Bee products: providing nutrition and generating income - Honeybees, beekeeping and bee products in our daily lives
Honeybees provide a wide range of benefits to humans from honey, other bee products, pollination of food crops and ecological services. Beekeeping is practiced around the world, and can provide a valuable source of income to people in developing regions with relatively little investment.
The best known primary products of beekeeping are honey and wax, but pollen, propolis, royal jelly, venom, queens, bees and their larvae are also marketable primary bee products. Most of these products can be consumed as they are produced by the bees. There are additional uses where bee products are an ingredient of another product. Due to the quality and sometimes almost mystical reputation and characteristics of bee products, the addition to other products usually enhances the perceived value or quality of these secondary products. This can increase the profitability of many beekeeping operations.
The main bee products that are used for human consumption and use are:
- Honey - Honey bees suck the nectar from flowers and store it in a stomach-like organ called a honey crop. When the bee returns to the colony, another bee takes the nectar and spreads it over the wax honey comb to help water evaporate. The second bee also adds and enzyme called invertase to help break down the sugar molecules. Once it becomes thick it is sealed in a cell with a wax cap.
- Pollen - Pollen grains are small, male reproduction units (gametophytes) formed in the anthers of the higher flowering plants.
- Propolis - Propolis, or bee glue, is a mixture of beeswax and resins collected from leaf bugs and twigs. It is used to line nest cavities and brood combs, seal cracks and reduce the size of the hive entrance. Propolis has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Royal jelly - Royal jelly is a protein rich substance that is fed to larvae. More is given to the queen larva, causing her to grow larger than the other bees. It is made from digested pollen and honey and contains sugars, fats, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and proteins.
- Venom -Venom used in the bee sting is made up of a complex mixture of proteins. Recent research suggests that venom may have benefits to humans.
This notwithstanding apiculture faces a number of challenges that can impact on the health and survival of the colony. The main threats come from loss of habitat, pathogens, agro-chemicals, invasive species and climate change. Apiculture also faces challenges from competing with cheaper alternative ingredients, policy and legal support to beekeeping, to technical constraints/knowledge of beekeeping practice.
Some questions to help guide the discussion:
- What are the dietary and nutritional benefits known in your community for bee products?
- Is honey affordable and available in your community all year round?
- What are the prospects for beekeeping in the future? Beekeeping, poverty alleviation and food security: where are we headed?
- With diseases, pests, habitat loss, colony collapse and climatic changes increasingly affecting apiculture around the world, what can we do to create sustainable conditions for agriculture and apiculture to coexist and to benefit from each other?
We are looking forward to reading your responses. Thank you for your time and for sharing your knowledge and expertise!
James Edge, Communications specialist
and
FAO's TECA Beekeeping Exchange Group
- Read 31 contributions
Bonjour à tous,
Voici la contribution de Bee Life à la question 4. « Sachant que les maladies, les ravageurs, la perte d’habitat, la disparition des colonies et le changement climatique ont de plus en plus d’effets négatifs sur l’apiculture dans le monde entier, que pouvons-nous faire pour créer des conditions durables pour permettre la coexistence entre l’agriculture et l’apiculture et leur relation bénéfique mutuelle ? »
Tout d’abord, qui sommes-nous ? En deux mots, Bee Life est un regroupement d’associations apicoles à travers plusieurs pays d’Europe. Depuis plusieurs années, nous agissons auprès des institutions européennes pour offrir un environnement sain pour les abeilles domestiques et de manière générale pour tous les pollinisateurs.
Pour nous, l’agriculture et l’apiculture sont bien sûr indissociables puisque l’abeille mellifère dépend de l’environnement agricole pour se nourrir et se développer d’une part, et que d’autre part, avec l’ensemble des pollinisateurs, elle est à la base du service de pollinisation et ainsi de notre sécurité alimentaire. . Retrouver une synergie entre le secteur agricole et apicole est donc un défi majeur. Réussir un tel pari, va de pair avec la construction d’une agriculture favorable à la biodiversité répondant aussi à des questions sociales, de santé et économiques.
Le dossier PAC & Pollinisateurs que nous avons préparé en collaboration avec Slow Food, reprend les principes clés pour penser, construire et aboutir à une agriculture plus respectueuse des pollinisateurs.
