CAMBODIA MSME 2/BEE PROJECT WILD HONEYBEE BASELINE SURVEY TASK ORDER NO. 04 AUGUST 2009 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Crossroads To Development for the Cambodia MSME project implemented by DAI. The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION: THE USAID CAMBODIA MSME PROJECT ............................................................................... 1 II. THE WILD HONEYBEE BASELINE SURVEY ........................................................................................................ 4 A. Study Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 4 B. Study Area ......................................................................................................................................... 4 C. Data‐collection Methodologies and Activities Undertaken .............................................................. 7 D. Limitations of the Study .................................................................................................................... 7 III. FINDINGS OF THE HONEYBEE BASELINE SURVEY .......................................................................................... 9 A. Biodiversity Situation of the Project Area ......................................................................................... 9 1. Background on the Cardamom Area .......................................................................................... 10 2. Wild Honey Harvesting Areas ..................................................................................................... 11 3. Bee Species and Rank by Volume of Honey Harvested ............................................................... 13 4. Identified Conditions of Forest and Biodiversity Through the Transect Walk ............................ 15 5. Health of Honeybee Biodiversity ................................................................................................. 18 6. Collection of Non‐Timber Forest Products (NTFP) ...................................................................... 19 7. Threats to the Forest Biodiversity ............................................................................................... 20 8. Institutional Arrangement Covering the Harvest Areas ............................................................. 20 B. Supply Chain .................................................................................................................................... 21 1. Honey Harvesting Households .................................................................................................... 22 2. Household Members’ Participation and Activities ...................................................................... 23 3. Household Members’ Time Involvement in Wild Honeybee Livelihood Activities ...................... 24 4. Seasonality of Honey Harvesting ................................................................................................ 24 5. Honeybee Products Harvested and Common Uses ..................................................................... 26 6. Volume of Honey Products Harvested ........................................................................................ 27 7. Sale of Honey Products and Prices per Product .......................................................................... 27 8. Household Income from Honeybee Products .............................................................................. 28 9. Standard Honey Harvesting Practices and Ownership ............................................................... 29 10. Group System of Harvesting (Honey Association) ...................................................................... 30 11. Rafter Beekeeping/Rate of Occupancy ....................................................................................... 31 12. The Honey Supply Chain: Market Linkage .................................................................................. 32 a. Local Honeybee Products’ Market in Srae Ambel ................................................................... 32 b. Local Traders .......................................................................................................................... 33 c. The Community Association ................................................................................................... 33 Final Report: Cambodia MSME 2/BEE Wild Honeybee Baseline Survey d. Processor/Wholesaler ............................................................................................................. 35 13. Partners That Can Be Tapped and Their Programs..................................................................... 36 IV. SUMMARY ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................... 39 A. Summary of the Value Chain Process ............................................................................................. 39 B. Key Issues/Challenges in the Supply/Value Chain .......................................................................... 40 1. Biodiversity‐Related Issues ......................................................................................................... 40 2. Labor and Income Contributed by Honey Livelihood Activities .................................................. 41 3. Supply and Value of Honey Products .......................................................................................... 42 4. Marketing ................................................................................................................................... 43 5. Quality of Honey ......................................................................................................................... 44 6. Other Product Processing ........................................................................................................... 44 C. General Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 45 1. Intensify Awareness Raising On the Role of Wild Honeybees as a Keystone Species ................. 45 2. Continue the Link of the Honey Value Chain Enterprise to the Cardamom Biodiversity Corridor Initiative .............................................................................................................................................. 45 3. A More Defined Resource Profiling and Resource Use System for Honey Associations ............. 46 4. Negotiating With the Kirirom Hydropower Project for Continued Access to the Forest ............ 46 5. Encourage Bee Product Processing ............................................................................................. 47 6. Quality of Honey Improvement .................................................................................................. 47 7. Selling Strategies Focused On Distinctness of the Product ......................................................... 48 8. Undertake a Future Study on Other Market Segment Potentials ............................................... 48 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Srae Ambel District ......................................................................................................................... 5 Figure 2 Botum Sakor District ...................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 3 Harvesting Areas .......................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 4 Eco‐walk Route in Prang Village .................................................................................................... 15 Figure 5 Eco‐walk Route in Preah Ang Keo Village .................................................................................... 16 Figure 6 Eco‐walk Route in Ta Meak Village ............................................................................................... 17 Figure 7 Seasonality of Honey Harvest ...................................................................................................... 25 Figure 8 Rice Shortage ............................................................................................................................... 25 Figure 9 Value Chain Flowchart ................................................................................................................. 32 Figure 10 Honeybee Value Chain Diagram ................................................................................................ 39 Final Report: Cambodia MSME 2/BEE Wild Honeybee Baseline Survey LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Sample Communes, Villages and Households.................................................................................. 6 Table 2 Villages Where Harvesting Areas Are Located .............................................................................. 11 Table 3 Bee Species Found in the Study Areas .......................................................................................... 13 Table 4 Forestry and Fishery Status and Membership in Community