Southwest Honey Federation Regional Meeting Report: South
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GCP/RAF/408/EC « MOBILISATION ET RENFORCEMENT DES CAPACITES DES PETITES ET MOYENNES ENTREPRISES IMPLIQUEES DANS LES FILIERES DES PRODUITS FORESTIERS NON LIGNEUX EN AFRIQUE CENTRALE » Avec l’appui financier de la Commission Européenne Southwest Honey Federation Regional Meeting Report Buea, 15th May 2008 Le présent document a été réalisé avec la participation financière de l'Union européenne. Les opinions qui y sont exprimées ne peuvent en aucun cas être considérées comme reflétant la position officielle de l'Union européenne. Context This meeting constitutes part of the ongoing effort aimed at reinforcing the capacities of small and medium size enterprise involved in the exploitation of non-forest timber products within the central African region. As was presented at the beginning of the meeting/workshop by the SNV Highlands Team Leader, the institutional development in the honey sector requires that actors in the apiculture sector to be organised at various levels of bee beekeepers’ structures. This should form a better base for their resources mobilization and mutual benefit from other partners, both at national and international levels. This is a second regional meeting of bee farmers organised within the framework of the project after the one of the North West that took place in October 2007. This activity is one of the recommendations of the Cameroon Honey Marketing forum which was organised by actors in the sector in Limbe in November 2006. Objectives of the workshop • Improved Institutional strengthening of the South West bee farmers Union • Analyse Sector priorities for FAO/SNV 2008 support for the Honey Sector in the South West province of Cameroon. workshop programme • Openning Prayer • Introduction of participants • Openning word/presentation of the project • Presentation of the workshop objectives • Dynamics in the honey sector in the South West Province Challenges and constraints • Perspectives of FAO and SNV • Ways forward Dynamics in the honey sector In order to better understand the current situation within the honey sector in the Southwest province, participants were led into a group exercise. The Terms of reference for the group exercise were as follows: • Dynamics (what is the current situation) in the honey sector in the southwest of Cameroon. *At the provincial level *At the Divisional/other levels Organization -status, mission, number of members etc Planned activities Who is behind the initiative? The various organizational levels that exist were identified as follows At Divisional levels: At Sub Divisional level 2 - Muyuka - Lebialem - Bayang/Mbo - MemeFako - Lower Mundani - Manyu - Tombel - Ndian - Kupe manenguba Results of Group work Manyu Manyu reported as follows: They are so far: • Organized into CIGs (About 40 registered CIGs) Statistics for the other sub-Divisions are not yet known. Planned Activities • Sensitize the others on the need of uniting into Unions Who is behind?/partners Current supporters/partners include the following: • FORUDEF • DEP • Rumpi • INADES Formation Meme bee farmers’ chapters • This chapter is so far made up of registered bee farming groups, mostly CIGs from the entire sub division. • The Meme chapter is covered by SOWEBEFU Mission • Meme chapter to be legalized Ndian Existing Groups 1. LIPENJA BATANGA 1. This is made up of the Lipenje Bee farming group with 21 members 2. ESOKI Bee farmers Association - 02 members 3. FABE Young Livestock Framers -02 members Mission 1. To alleviate poverty 2. Supported by DED to cut down on the rate of hunting Activities 1. Monthly meetings which hold two times in the various groups. 2. Fabe - 10 Hives in the field Esoki -09 hives in the field Lipenje - 09 Hives in the field Legal Status Legalization process ongoing. Members Fabe: 14 members 3 Lipenje: 06 members Esoki: 15 members Fako Fako has a situation of two structures since 2005 There is 1. Fako Bee farms Union, comprised of the following structures: • Bonakanda Integrated Mt Fako • Fose women Bokwango • RWTU Soppo • Wake up small Soppo • Woteke Women CIG • Mary Anne Women Bwassa Their partners include: • FAFNET • API FLODEV France • PUM Netherlands • Bees Abroad U.K 2. South west Bee farmers Union Branch Fako, made of: • Mary Anne Bee keeping • RWTU Buea • Muyuka Bee farms Association • Befco Muyuka • Yoke Dynam,ic Beefarms • Sypro • Mile 4 • Ombe native park • Tiko Bee farmers Partners INADES Formation, SNV and FAO 3. Malatako CIG INAPA CIG Bokwango Beefarms United Beefarms Bova Partners -Rumpi as a financial partner -ERUDEF -Juliate Wright U.K, Financially -INADES -MEBEES Existing Structure - 20 CIGs - Lebialem hunters Beekeeping initiative - Lower Mundani Bee framer Association Lebialem Current situation - No