Pour Bee Life, les priorités sont les suivantes :
- Arrêter la mise sur le marché de pesticides toxiques pour les abeilles
Les pesticides, dont les plus toxiques pour les abeilles à l’heure actuelle – les néonicotinoïdes – causent de nombreux problèmes d’intoxication partout en Europe, aussi bien pour les abeilles domestiques que pour l’ensemble de la faune des milieux agricoles (oiseaux, vers de terre, crustacés terrestres,…). Une des priorités est d’arrêter la commercialisation de tels produits. D’autant plus qu’il a été démontré que l’usage des graines enrobées de néonicotinoïdes n’offre qu’un contrôle partiel des ravageurs, sans parler des ravageurs qui ont développé une résistance aux produits.
Malgré les nombreux avertissements, le processus d’évaluation et de gestion des risques des pesticides laisse, encore aujourd’hui, la place à l’autorisation de substances ayant un haut risque pour les abeilles. En juillet 2015, par exemple, une substance active toxique pour les abeilles, le SULFOXAFLOR, a été autorisée par les décideurs européens malgré les avis défavorables de l’Agence européenne de sécurité des aliments. Ces décisions sont catastrophiques pour la biodiversité.
Par ailleurs, des bases légales et scientifiques plus complètes sont aujourd’hui disponibles au niveau européen. Toutefois, elles ne sont toujours pas appliquées adéquatement. Il est aujourd’hui essentiel que les décideurs politiques les mettent en œuvre et les respectent.
- Réduire l’utilisation des pesticides
Au niveau européen, la directive 2009/128/CE pour l’utilisation durable des pesticides vise notamment à réduire l’utilisation de ces derniers. Des plans nationaux doivent ensuite être établis et appliqués.
Aujourd’hui, des mesures « basiques » comme la lecture appropriée de l’étiquette du produit phytosanitaire ou la non-application des produits pendant la floraison ne sont plus suffisantes. Il faut prévoir des changements plus profonds.
Un regard différent sur le territoire sera nécessaire pour réussir à associer les pollinisateurs aux agro-écosytèmes. De nombreuses mesures vont déjà dans ce sens, il s’agit des techniques de l’agriculture biologique, le bio-contrôle des ravageurs[i], des techniques agronomiques comme la rotation des cultures, l’agroforesterie[ii],[iii]. Un appui technique allant dans ce sens devra être développé pour aider les agriculteurs dans leurs démarches. De même, le monde scientifique devra travailler en étroite collaboration avec les agriculteurs afin que les connaissances des uns comme des autres soient valorisées et diffusées à grande échelle.
Ce changement est nécessaire non seulement pour la santé des pollinisateurs mais également pour la santé des agriculteurs, des habitants des espaces ruraux et des consommateurs. Trop nombreuses sont les études et les documentaires qui démontrent les effets toxiques des produits phytosanitaires sur notre santé partout dans le monde.
3) Promouvoir les partenariats agriculteurs et apiculteurs, en utilisant l’abeille comme ‘observateur’ du territoire et du paysage agricole
La présence d’abeilles (domestiques et sauvages) sur un territoire agricole est une assurance de qualité environnementale (eau, sol, air) etd’écosystèmes en équilibre[iv] . Or, ces dernières années les mortalités des colonies dépassent une moyenne de 30%[v] dans certains pays et atteignent les 80% à 90% dans certaines zones rurales. Un dixième des abeilles sauvages sont aussi en voie d’extinction en Europe. Si des données supplémentaires étaient disponibles au moins 50% seraient considérées comme menacées[vi]. Ces mortalités sont des indicateurs du déséquilibre des agroécosystèmes et des cycles naturels.
Comprendre et répondre aux besoins vitaux des abeilles (des ressources florales diversifiées disponibles en quantité qui fleurissent tout au long de l’année et un environnement avec une faible quantité de pesticides ou un faible degré d’exposition), c’est créer un espace agricole de grande qualité environnementale.
De réels partenariats pourraient être instaurés entre agriculteurs, apiculteurs et techniciens afin de construire ensemble des solutions à mettre en place, en tenant compte des besoins de chacun.
Sans « sacrifier » des cultures, il est possible de créer sur des exploitations agricoles des dizaines d’hectares de couverts végétaux d’intérêt mellifère, plusieurs kilomètres de haies et d’alignement agroforestier en promouvant ainsi des synergies pour l’exploitation : autonomie de la ferme (fertilité, énergie, fourrage), réduction des coûts énergétiques de production, amélioration des cycles de l’écosystème, réduction des pesticides, création d’un capital bois et biomasse[vii].
