years

training period.

The Macahel Beekeeping Company This company was formed

in a partnership with The

joys of Linden trees. and

Caucasica queens

in Camili, and distribute them to commercial queen that are producers. rearing pure Caucasian or hybrid queens. All the queens produced in Camili are sold under the brand name of MACAHEL

TEMA Foundation,

and it provides all the necessary supplies and equipment such as colonies. mating boxes. comb foundation, feeding materials, and

Beekeeping Co., and the selected queens that are inseminated instrumentally are marketed to the commercial queen producers having contracts with the company. On the other hand, queens produced from

medicines for Varroa. The company supervises the production, technical Staff, 100 selected pure line Caucasus colonies, an artificial insemination laboratory and queen quality control and marketing departments.

the selected colonies are also mated naturally in this area, and the laying queens are marketed to beekeepers who want to produce more of their

Using funds from the EU. another 60 unemployed young men and women were trained, and another 40 beekeepers supported to harvest

own queens, or for honey production.

organically-produced honey.

Future plans

2004, 7.000 queens were produced. generating an income of US$105.000. The pure line queens that were produced in the valley sold for US$16 each, and the crossbreed queens that were produced outside of the valley sold for $12 each. Families who produce queens In

are now able to generate an annual income of

invade trom

Over the next five years, the project plans to increase production to 250,000 queens, 500 tonnes of organically produced honey, and another 900 trained beekeepers in the mountains of Artvin and the surrounding areas. This will allow the means for 1,000 unemployed local people to remain in their birthplace and support themselves and their families.

US$15,000 from 20 honey

bee colonies.

Moreover, with the queens that are produced in this area, the productivity of colonies will increase throughout all of Turkey.

PHOTOS

IRFAN KANDEMIA

The main purpose of this operation is to produce Apis mellifera

ANG & TEMA FOUNDATIONS This Workshop was sponsored by the Ali Nihat Gokyigit Foundation (ANG), under the umbrella of the TEMA foundation. ANG Foundation works on specialised projects such as apiculture, education, publishing botanical books. and sponsoring and managing some c the TEMA projects. ANG is a donor for various civic, environmental and cultural activities of other foundations as well as seeking funds from other donors. Another ANG project is the Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra with players from 23 Countries of the Caspian, Eastern

Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. This unique “Sound of three seas" orchestra encourages integration and understanding among different cultures. ANG has recently decided to focus on educational projects related with apiculture. as well as the Nezahat Gokyigit Botanic Garden. a special 50 hectare botanic garden created from what was wasteland beside one of Istanbul's motorway intersections.

The garden contains both formal and wild planting, and naturally

includes a well-stocked apiary, with bees enjoying this unexpected green oasis, alongside many people from Istanbul's nearby urban housing schemes.

TEMA is one of the largest environmental NGOs in Turkey, with 260.000 supporters. TEMA works to combat soil erosion and to protect natural habitats and maintain biodiversity by encouraging environmentally friendly interventions. For example. in Camili, where the Workshop was held, TEMA runs a rural development project with three main activities: apiculture, green tourism and ecological fruit crops from bears and other predators

production.

Bees/v Development Journal 80

CAUCASIAN HONEYBEE WORKSHOP

6.

Advocate to the relevant government agencies for the allocation of suitable land to the persons and organisations willing to invest in the rearing of genetically pure or hybrid queens.

responsibility to preserve this genetic "treasure" with great care for future generations. The presence of multiple bee races, rather than one

7,

Draw up recommendations for the types of bees that are suitable for Stationary and migratory beekeeping.

homogeneous bee gene pool, will make it easier to confront successfully new threats such as environmental change, emerging epidemics, drought and other natural disasters. For this reason, we have to consider long-

8.

To establish quality and contro! criteria for the production and

Resolutions agreed at the Workshop Turkey is in the admirable position among the countries of the world in terms of the genetic diversity of honey bees. It ts a duty and

marketing of queens.

term sustainability of our apiculture, instead of short-term economic

To assist in the transfer of information and experience accrued thus far, continue with the workshops in the future. Explore other

profit.

possibilities of funding for future meetings.

For this purpose, we present the following proposals:

As protection of biological diversity and eradication of rural poverty are among the ultimate goals of TEMA Foundation, establish a coordination centre under the auspices of TEMA foundation, in

cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Turkiye Beekeepers Association, and similar organisations, to prioritize and pursue the suggestions put forth in this Workshop; establish a secretariat, internal and external advisory boards. order that the information compiled and collated during the workshop is shared with interested, parties and the scientific In

ommunity, documentation should be prepared to be published both i written format and on the internet.

3.

To establish a joint working committee with the authorities/ interested parties where the Caucasus bee population occurs

naturally.

4,

Inline with the local approach adopted in the Camili basin of the Caucasus, identify and define other honey bee types and genotypes, including isolation, selection and certification of possible genetic reserves.

5.

Plan studies to characterize and quantify behavioural traits, (pollination, hygiene, resistance towards disease and parasites, aggressiveness. etc.) of Caucasian and other indigenous honey bees.

Workshop part

co

resistant to parasites and diseases and explore the possibility of the Caucasian queens’ exportation to meet the demand of countries without indigenous honey bees.

11. As the Project could only be construed to be successful if the designated bee-derived products are marketable, this issue should not be overlooked.

12. To revise the queen performance evaluation forms, and incorporate questions to determine the well-being and status of the queen and the colony, for two years following the sale.

