Quality Focused Apiculture Sector Value Chain Development in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is an ＂apiculture country＂ with more than 10 million honey bee colonies. Ethiopia is also a ＂honey country＂; the annual honey and beeswax production potentials are 550,000 and 50,000 metric tons, respectively, with about one tenth actually produced. Since 2008, Ethiopia is EU ＂third country＂ listed for the export of honey. However, the national research system identified serious bottlenecks, such as traditional smallholder level production with very low productivity and problematic supply chain; quality issues, including adulteration; lack of access to credit; constrained input supply chain and input quality issues. This paper illustrates how quality defects have been addressed in a quality focused value chain development （VCD） approach, with focus on： creating a favorable policy ground; implementing regional, national and continental multi-stakeholder-platforms （MSPs） for dialogue; information and knowledge sharing and sector advocacy; strengthening supportive sector organizations along the value chain; networking and market intelligence, including exposition and conference organization; expansion of research centers and activities; laboratory qualification for intematioual accreditation. Many components are implemented through the largest national apiculture sector development programme called Apiculture Scaling-Up Programme for Income and Rural Employment （ASPIRE）, which transfers innovations to more than 30,000 beekeepers. Among others, ASPIRE was instrumental in qualifying national testing facilities, which in turn led to product quality improvement. However, more action is required in the fields of business-to-business （B2B） linkages, research, education and training, as well as in making so far voluntary practices mandatory. This also calls for full traceability and routine quality testing along the value chain.

Comprehensive Value Chain Development of Natural Resources for Economic Diversification: The Apiculture Approach

The present economic challenges in Nigeria call for a serious sustainable environment-friendly agricultural enterprise with a great potential that improves export earnings. It is our fervent believe that the contribution of the apiculture sector to its sustainable human development and specifically increases the income of beekeepers and traders of bee products through improved commercialization of quality bee products in Nigeria which will in turn lead to a drastic increase in the GDP of the nation. The overall goal of the Nigeria Apiculture Value Chain (AVC) Development Program is to contribute to an increase income of beekeepers and other actors on the AVC through increase in production capacity, stimulate the efficiency and competitiveness of the AVC products by improving standards, processing capacity so as to access higher value niche markets through Fairtrade International (FLO) certification or organic certifications and to achieve a total sales value of over $5 million by 2035 (Sustainable Development Goal SDG) target on Food Security. Apiculture provides highly desirable products such as honey, comb/wax, pollen, propolis, bee venom, royal jelly, apilarnil and apilanil prop, value added products and pollination services. It is of note to stress the need to urgently embrace the use of modern techniques in keeping honeybees for industrial development of Nigeria and also to enhance exportation of the products to earn growth in the Nigeria’s GDP by diversifying the monolithic economy that is presently based on crude oil exportation.

The difference in pollen harvest between Apis mellifera and Apis cerana in a Tibetan alpine meadow

To explore the difference in pollen harvest between the western honey bee Apis mellifera and a native eastern honey bee A.cerana in the Zoige alpine meadows in the northeastern part of the QinghaiTibetan Plateau,we investigated species diversity of the harvested pollen and the amount of harvested pollen per bee for both species,and calculated the niche overlap(in terms of similarity in harvested pollen)between the two bee species during the flowering season from June to August 2016.Results showed that the species diversity of the harvested pollen was indistinguishable between the two bee species.Nevertheless,A.mellifera carried more(although not significant)pollens per bee than A.cerana.Moreover,pollen composition differed between the two bee species:A.mellifera mainly foraged on Anemone rivularis,Saussurea nigrescens and Anemone trullifolia,while A.cerana foraged on Anemone rivularis,Stellera chamaejasme,and Pedicularis longiflora.Consistently,the niche overlap between the two honeybee species was particularly small in several observations.Our results indicate a niche separation in pollen resource between the two honeybee species in a Tibetan alpine meadow.

KRIFS Quartet Model Improving Livelihoods and Fueling Tourism in Kitagwenda District, Western Uganda

Kyabwanswa Rural Integrated Farming Systems(KRIFS)is a Community Based Organization(CBO)with its Head Office in Kitagwenda Town Council.KRIFS quartet model involves emphasis of integrating four agricultural activities namely:Apiculture,agro-forestry,coffee and at least one type of livestock.The paper utilizes data obtained from January 2017 surveys,interviews,focus group discussions and observations by the authors.The authors observe that the four activities are symbiotic income generating enterprises.The quartet model has greatly contributed in reducing poverty,increasing agricultural productivity,facilitating value addition,conserving the environment,halting biodiversity loss and mitigating climate change.The model is strongly hinged on training of farmers in organized groups more especially the youth and the women.The involvement of KRIFS in integrated farming that involves introducing new innovations to improve production and productivity in agriculture through improved breeds of livestock and crops as well as environmental conservation being pivotal in its operations,has culminated to agro-tourism in the district.The authors recommend that the model be implemented in the whole of Uganda.Apiculture should be included in the priority commodity list for the parish model.Agro-tourism is yet another economic activity that should be exploited to reduce unemployment,conserve the environment and reduce effects of climate change.

