Rakesh Kumar Gupta · Wim Reybroeck Johan W. van Veen · Anuradha Gupta Editors Beekeeping for Poverty Alleviation and Livelihood Security Vol. 1: Technological Aspects of Beekeeping Beekeeping for Poverty Alleviation and Livelihood Security Rakesh Kumar Gupta • Wim Reybroeck Johan W. van Veen • Anuradha Gupta Editors Beekeeping for Poverty Alleviation and Livelihood Security Vol. 1: Technological Aspects of Beekeeping Editors Rakesh Kumar Gupta Wim Reybroeck Division of Entomology Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Research (ILVO) Sciences and Technology of Jammu Technology and Food Science Unit Chatha, Jammu (J&K) , India Melle , Belgium Johan W. van Veen Anuradha Gupta Centro de Investigaciones Apícolas Government of J&K Tropicales Jammu , India Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica Heredia , Costa Rica ISBN 978-94-017-9198-4 ISBN 978-94-017-9199-1 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-9199-1 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg New York London Library of Congress Control Number: 2014948789 © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014 This work is subject to copyright. 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Cover illustration: Beekeeping for livelihood – Beekeepers Learning and practicing Royal Jelly production and Queen rearing in India Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Bees not only work together to achieve a common goal but, in the process, create a highly coordinated, effi cient, and remarkably productive organization. They continue to be a source of motivation for the human mind to think of innovations for bringing improvement in the quality of human life. This book is therefore dedicated to them for eradicating poverty and human sufferings. Foreword Cet ouvrage peut paraître une suite logique de tout le travail accompli depuis des décennies par des associations de développement ou œuvres caritatives dans le domaine de la vulgarisation apicole. Les erreurs stratégiques, en termes de transferts technologiques Nord-Sud, sont du domaine du passé et ont fait place à une approche plus pointue des désirs et capacités des populations fragiles à travers le monde. En fait, ce livre est en droite ligne de ce que les décideurs et acteurs de dével- oppement apicole doivent appliquer. De plus, il n’oublie pas d’aborder un thème souvent négligé, c’est-à-dire tout ce qui est en aval dans les sphères de la qualité des produits de la ruche et de la commercialisation, y compris le vaste et plus que prom- etteur domaine de l’apithérapie. Il est ironique de constater l’inversion des mentalités et pratiques depuis quelques années. En effet, face à des problèmes accrus de mortalité annuelle anormale du cheptel apiaire aux Etats-Unis et en Europe, les regards se tournent désormais vers un suivi des colonies plus proche de la vie des abeilles que celui des obligations de rentabilité à tout crin. Une partie des apiculteurs des pays développés, surtout en occident, tant débutants, urbains que professionnels, se tournent vers des conduites et un cahier des charges plus proches de l’apiculture extensive telle que, par exem- ple, l’adoption de la ruche Kenyane, jadis réservée aux plus démunis. La solution du milieu, enfi n!… Cet excellent travail pourra aussi informer les non-apiculteurs de l’énorme apport des abeilles concernant la pollinisation de 35 % des ingrédients de notre alimenta- tion et de leur in-quantifi able action dans le domaine du maintien de la biodiversité sauvage. Un livre à posséder dans toute bibliothèque qui se respecte. This work may appear as a logical continuation of all the work performed since decennia by developing associations or charity initiatives in the fi eld of vulgariza- tion of beekeeping. The strategic errors in terms of North-South technology trans- fers are belonging to the history and are replaced by an approach closer to the wishes and capabilities of fragile populations all around the world. ix x Foreword This book is in line with what decision makers and actors in beekeeping development should apply. Even more, the book is dealing with a theme often neglected, more precisely all subjects related to the quality and commercializa- tion of hive products, including the broad and more than promising fi eld of apitherapy. It is ironic to see the inversion of mentalities and practices the last years. In reality, confronted with increased problems of annual bee mortality in the USA and Europe, the view is turning towards a closer follow-up of the life of honey bees and not to the necessity of profi tability out-and-out. Part of the beekeepers in developed countries, mainly in the west, who could be beginners, city-dwellers or profession- als, are turning their way of beekeeping management towards a more extensive beekeeping, for example by adopting the Kenyan beehive, previously only reserved for the more helpless. A solution for the environment, fi nally!… This excellent work can also inform non-beekeepers about the large contribution of honeybees in the pollination of 35 % of the ingredients of our food and their non- quantifi able contribution in the fi eld of the maintenance of the wild biodiversity. A book not to be missed in any self-respecting library. President of Apimondia – www.apimondia.org Gilles Ratia Consultant of Apicole International – www.apiservices.info Web master of “Galerie Virtuelle Apicole” – www.apiculture.com World traveler beekeeping – www.worldbees.com Pref ace Recently men have become more aware than ever of the function of bees in nature and their importance for our food supply. Worldwide, millions of hives are kept for pollination of many crops and for the production of honey and other hive products. However, the number of hives is diminishing in many countries, often caused by men induced changes in the environment, like global climate changes from ever increasing carbon dioxide emissions and other gasses, unsustainable agricultural practices with large areas grown with monocultures, heavily sprayed with pesti- cides, and bee diseases and plagues spread all over the world with the international trade in queen bees and bee packages. Despite all adversities, beekeeping is still being practiced in almost all countries of the world, providing tens of thousands of households with income and healthy food. A large part of the honey produced today comes from developing countries. For decades beekeeping has been used as a tool for rural development, and many examples of the successful establishment of beekeeping cooperatives, associations and companies in poverty regions can be cited. Beekeeping has proven to be such successful tool for many reasons, just to mention a few: bees are almost everywhere and can be obtained usually locally; it requires a relatively small investment to start with beekeeping compared to many other economical activities; much of the basic equipment and tools required, such as hives, frames, smoker, hive tool and protec- tive clothing, can be made locally; a beekeeper does not necessarily have to own land to have his hives on, the bees will fl y freely to fl owers up to three to four kilo- metres away from the hive; beekeeping can be practiced complementary next to other activities at a fl exible time schedule; beekeeping can involve several members of the family and is suitable for both men and women; and last but not least, bee- keeping provides people with healthy food and medicine. However, until now, no comprehensive book is available that addresses all aspects of how to develop beekeeping for rural development. Beekeeping for Poverty Alleviation and Livelihood Security aims to connect the technological aspects of beekeeping (Volume I) with bee based livelihood and food security in the developing world (Volume II). This will make it possible for beekeepers, students, academicians, xi xii Preface NGO staff, social workers, policy makers, and any other person interested in beekeeping for development, to fi nd comprehensive and cohesive information about the latest apicultural techniques and practices, as well as how to convert beekeeping in a powerful tool for rural development. In this fi rst volume, general aspects of beekeeping are described, including the history of beekeeping in the developing world and taxonomical information about honey bees and their distribution. Beekeeping cannot be practiced successfully without basic knowledge about the biology of the bee species involved, because hive management should be according to the life cycle and needs of the bees during the different seasons.