13. As there is a fundamental linkage between local beekeeping methods and the established protection of honey bees in the Camili area, these methods should be evaluated and promoted where appropriate.

This will assure that the ecological, economic and cultural benefits will not be lost before they are fully understood.

14. There should be strict regulation against entry of exotic bee races, such as Italian or Carniolan bees into Turkey.

Bees for Development would like to thank Ahmet inci, Supervisor of the Project, and Irfan Kandemir for the information given here, and Ali Nihat Gokyigit, Chairman of the ANG and TEMA Foundations, for sponsoring Nicola Bradbear's participation in this Workshop.

Dads ANCL

2.

10. As there is a genuine demand for queens that survive in cold weather conditions, conduct studies to select Caucasian bees that are

PET

1.

9.

TEMA

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VAKFI FOUNDATION

Kafkas Balaris) Galistayi

Caucasus Honeybee Workshop

CARIBBEAN UPDATE

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

season gold, light coloured when the mangroves blossom in the salty

THEY CALL HIM THE HONEYMAN

The Honey Man.

,

Although there are 1,000 flowering plant species in Antigua and more than 3,000 It

Ve

‘

as (,

in Trinidad & Tobago,

uy

Dropping lightly from the battered, black pickup truck, piled high with hive boxes and trailing an airborne chorus of bees, he walks into the school yard. does not take long for a train of children to form behind the veiled Rasta,

ish0h

Anthony Richards

draped in white and wreathed in a cloud of smoke. They call him

i

wetlands, and then dark.

bees can be quite

particular. Jamaicans swear that their

bees will ignore all other flowers to feed on the flowers of the genjp, a fruit tree introduced by the Arawaks. In St Lucia and Dominica, the favourite honey is

Alistair ‘Twaado’ Jacobs - The Honeyman

gathered when the savonette, unique to the Antilles, is in flower. At Christmas, beekeepers on Antigua & Barbuda eagerly anticipate the week-long bloom of /ogwood. a dyewood introduced from Latin America by the buccaneers in the 16th century.

Beekeeping and honey hunting go back to Egyptian times but bees were only introduced to the Caribbean from Europe in the 17th century. The latest arrivals are the African honeybees. They reached Trinidad in the 1980s, but remarkably, not yet Tobago.

is part of The Honey Man's job to patrol Antiqua's ports for evidence of invasions of African bees and bee diseases. Antiqua had always been free of both threats until on 4 March 2005, he discovered a tick-like parasite sucking on bees inhabiting a trap at the capital's Deep Water Harbour. The Varroa or It

When registering for a beekeeping course in 1996, Alistair Twaado' Jacobs was still a carpenter, little knowing he would become Antigua's icon for all that is ‘sweeter for the sting’. Now, as Field Officer of the Antiqua Beekeepers’

Co-operative, he provides a lifeline to 50 beekeepers and honey hunters. He also teaches the six week course for ‘newbees', and shares his vision for Caribbean honey with school children. What looks like useless bush to the land developer, is literally a valley flowing with 'you know what’ in the eyes of The Honey Man.

West Indian honeys, from Trinidad & Tobago in particular, have been winning international prizes for many years. Perhaps their secret is the great diversity of flowering plants in the islands. Continental honey is offen produced by bees foraging on just one extensive crop, such as alfalfa. By contrast, the Caribbean honeys have something of the unruly Soca rhythm. Different types of nectar parade during the year like Carnival troupes: a dry season red, then a wet

ANTIGUA HIT BY VAMPIRE’ MITE

Varroa mites have destroyed most of the wild and feral bees in Europe and North America during the 1980s, and have been island-hopping here in the Caribbean throughout the 1990s. According to Tomas Mozer, regional bee

inspector in Florida: "We expect it to wipe out at least half of the colonies on the island, like it did in Barbados, St Lucia and other islands”.

Antiguan beekeepers want to keep their reputation for the finest organic honeys. Unlike

their counterparts, they will not be dousing the hives with chemicals to combat the mite. "We are going to let nature select a resistant bee", says The Honey

Man, with that unmistakably Rasta confidence. “No chemicals here. Bee wise!”

August 2005

because of the bees pollinating the trees”. Langlais agreed. He said that at present producers of melons and cucumbers have reported a significant decrease in their crop yields. Hotels, supermarkets and restaurants are als_

Nikisha Smith middle of a significant honey production shortage that is expected to last for at least four years. The problem is due to Varroa that came to Antigua's shores in the first quarter of 2005. In the last year the mites have

Antigua is

vampire’ mite had finally arrived in Antigua.

LIAT Islander Issue 69,

in the

completely taken over Antigua while Barbuda is clear for the moment. Chief Extension Officer Sereno Benjamin described the situation as a massive problem. One bee farmer, Kathy Knight, has estimated that by 2007 Antiqua will have a shortage because the bees are just disappearing. But Benjamin said that a shortage is already here. He related that when the agricultural

department wanted honey for display at the Food Fair and to give to boat crews during the Antigua Sailing Week, there was a problem securing enough.

Prior to the Varroa problem, Antigua had between 350-400 honeybee colonies. That population is severely depleted. Richards estimated that only about 20% of his stock has survived the parasites.

President of the Antigua Beekeepers' Co-operative, Alvin Langlais said that at this time of the year, the Co-operative usually has five barrels of honey. Now they cannot find enough to fill their orders. Many groups will be affected by

expected to suffer because the Co-operative will be unable to fulfil their production expectations.

