WHY BEEKEEPING?

Beekeeping as an activity offers great potential for development in almost all African countries. It is easy and cheap to start, it can provide valuable food/medicine for the family and honey and beeswax are important cash crops with ready local market.

Beekeeping requires little land and therefore is an ideal activity for small scale resource-poor farmers. Beekeeping also enhances the environment and increases crop yields through pollination. Beekeeping gives local people an economic incentive for the retention of natural habitats such as forests and therefore is an ideal activity in any forest conservation programme.

These hives are generally made from hollowed out logs, baskets or pots. They are also commonly made from simple boxes or other containers. Careful introduction of better technology top bar and frame hives can significantly improve the yields and quality of bee products. This is no easy task - care must be taken to understand local culture and traditions of the people, their existing technology (and its improvement), the climate/seasons in the area and the behavior of the bees themselves. Most importantly market links for improved products have to be established or any initiative to improve beekeeping will not succeed.