C’est ce type de vision globale des agroécosystèmes qu’il faut promouvoir sur le terrain et que les décideurs politiques et les acteurs du monde agricole (agriculteur, apiculteur, techniciens)devront s’efforcer de mettre en œuvre si nous souhaitons maintenir les abeilles sur nos terres agricoles.
[i] Manage insects on your farm : Guide to ecological strategies - http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Manage-Insects-on-Your-Farm
[ii] Arbres, Territoire & Pollinisateurs : des paysages agroforestiers pour le maintien des insectes pollinisateurs Arbre & Paysage 32
http://www.arbre-et-paysage32.com/pdf/page08/livret_Arbres_pollinisateursV2.pdf
[iii] Agroforestery Note (2007) Pesticide considérations for native bees in agroforestry - USDA
http://plants.usda.gov/pollinators/Pesticide_Considerations_For_Native_Bees_In_Agroforestry.pdf
[iv] L’abeille, sentinelle de la santé et de l’environnement, indicateur des écosystèmes (2013) Nature et progrès Belgique, Rapport réalisé pour le Service public Santé publique, sécurité de la chaîne alimentaire et environnement.
[v] Epilobee, A pan-European epidemiological study on honeybee colony losses 2012-2014, (EURL)
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/live_animals/bees/docs/bee-report_2012_2014_en.pdf
[vi] European red list of bees http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/species/redlist/downloads/European_bees.pdf
[vii] Arbres, Territoire & Pollinisateurs : des paysages agroforestiers pour le maintien des insectes pollinisateurs – Arbre & Paysage 32
http://www.arbre-et-paysage32.com/pdf/page08/livret_Arbres_pollinisateursV2.pdf
Dear James,
Thank you for sharing the consolidated proceeding on the last discussion, it is quite interesting. I am writing you from Ethiopia and I would like to contribute on the last question of the discussion.
Ethiopia has diverse agro-climatic conditions suitable for apiculture. But there is quite a huge challenge for bee colony in Ethiopia these days particularly in highlands where there is high crop production. Farmers in these areas highly depend on chemicals for plant protection including herbicide and insecticides. Although there is limited comprehensive information on the volume and magnitude of the loss; this is one of the reasons for increased mortality of bee colonies in certain areas of the country. Moreover, land degradation causing challenges to availability of bee forage is another bottleneck to the sector. Therefore, taking into account these challenges I would recommend the following elements for agriculture and apiculture to coexist sustainably:
1. Promoting sustainable agricultural practices with limited dependence on chemicals has of utmost importance in ensuring coexistence between these two sectors. Policy makers and institutions working on agriculture and apiculture need to closely work together while jointly plan, implementing and learning from one another in making both sectors to coexist together.
2. Promoting participatory watershed management approach. This will have multiple effects as it restore degraded lands and avail bee forage among others environmental services and economic benefits.
Best regards,
Lemma Belay
National Programme Officer
I have come across bee-keeping in the context of a participatory nutrition project in Somalia. Honey production and beekeeping was one of the livelihoods interventions identified by communities and local NGOs as a means to improve food security of families who had lost their livestock because of the combination of drought and conflict.
The project hired a Kenyan expert who visited the area, studied traditional honey production practices and identified three models of locally appropriate hives, one of which was retained by local beekeepers. Training for construction and operation was then provided. Honey production was multiplied by three by the end of the project.
This component was extremely successful for a variety of reasons:
- there is a high demand for honey from both the local market (for medical purposes) and the Gulf States
- honey is stable, can be sold all year and is easy to transport by bush taxi (the beekeepers sent a representative to sell the honey at a better price in the port of Bosasso)
- honey production is based on common property resources, which makes it an optimal coping mechanism and livelihood strategy for displaced people
- people learned to use wax and make candles which provided light at night “and smelled delicious”
- it was one of several synergistic interventions which revived the local economy.
For more information please refer to
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/emergencies/docs/Case%20Study%20Somalia%20v2.pdf
· In Georgia, bee products like honey, wax, propolis, pollen, royal jelly, bee venom are characterized by high taste and calorie value. They are used as a daily nutrition as well as a treatment for various diseases. The main product of the bee - honey is harvested in the mountainous regions of the country and stands out by being ecological product, most of it sold on the local market.