Some measures are being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Benjamin said that the main treatment of the problem is time and colony management. Farmers have already held meetings with agricultural partners such as the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) on

colony management and the Government has employed The Honeyman, Alistair Jacobs, to work specifically with the bee farmers.

One solution that has been suggested is that the farmers change the type of boxes used for the bees to make honey. Instead of a solid bottom hive, the

bottom would be made out of mesh wire so that when the bees groom, the mites would drop to the ground. Langlais said that although it is good solution in theory, the mesh wire would introduce the problern of ants.

Usually, ants are no problem for bees but in their current weakened state, the bees a

would be killed and the larvae eaten by the ants. Langlais said that they are currently having problems getting transportation to check all of the hives

the decimation of the honeybee population. Knight expects that the farmers will feel the shortage because the bees will not be there to pollinate their

regularly. They have applied to the Minister of Marine Resources and Agro Industries, Joanne Massiah, who has promised that a vehicle would be

crops. "At one time there were no bees in our yard at Parham and after brought in the bees, we started to get a lot of sugar apples and citrus fruits

Continues at foot of next page...

|

provided for that purpose.

GLLY GOBINET

CARIBBEAN UPDATE

CARIBBEAN UPDATE

JAMAICA

AGRI MINISTRY MOVES TO EXPAND HONEY PRODUCTION John Myers and Rasbert Turner The Ministry of Agriculture is moving to increase honey production to meet demand for Jamaican honey on the international market. Through

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Pn

its Apiculture Unit, the Ministry has been recruiting and training farmers in beekeeping. The first batch of 28 young farmers graduated from the Bodles Research Centre in St Catherine on 6 April 2006. This was at a

cost of JM$2.1 million.

The 28 farmers were also given a grant of JM$71,000 each to assist with purchasing equipment for their farm. "This initiative falls under the umbrella of the Ministry's Agricultural Development Strategy which

seeks to train unemployed young people from rural communities in marketable agricultural skills, in order that they may achieve economic sustainability", Agriculture and Land Minister, Roger Clarke said. The beekeeping industry is one of eight priority areas identified by the Ministry for Development to generate employment and export earnings under the Agricultural Development Strategy. ,

fa

total of

JM$4.1 million has been spent out of the JM$30

that has been allocated for the development of the beekeeping industry. Reginald Peddy, Chief Apiculture Officer in the Apiculture Unit,

said there is also

@ revolving loan programme that is available to existing bee farmers who want to improve and expand honey production. He said loans are awarded based on the farmers’ location, size of current operation, ability to adapt to training and to meet prescribed production targets. Statistics from the Ministry's Data Bank show that honey production grew from 60,000 kg in 1997 to 77,000 kg in 2005. Data also showed that honey production per colony increased from 14.6 litres in 1997 to 34 litres in 2005. Mr Clarke credits this

improvement on the Apiculture Unit's involvement in training farmers to adopt new technology, research and pest management.

Winfield Murray, president of the All-Island Bee Farmers Association (AIBFA) said that based on the local and international demand for

Jamaican honey, the bee industry has the potential to be a ‘gold mine’.

He said there have been enquiries from the EU to supply the equivalent of two containers of honey per month. Unfortunately, he said this could not be met. He said also at least two other EU companies have

evernssed an interest in purchasing Jamaican honey.

‘___..c@ www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner, 17 April 2006 Bees for Development acknowledges the Jamaica this text and image.

Gleaner for the

use of

FURTHER INFORMATION

continued

Varroa destructor infested St Lucia and has completely wiped out the bee population, according to Dr Anthony Richards, Chief Government Chemist and

Member of the Antigua Beekeepers’ Cooperative. Barbuda has not been infected with the mite, as yet, and the Island is being protected as the last refuge for honey production. Richards said that beekeepers in Antigua understand not to bring in foreign bees, used boxes or bee tools. He feels that

this rule must also be employed in terms of transfer from Antigua to Barbuda.

AntiguaSun.com, 14 and 17 July 2006

VISIT TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Join the BfD Beekeepers' Safari 29 January - 8 February 2007

The Fourth Caribbean Beekeeping Congress was held in Trinidad & Tobago in November 2005 and reported in Bees for Development Journal 78. Plans are underway for the Fifth Congress, likely to be held in Guyana in 2008. Proceedings of the first three Caribbean Congresses can be purchased at www.beesfordevelopment.org/store

Antigua hit by Vampire’ mite

o;

Loren Allen is a bee farmer in Longwood Distnet, St Euzabeth Jamaica

Your host will be Mr Gladstone Solomon,

President of Tobago Apicultural Society, and you can anticipate a memorable visit.

For further details see

www.beesfordevelopment.org or contact us at the address on page 2.

CAMEROON

APICULTURE AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION

IN

Part Il: Successful co-operatives

BDC on average sells 13,000 litres of honey per year. generating an annual income of US$60,000 (€46,200). Located in rented premises within the Limbé Botanic Garden, with five permanent staff, one motorcycle and one

Emmanuel O Nuesiri. Oxford University Centre for the Environment, UK and Eunice E Fombad. Forest, Resources and People, Limbé,. Cameroon

CAMEROON

In

vehicle, BDC works with local community beekeeping groups. BDC maintains that it cannot meet the local market demand for honey. Micro-

Introduction

financing has been received from Cameroon's National Employment Fund, GTZ and Cameroon's Ministry of Agriculture and Rura! Development. BDC trains groups and individuals on bee farming and in turn buys their honey

BfDJ79 the authors introduced the beekeeping situation in Cameroon.