Changing climate patterns risk the spread of Varroa destructor infestation of African honey bees in Tanzania

Background:Climate change creates opportune conditions that favour the spread of pests and diseases outside their known active range.Modelling climate change scenarios is oftentimes useful tool to assess the climate analogues to unveil the potential risk of spreading suitability conditions for pests and diseases and hence allows development of appropriate responses to address the impending challenge.In the current study,we modelled the impact of climate change on the distribution of Varroa destructor,a parasitic mite that attacks all life forms of honey bees and remains a significant threat to their survival and productivity of bee products in Tanzania and elsewhere.Methods:The data about the presence of V.destructor were collected in eight regions of Tanzania selected in consideration of several factors including potentials for beekeeping activities,elevation(highlands vs.lowlands)and differences in climatic conditions.A total of 19 bioclimatic datasets covering the entire country were used for developing climate scenarios of mid-century 2055 and late-century 2085 for both rcp4.5 and rcp8.5.We thereafter modelled the current and future risk distribution of V.destructor using MaxEnt.Results:The results indicated a model performance of AUC=0.85,with mean diurnal range in temperature(Bio2,43.9%),mean temperature(Bio1,20.6%)and mean annual rainfall(Bio12,11.7%)as the important variables.Future risk projections indicated mixed responses of the potential risk of spreads of V.destructor,exhibiting both decrease and increases in the mid-century 2055 and late-century 2085 on different sites.Overall,there is a general decline of highly suitable areas of V.destructor in mid-and late-century across all scenarios(rcp4.5 and rcp8.5).The moderately suitable areas indicated a mixed response in mid-century with decline(under rcp4.5)and increase(under rcp8.5)and consistent increase in late century.The marginally suitable areas show a decline in mid-century and increase in late-century.Our results suggest that the climate change will continue to significantly affect the distribution and risks spread of V.destructor in Tanzania.The suitability range of V.destructor will shift where highly suitable areas will be diminishing to the advantage of the honey bees’populations,but increase of moderately suitable sites indicates an expansion to new areas.The late century projections show the increased risks due to surge in the moderate and marginal suitability which means expansion in the areas where V.destructor will operate Conclusion:The current and predicted areas of habitat suitability for V.destructor’s host provides information useful for beekeeping stakeholders in Tanzania to consider the impending risks and allow adequate interventions to address challenges facing honey bees and the beekeeping industry.We recommend further studies on understanding the severity of V.destructor in health and stability of the honey bees in Tanzania.This will provide a better picture on how the country will need to monitor and reduce the risks associated with the increase of V.destructor activities as triggered by climate change.The loss of honey bees’colonies and its subsequent impact in bees’products production and pollination effect have both ecological and economic implications that need to have prioritization by the stakeholders in the country to address the challenge of spreading V.destructor.

Sustainability criteria of apicultural industry:evidence from Iran

This study aimed to determine the sustainability criteria of the beekeeping industry in Iran,which was performed using three-stage classical Delphi technique.The participants were 32 experts in beekeeping industry who were purposefully selected using the snowball sampling method.The criteria identified,after three Delphi stages,consisted of 70 items,which were categorized into 13 general criteria and into four economic,environmental,social,and institutional dimensions.The general criteria were presented in the form of a conceptual model,including:farmers’environmental behavior quality,beekeepers'environmental behavior quality,the quality of marketing and sales of beekeeping productions,productivity and performance improvement,amount of monetization from pollinations'right,the amount of monetization of byproducts and value added,employment rate and job stability,the level of social development of stakeholders,the quality of the role-playing of non-governmental stakeholders,the quality of extension and education new sciences and technologies to stakeholders,comprehensiveness of laws and programs,quality of role-playing of stakeholder non-governmental organizations,and the quality of the roleplaying of governmental institutions stakeholder.Using them,a comprehensive perception of the necessary criteria for the sustainability of Iran's beekeeping industry can be obtained and a comprehensive program can be designed for its implementation.