legal structure exists yet, No board 4 - Organized into a CIG Mission - Promote bee keeping for poverty alleviation Planned Activities - Organize bee farmers in the different divisions - Legalize the structure and form a board - Plant trees - Mobilize finances Kupe Manenguba Manner of organization • Tambe Bangem Bee farmers Association (TOBA) • Nguti Bee keeping and Natural Resources management CIG • BMWS bee keeping Association Toba • They have 60 groups divided into 06 zones • Has been existing since 1998 • Membership is 231 NBENAREMA CIG • Registered in 2000 as CIG • Working with individual farmers in Nguti • BMWS bee farmers Association to check pressure on wild life species Working in collaboration with MINEPIA/MINAGRI Wes nature Cameroon Bees Abroad, U.K Presentation of SOWEBEFU (South West Bee Farmers' Union) At the provincial level, SOWEBEFU, an ongoing initiative to rally all bee farmers was presented as follows: - They have so far carried out sensitization in several areas of the province, notably Fako, Meme, and Lebialem, but have not been able to reach all other areas of the province due to limited means - The structure already has an action plan - The union is however not yet registered Provincial structure of SOWEBEFU Present composition/organization • Comprised of a 09 man Executive comprised of • A President • A vice President • a Secretary • A Financial secretary • Treasurer • A Public Relations Officer So far, 05 Divisions in the province are represented in the structure. 5 Current partners - INADES Formation - SNV, and FAO After asking several questions on the structure, all actors in the sector saw with the Suggestion of the SOWEBEFU president, the need to move forward as one body - as a team Suggested ways forward with SOWEBEFU The participants unanimously suggested following ways forward with their union: • Improve on the present Union • Integrate the other existing structures into the present union • Restructure the three existing Divisional structure • Create more chapters in due time At provincial level as well once existed SOWEBEKA (South west Beekeepers’ Association) - It was however unable to unite bee farmers in the province - It had some support from INADES Formation which helped them to reinforce and come under the umbrella of a new structure General Conclusion: The forming of a common viable base for the revitalisation of the national federation of bee farmers of Cameroon was attained, freely and unanimously. SOWEBEFU had to be strengthened from where it actually is, to where the members would want it be. This can only come about through the joint efforts of all actors in the sector rallying their forces behind SOWEBEFU. In the words of the current President at the close of the workshop, he and his team are only servants, and the structure shall be able to achieve its vision through joint efforts and support of the others. Role of the various chapters It was also agreed that the role of the Chapters should be: • Production, and marketing South West Bee Farmers' Union Action Plan for 2008 After presenting SOWEBEFU, its 2008 Action plan was equally presented. The other members coming on board found the ideas in eh plan reflecting their current needs. However, as an operational plan, it will still be open for the members to make suggestions and adjustments wherever needed. The main activities in the plan were presented as follows: • Training needs identification in the various chapters. • Bee keeping training • Sensitization • Fundraising • Planting of bee loving trees. • Organizational Development support. Mobilization at the levels of the other Divisions began with volunteers as focal points and plans for meetings in meetings in the near future. Planned meetinmgs included 6 Meme Meeting Date: June 3. 2008 Venue: MINEPIA office at 10.00am Fako Meeting Date: June 4.2008 Venue: MINEPIA OFFICE at 9.00am Action Plan of INADES Formation As a support structure in the domain, INANDES Formation came up with its proposed action plan for the near future. The plan consisted of the following: • Elaborate action plans for the various existing chapters (First week of June) • Identify focal points /persons who should organize the chapter and give feedback to the support organization. The following were identified on the occasion: Ndian : Dr. Nkwatoh. Phone: 7787-5975, CODEV Services Kupe Manenguba : Ngwese Dominic, Phone; 7762-9568 Manyu : Tabe moses Phone: 7771-8913, FORUDEF Lebialem: Amingu David. Phone: 7776-9848 MEBEECIG, and Ndi Nkem Mondouh Thomas. Phone: 7514-6078, KEMKEM Perspectives of FAO and SNV The planned activities of SNV and FAO in the honey sector for 2007-2008 were presented as follows • Organization of bee keepers (at both provincial and national levels) • Trainings in improved bee keeping techniques • Business skills training. • Develop