Here they describe their research findings.

The objective of our study, carried out overa period of six months (Nuesiri & Fombad, 2005), was to obtain a baseline understanding of beekeeping groups in the Cameroon Highlands eco-region and their contribution to

and markets it. Constraints experienced by BDC include inadequate training, lack of finance for purchase of beekeeping equipment, poor government support and lack of funding for local research.

biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. Research methods included literature review and semi-structured interviews.

Other beekeeping organisations of note include:

- Belo Rural Development Project (BERUDEP) Bamenda was founded

Apicultural initiatives

1997 by Simon Ngwainmbi and trains local communities

Two successful, local groups are at the forefront of apicultural initiatives in the region:

- Rural Development through Apiculture (RUDA) Limbé was

Apiculture and Nature Conservation Organisation (ANCO) Bamenda, NWP

- YADIKWA Honey is a private business venture set

2002 and trains local communities

ANCO was formed in 1992 and was known as the North West Beefarmers' Association (NOWEBA). Its goal is to promote conservation bee farming, market bee products and alleviate poverty in the rural North West Province

in

in

NWP

formed in

in the Mount Cameroon region.

up in 1998 by Yahyah

Divine Kwa.

Nurturing apiculture in Cameroon

of Cameroon. In 2002.

Cameroon's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, the nation's current

conservation. The group's motto is ‘plant a tree and save a bee’. ANCO in which it works to shun the destructive

development blueprint, places a strong emphasis on diversifying the nation's economy. It notes that one of the principal ways of doing this is by providing financial, infrastructural and institutional support to agri-business initiatives in rural areas. In its implementation, the

it changed its name to Apiculture and Nature Conservation Organisation. The founder and director is Paul Mzeka. ANCO has two principal areas of intervention: apicultural training and nature

sensitises the communities

emphasis has been on providing farmers with improved varieties of seeds, opening up farms to market roads, and supporting micro credit schemes.

There is little in the Paper that targets the development of alternative

practice of using bush fires when carrying out harvesting of honey from the wild, and actively encourages afforestation with emphasises on melliferous plants.

income-generating sectors such as apiculture. There is a need to address this oversight if the beekeeping sector is to fulfil its potential of alleviating poverty while conserving the natural resource base. Governmental support

The group is a co-operative made up of smaller groups and does not allow individual membership. ANCO targets groups consisting of unemployed youths and women (the latter were barred from honey harvesting in the

is a required catalyst for private investors to invest in apiculture. To obtain Government commitment, the apiculture community has to show that the sector can make significant contribution to the Government's efforts in

recent past). It has 230 local community groups who provide the head office with honey for sale. Working with rural! community groups to

achieve its goals, ANCO has trained over 2,955 bee farmers and 44 ‘local experts’ suitable as community trainers. Despite a fair amount of financial

reducing poverty. The starting point would be a study on apiculture production and consumption in Cameroon.

Support from a number of international sources, ANCO still faces the following constraints: Lack of capacity building for new staff; Lack of transportation facilities which necessitates the use of hired transport with

A study of this kind would provide quantitative evidence on the viability of the sector, and guidance as to how best to intervene for optimal result: addition, there is need for technical capacity building of practitioners i.. sector. This can be best achieved by the setting up of an apiculture research institute in the country. This could be an independent institute or a sub department in any of Cameroon's science based research institutions.

Furthermore dedicated micro-credit schemes targeted at beekeepers

its attendant risks and delays; Lack of financial resources to invest in strengthening the co-operative because external funding has been

piecemeal and small.

Despite these constraints, ANCO is the most well known beekeeping co-operative in the Cameroon Highlands, and ANCO's honey is marketed in

should be established. This will help provide venture capital to groups such as ANCO and BDC who wish to diversify their product base. While Affican countries such as Kenya have begun exporting honey, Cameroon

all the major cities in Cameroon's forest region including Yaoundé and Douala.

Beekeeping, Development and Conservation (BDC) Limbé, SWP

remains a net importer of honey.

Terence Njuakom formed BDC, in 2002 at the end of the OFID-funded Mt Cameroon Project Limbé. Terence had worked as the beekeeping expert, and took up the challenge of promoting beekeeping and

REFERENCES BIRDLIFE (2003) Birdtite and Cameroon Work to Protect Nation's Rich Biodiversity (online] http://www. birdlife. org/news/pr/2003/09/cameroonpas. html.

MINEFI (Ministry of Economy and Finance/World Bank) (2002) Living Conditions and Poverty Profile in Cameroon in 2001 - Final Results. Yaoundé, Cameroon,

conservation in the region at the end of the project. BDC's mission is that by 2008 the communities in and around the Cameroon mountains

NDAM N.. HEALY J.R.. ACWORTH J.. TCHOUTO PG. (2000) Case Study: Biodiversity on Mount Cameroon. In: Forests in Sustainable Mountain Development: a state of knowledge Report for

ecosystem range are efficiently carrying out beekeeping with consequent improvements in livelihoods, biodiversity conservation and alleviation of poverty. BDC's motto is 'more trees, more bees, more honey, more money,

2000, \UFRO Research Series 5. CABI. Wallingford. UK. NUESIRI E.0.. FOMBAD E.E. (2005) Report on Apiculture in the Cameroon Highlands. FOREP Limbé, Cameroon.

more happiness'. Specific objectives include: To build the capacities of communities and improve livelihoods: To establish beekeeping as an alternative to destructive use of natural resources; To promote the

SUNDERLAND T.. NDOYE 0. (2004) Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation-Case studies of Non-Timber Forest Products Systems: Volume 2 - Africa. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia.

VABI M.B., GARTLAN S.J. (1997) Institutional Framework for Biodiversity Conservation in Cameroon. Proceedings of the Conference on African Rainforests and Conservation of

transformation and marketing of apicultural products and equipment; To create an apicultural research, demonstration and information unit.

Biodiversity. http:/Avww.earthwatch. org/europe/limbe/limbe. htm!

10

Bees/o; Development Journal 80

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

+.

The favourable climate and vast natural resources in Mazandaran Province, situated in

a

WoC

i

‘

ROBERT KAJOBE

NEWS AROUND THE WORL the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, offer great potential for agricultural and economic

Unfortunately, this dearth of information about indigenous bees will continue unless more

funding for basic natural history research is forthcoming", asserts Roubik.

growth in the region. Over 2.200 tonnes of honey are produced annually in Mazandaran

Robert Kajobe and David Roubik

Province. Some 2,/00 beekeepers have 192,000 colonies across the northern lranian Province of Mazandaran - an average of 12.5 kg from each colony, reported the Provincial

Original article: Honey making bee colony abundance and predation by apes and humans Uganda Forest Reserve.

Biotropica 38(2): 210.

in

a

VBI ADC

TUTIN

Official of the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad.

There is only one honey processing and packaging plant throughout the Province. He t

Ls

also complained about the insufficient lowinterest loans granted to the honey producers and the shortage of wood for producing the

produced in nests of different species, nor how often bee species create new nests.

hive boxes required by the industry. ce: www.mehrnews.ir

Pygmies have harvested a nest of stingless bees

SOUTH KOREA

from this tree

Bee farmer protests over islands A South Korean bee farmer has covered his

and found that Pygmy names for the bees

body with bees in protest over a territorial dispute between Japan and South Korea. Ahn Sang-gyu, was stung 200 times. He was protesting against Japan's claim to number of rocky islets located in waters between Japan and South Korea. a

Called Dokdo in Korean and 7akeshima in Japanese, the area has caused a long-running rift between the nations.

"The honeybee dares to abandon her life when enemies are attempting to attack, to protect her own home. From now on, hope these bees

corresponded to scientific names, except for black and brown forms of Meliponula ferruginea. Honeybee (Apis) nests were numerous compared to other sites in the tropics, whereas stingless bee nests were relatively scarce. Nest abundance did not vary

Three tools used by Chimpanzees to harvest honey from stingless bee nests in Lope

Reserve. Gabon

with altitude, nor did pollen collection or the seasonality of flowering.

Robert Kajobe of the Dutch Tropical Bee Research Unit invited Roubik to visit the

Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda.

swienty -

Everything for the Beekeeper!

|

will contribute to protect our Dokdo", Ahn Sang-Gyu said.

He rovered himself in 187,000 bees to ssent the dimensions of the islands, which

measure 187,000 m2.

The rift threatened to flare up again last month after Japan said it would conduct a maritime survey in waters surrounding the islets. After negotiations in the South Korean capital Seoul, Japan agreed to cancel the survey after South Korea agreed to drop plans to officially register Korean names for trenches and ridges on the

seabed, www.news. bbc.co.uk

UGANDA Chimps, gorillas and humans harvest honey in the first study of indigenous African honeybees and stingless bees in the same habitat, humans and chimpanzees are the primary bee nest predators.

Batwa Pygmies, who have traditionally harvested honey for food, located 228 bee

nests (both honeybees and stingless bees) for the study. David Roubik, from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, identified the bees

Here African honeybees in their native habitat co-exist with five or more species of stingless

ys

bees. Chimps in the Park peel and chew the tips of vines and twigs to make honey dipsticks.

Roubik notes that indigenous groups in the Americas use similar honey brushes to harvest honey in areas where Africanised bees are relative newcomers.

"Most studies of stingless bees have been undertaken in South America and south-east

Asia and have ignored the ecology and context of Afro-tropical stingless bee species, particularly in equatorial regions. hope this is just the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration that will make a significant contribution to Afro-tropical bee research", writes Kajobe. "Bwindi-Impenetrable Forest is the only place on earth where gorillas, chimps |

and humans partition forest resources. Given the importance of honey as one of the most

nty.com

concentrated sources of sugar in the forest, and the fact that the Park Management Plan allows collection of non-timber forest products. there is an abysmal lack of ecological information

about the role of honey-making bees and the role of their natural predators in this ecosystem.

Nothing is known about the amount of honey

1]

Fax: +45 Soor Tel: +45 7448 6969 shop@swienty.com 7448

~

:

|

LOOK AHEAD / LEARN AHEAD / NOTICE BOARD

LOOK AHEAD AUSTRALIA APIMONDIA 40th International Apicultural Congress 9-14 September 2007, Metbourne Further details www.apimondia2007.com Apimondia Congress and Australia A BfD Beekeepers Safari in co-operation with Bikonsult of Sweden, September 2007 Further details www.beesfordevelopment.org

BULGARIA APIMONDIA Symposium: Selection and queen breeding

1-3 September 2006, Sofia Further details www.apimondia-symposiumbulgaria-2006.com CHILE

Second Latin American IUFRO Congress 23-2/ October 2007, La Serena Further details www.infor.cl

CHINA 9th AAA Conference

2008 Further details will appear here

CUBA 2do Congreso Cubano de Apicultura [2nd Cuban Beekeeping Congress] 16-19 January 2007, Havana Further details icongreso200/@eeapi.cu

CZECH REPUBLIC EurBee Second European Conference of Apidology with APIMONDIA Standing Commission on Pollination and Bee Flora

Session 10-14 September 2006, Prague Further details www.eurbee.org If

XVth Conference of Improvers and Inventors in Apiculture 17-19 November 2006, Prague Further details www.vcelarstvi.cz

UGANDA African Honey Trade Workshop 10-13 October 2006, near Kampala Further details page 16 and www. beesfordevelopment.org

FRANCE

UK

7th SICAMM Conference: International association for the protection of

the European dark bee

18-22 September 2006, Versailles Further details www.sicamm.org

APIMONDIA 41st International Apicultural Congress 21-24 September 2009, Montpellier Further details www.apimondia2009.com

GREECE APIMONDIA 1st International Forum on

-

Apitherapy Apimedica2006 12-15 October 2006, Athens Further details www.apimondia.org

National Honey Show 19-21 October 2006, RAF Hendon, London Further details. www.honeyshow.co.uk

USA 9th International Pollination Symposium 24-28 June 2007, lowa State University Further details maharris@iastate.edu

LEARN AHEAD KENYA Processing bee products

22-28 October, 2006, Baraka College Further details www.sustainableag.org

INDIA

SWEDEN

Integrated Beekeeping Development in South

Bees and flowers in Sweden 12-21 June 2007 A unique opportunity to celebrate 350 years since the birth of Carl Von Linnaeus

Asian Countries 13-14 November 2006, New Delhi Further details www.cenfound.org

TURKEY Vill European Congress of Entomology 17-22 September 2006, Izmir Further details www.ece2006.org 1st International Non-wood Forest Products Symposium 1-4 November 2006, Trabzon Further details www. ktu.edu.tr/nwfp 1st Balkan Federation of Apiculture Conference 29 March - 1 April 2007, Edirne Further details apifound@apimondiafoundation.org

A BfD Beekeepers Safari in co-operation with Bikonsult of Sweden Further details. www.beesfordevelopment.org UK

BfD Training Day 10 November 2006, Monmouth Further details www.beesfordevelopment.org USA Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course 21-24 September 2006, Utah Further details www.apitherapy.org Apitherapy Internet Course Further details www.apitherapy.com/aic. php

you want notice of your conference, workshop or meeting to be included here send details to Bees for Development, Troy, Monmouth, NP25 4AB, UK E mail info@beesfordevelopment.org 1. Proposals from students - school, college or post-graduate levels - to catry out studies or action research or campaign on an original idea.

NOTICE BOARD THE SHRIKANT JOSHI SHOLA FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT PROGRAMME Shrikant Joshi was brought up in Almora, India. He obtained a Masters

2. Proposals from small organisations or a group of individuals who are starting new work on or to promote the above values.

degree from Delhi University in Entomology and went on to support the work of a large number of organisations in the areas of development and

3. Proposals from individuals or organisations who wish to communicate by written or audio-visual means about the viability and benefits of

environment. A close associate of Keystone Foundation since its inception in 1993, he worked with them on several projects and capacity

alternative views of life.

building activities. His vast experience provided great inspiration. He was a fare resource person in this field, a great colleague, and a friend in many of our personal and professional journeys. Shrikant Joshi died from cancer in May 2006, at the age of 53.

Applications should be sent by post or e-mail to the following address: Keystone Centre, Post Box 35, Kotagiri - 643 217, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India E-mail: kt@keystone-foundation.org

Shrikant Joshi expressed his wish to use his lifetime experiences, ideas, principles and resources including his savings, to support initiatives of individuals and small organizations, unique and innovative in nature, working towards promoting the alternative way of life, that he stood for

WWF ANNOUNCES THE KATHRYN FULLER SCIENCE FOR NATURE FELLOWSHIPS Research proposals must be of importance to global biodiversity conservation and relevant to WWF's mission and programme.

and followed. Toward this, an Endowment Fund is being established.

The Fund will be administered through Keystone Foundation.

Applications will be invited annually, and three types of initiatives will be

Application deadline 15 November 2006.

supported:

See www.worldwildlife.org/fellowships

12

AVAILABLE FROM B/D NOW AT WWW.BEESFORDEVELOPMENT.ORG

Claire Preston 2006 206 pages Soft cover 14

(€21)

L=Tot

tym

Code P500

Bookshelf we have in recent editions reviewed a number of books that take a cultural look at bees, and this is one of the best. Claire Preston draws upon vast literature for her presentation. A flavour of the areas discussed can be gained from a the Chapter titles The reasons for bees, Biological bee, Kept bee, Political bee, Pious/corrupt bee, Utile bee, Aesthetic bee, Folkloric bee, Playful bee, Bee movie, and Retired bee. Even the most widely read beekeeper will find something new here: for example, did you know that Suggs, the ‘eminently

This is a learned and enjoyable essay about bees. Here on

sane’ lead singer of the 1980's band, Madness - chose a beehive as the one luxury he would like to take with him, when interviewed on the BBC's radio programme Desert island Discs? Most pages of

this beautifully presented book have excellent and interesting illustrations. Unfortunately, the text is slightly let down by mistakes concerning honeybee science, and a picture (ludicrous to any beekeeper) of marked queen, captioned ‘the queen bee is marked by her size and the red dot on her head.

However, this is not the book to read if you want to know about bee science or beekeeping. {t is a great book to read if you want to gain a wider perspective of bees' role within our human society. a

*OROFINANCE AND FOREST-BASED SMALL-SCALE

civ! ERPRISES

FAO 2005 94 pages Soft cover 12.50

(€18.80) Code F005

Forest-based small-scale enterprises (like beekeeping) are usually economic activities taking place at the individual or household level, often employing relatives or neighbours, and where salaried labour is

negligible. Such enterprises have great difficulty to obtain microfinance, which they need to purchase inputs (for example, packaging materials), to hire equipment or to smoothen uneven cash flows.

However, microfinance institutions regard small forest-based activities as risky, the people are in remote places, and the transaction costs of providing the small amount of finance will be relatively high.

This text seeks to inform people who are in positions to improve this situation, by examining the needs of the small-scale enterprises, and the different types of microfinance that might be available. Fact boxes provide plenty of examples of typical situations, and four case studies, from Nepal, Guatemala, Peru and Sudan are examined in detail. The text provides analysis and gives many suggestions for how

microfinance can be made successfully accessible, along with other services including savings, leasing, insurance and cash transfers. These are crucial resources in helping people out of poverty.

TEACH YOURSELF BEEKEEPING **-"n and Claire Waring :

168 pages Soft cover

11

(€16) Code W600

possible to learn beekeeping from a book? If it is, then this is the book - at least if you want to learn the craft as it may be practised in the UK, or other industrialised countries where European races of Apis mellifera are present. Much of the text, especially concerning equipment names, and seasonal information, relates to the UK. The information given is practical, clear and understandable, and importantly, the chapter on pests and diseases is up to date. This is an excellent book for the beginner, or would-be beekeeper - all the necessary information is here, and not in overwhelming detail.

Sections headed ‘What you need to notice’, ‘Cannot find the queen? contain just the sort of hints and

wae

beekeeping

Is it

. .

,

1

at Dee ay a the ecg pean! reed antl produce honey

Sabet

where cou wart

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tips that a beginner beekeeper needs to know, and only an experienced beekeeper can provide. An extremely useful new text that will surely guide many to fruitful beekeeping.

HOW TO ORDER Through our website store www.beesfordevelopment.org or send an e-mail, fax or post us a note of what you want.

Our contact details are on page 2.

DELIVERY DETAILS FREE delivery on orders to UK addresses + * *

Add 10% for delivery to Europe; 25% for delivery outside Europe Orders over 500 request our quote for delivery costs

We are not responsible for loss or damage in transit unless insurance is paid with the order: up to 100 add 10; up to 500 add 15, to total order cost.

WAYS TO PAY (please send payment with order)

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fromm

and expiry dates, card issue number (if given)

yourset!

Bees/v/ Development Journal 80

AVAILABLE FROM

B/D NOW AT WWW.BEESFORDEVELOPMENT. ORG

YT

DVD - VOICES FROM THE FOREST and PROFITING FROM HONEYBEES Telapak with the NTFP Exchange Programme 20

(€30)

Code VID40

Two films on one DVD. In the first, Voices from the forest (43 minutes), people living in forest communities in Southeast Asia introduce their way of life and talk about their activities and concerns.

This is a good introduction to the importance of NTFPs (non-timber forest products), and shows the

many skills that enable people to live from the forest resources surrounding them. Communities in Malaysia (Sarawak), Indonesia and the Philippines are highlighted. For all of them, conflict with

logging companies and land-rights are the main problem. The final example, of a forest community in the Philippines. shows that when land rights are secured, and when the skilfully made and beautiful NTFPs are marketed properly, forests and their human communities can be sustained. During Voices from the forest. beekeeping in Danau Sentarum National Park Indonesia is glimpsed briefly. The second film is Profiting from honeybees (25 minutes), and focuses entirely on the special apiculture

practised here. The communities here harvest honey from the Apis dorsata colonies nesting in the swamps, obtaining up to 25 tonnes of honey each season, and a significant income source. The film introduces the three types of honey hunting: Lekw - the ownership of the tree is passed down through

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Repak- the tree is not owned but a honey hunter can put his ‘mark’ on the tree to claim the from the honey colony. Thirdly, and the method shown here in detail, is Tikung, in which a rafter is attached to the tree for the colony to build its nest. Each t/kung takes about one hour to prepare, and a honey hunter will have 50-100 in use at any time. generations:

These two films are informative and enjoyable, and highly suitable for showing at beekeepers’ and other meetings. The first film has a commentary in English. Profiting from honeybees has English subtitles.

Steadfast BfD Journal readers will remember the article on Tikung beekeeping in issue 59. This article is available now on the Information Centre of our website www.beesfordevelopment.org/into/into

APIARY GUIDES Bee Craft 2005 5 (€7.50) per pack Code (see below) The publishers of Bee Craft. the UK beekeeping magazine, have prepared these guides to provide brief and clear introductions to some of the pests and diseases that challenge beekeepers. The guides have been prepared as laminated (easy to clean) 24 x 17 cm full colour sheets.

Code POS - Pack 1: Integrated pest management: Varroa destructor, its recognition and control (five sheets) Code PO6 - Pack 2: Small hive beetle, Tropilaelaps clareae, American foulbrood, European foulbrood and minor brood diseases (four sheets)

NOTICE BOARD PROJECT PROVISION

BEE BOOKS NEW AND OLD The Weaven, Little Dewchurch, Hereford HR2 6PP UK, for your new second-hand books. Telephone +44 (0)1432 840529 or

ar

FAO. the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, supports beekeeping projects in developing countries. Beekeepers’

www.honeyshop.co.uk

groups and associations may apply for small project funding of up to US$10,000 from the TeleFood Special Fund. Request documents should include a brief description of the project's objectives, the proposed food

International Foundation for Science (IFS) received over 700 applications for grants during the 2nd half of 2005 and was able to fund 140 of these.

A new period is now open and calls for applications for Research Grants from young scientists in developing countries. Details of eligibility criteria, areas of scientific research covered and forms are available at

production or income-generating activities, the work plan, the number of participants, a detailed list of inputs with cost estimates and the reporting

arrangements. Submit your request to the office of FAO or UNDP in your country. Applications for projects with budgets over US$10,000 must be submitted through a Government Ministry. See www.fao.org

Remember to tell B/D the outcome of your application.

BEE CRAFT full colour monthly magazine for beginners and experts alike covering all aspects of beekeeping in the UK and lreland. 20 for 12 issues.

A

Credit cards accepted.

For free sample copy contact secretary@bee-craft.com

ULUDAG BEE JOURNAL News, practical information and research articles - a link between Turkish beekeeping and the world. Published quarterly in Turkish with English

summaries. Contact www.uludagaricilik.org

IFS ASSISTANCE

www. ifs.se

IDB

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a project to support rural development in Guatemala and boost the incomes of rural households, particularly in indigenous communities. Visit www.iadb.org

IDBAmérica invites university students in Latin America and the Caribbean to submit an original article for the 2006 Scholarship Competition. See www.iadb.org/idbamerica

PROJECT PLANNERS Remember to include an allowance for publications and BfDJ subscriptions in your proposal budget. We can help with expert advice and supply you with an appropriate beekeeping library. Do not forget to include in your proposal, participation costs for you to attend beekeeping meetings.

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BeesforDevelopment STORE We offer you a specialised service providing books, posters, CDs and DVDs. We are particularly focussed on apiculture as it is practised in developing countries. Many beekeeping projects and interventions publish information about their work, however the print run is usually small, and these materials would not be otherwise widely available. In addition to

these special texts, we offer many of the best publications on bees, apiculture and related fields.

We now have a new web store: take a look today! Payment is easier than ever, making use of safe and secure PayPal.

www.beesfordevelopment.org

AFRICAN HONEY TRADE: WORKSHOP 10-13 October, 2006 Uganda FORMALISING THE AFRICAN HONEY TRADE FORUM AND PLANNING FOR ACTION The harvest and sale of bee products is an economic opportunity accessible to poor households and their communities. The full potential of this sector to bring income to African beekeepers is not being realised for

-

a

number of reasons:

Workshop Sponsors

Rowse Honey Lid. UK. www.rowsehoney.co.uk

ap

Business Link Challenge Fund (BLCF), DFID UK

www. challengefunds.or,

tough market criteria

This Workshop is being.

-

potential exporters lack connections and exposure to the global marketplace

-

inefficient intermediate trading between producers, traders and exporters

organised by Bees for Development

-

in cooperation with the South and East Africa Honey Trade Forum, The

low capacity amongst producers to be organised and linked with buyers

lack of wide appreciation of the special qualities of African honey

The need to address these issues was realised at the Bees for Development BLCF Honey Trade Workshop, held in Dublin in August 2005. An outcome from that event was the formation of the South and East African Honey Trade Forum, which has provided the momentum for this next Workshop in Uganda.

Uganda Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and The Uganda National Apiculture Development Organization (TUNADO).

This Workshop will provide a forum for discussions concerning EU market criteria, the FLO honey trade standards, and organic certification. Profiling and marketing the special qualities of African honey will be discussed. Intended outputs from the Workshop include analysis of the challenges facing the regional honey trade, formalisation of the African Honey Trade Forum and an action plan for achievable interventions.

The venue is the Ridar Hotel, Seeta, near Kampala, Uganda For more information and registration procedure see www.beesfordevelopment.org and go to BfD events.

Do your bees

James Fearnley of BeeVital is

www.beevitalpropolis.com

A major research project has been started by BeeVital and we would like your help.

make propolis?

We would like to test it and

possibly buy

it

from you.

a leading world authority on the nature of propolis & its medicinal properties, he is author of Bee Propolis-Natural Healing from the Hive retailing at 9.99 plus p&p.

if you are interested in finding out whether your propolis is suitable for medicinal use and learning about sustainable ways of harvesting & using propolis please send a sample

(50g) to:

BeeVital, Brereton Lodge, Goathland, Whitby, North Yorkshire Y022 5JR, UK Tel:

Fax:

+44 (0) 1947 896037 + +44 (0) 1947 896482

+

Email: info@beevitalpropolis.com

+44 (0) 16007 13648

ISSN 1477-6588

Telephone

Printed on environmentally friendly paper

E-mail info@beesfordevelopment.org

Troy, Monmouth

Web www.beesfordevelopment.org

NP25 4AB, UK

Beesfor Development 2006

Bees/orDevelopment