· Main interrupting factor for the honey sales is the absence of the laboratory where full chemical analysis of honey will take place and at the same time tested whether it contains toxic chemicals, pesticides and herbicides, therefore relevant certificates will be issued. Governmental agencies are involved in solving the following problems. After certification honey will be exported to Europe which will help entrepreneurs increase their sales.
· In Georgia honey may be delivered throughout the active beekeeping season across the country.
· In the country "Agricultural Cooperatives Development Agency", cooperates under the Ministry of agriculture of Georgia, and aims to promote supporting program of agricultural cooperatives in Georgia. The program will promote honey and bee product production and contribute in reduction of poverty in the country.
· The country has great opportunities in bee product production. Although there are still many problems in the sector, like various bee diseases and pests, affecting bee colonies. It is important to investigate bee diseases and pests which will lead to increase the production of bee products and make beekeeping sector commercially viable.
· Nowadays the number of farmers interested in honey and production of bee products, increases in the country but unfortunately the majority does not have the technical know-how and technology.
See a video of Mr. De Jakes Olwendo about Hybrid Beehive Innovation made during the Eastern Africa Farmer Innovation Fair in 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPicdDr0gjo
1. Dietary
- Honey eaten with bread, eaten with ugali for wine, used direct in black tea instead of sugar
- Honey mixed with herbs such as moringa for medicinal use
2. Affordability
- Long rains harvests-April to June- harvest about 10 tonnes
- November to December short rains we harvest between 6 to 7 tones
3. Brighter future
Many entrepreneurs are now investing in modern beehive including my innovation of hybrid beehive technology
4. Poverty
Economically bees product fetche good amount of money and has proved to be one of the sources of income in my community hence it is a poverty alleviator
5. Food security
Due to climate change the project is one of the best since it mitigates climate change, in the absence of other crops such as cerials we do take honey directly thus controls starvation
6. Sustainability
Diseases-control of transfer of combs from one hive to another, innovative measures in frequent inspection to make sure any infected combs are destroyed, to ensure safety feeding methods with supply of clean soft drinking water
7. Pests control
We do green house horticulture technology, use innovative organic pest control, we sensitize farmers to spray late in the evening after bees have gone to sleep
8. Habitat management
Agro-forestry is practiced with water and environmental friendly vegetation in the open field
9. Colony
Periodical checkup to make sure that colonies never separate
10. Climate change
- Farming oil crops (sunflower, simsim) intercropped in every farm so that we double benefit in both
- Mitigation feeding the bees naturally in times of severe drought and irrigation methods applied in our farms
In our country honey is considered as one of the nutrition supplement to regular diet. Moreover honey is here affordable and available throughout the year. Bee keeping prospects are more in this region provided proper guidance an training is to be given. To create sustainable condtion in this field Farmers producers organisation is one of the innovative idea to be focussed. With this back round there is a possibility of cluster approach of rearing bee hives in garden land condtion is much more.Even crop specific honey production in this region is new trend here. eg. Beehive rearing in drumstick fields yields certain type of honey which is having some nutritive advantages over normal honey. Farmers fetch higher profit from this type of crop specific bee hive rearing. Finally there is a vast scope in this field to be focussed and to be studied.
In Ghana, honey is used for several purposes ranging from medicinal to dietary purposes. Honey is sometimes used for the treatment of cough, extreme cold and some other throat infections. It is mostly mixed with some indigenous herbs for the treatment of some ailments. In some areas honey is used for the production of soups and creams that are known for treating skin diseases. Some people also use the pure honey to treat scares on their skins. There is a great demand for honey in Ghana for both domestic and industrial purposes. For the other products like pollen and propolis, there is little or no domestic market for them in Ghana
Honey is not too expensive in Ghana. The main challenge is with the standard of production and the authenticity of the product, these concerns arising from the increase in the level of adulterated honey in the market.
Beekeeping has great prospects in promoting food nutrition and alleviating poverty in developing countries. But the sector is still faced with the challenge of unstable bee colonies due to diseases and pests that affect the colonies. There is therefore a need for extensive research into how these challenges can be properly controlled to increase production, sustainability and profitability of apiculture in Ghana.
There is a progressive increase in the number for farmers who are interested in producing honey and its related products in Ghana. But most farmers lack the technical now-how and the appropriate technology on how to produce honey effectively and efficiently. There is therefore a need for extensive research into how these challenges can be properly controlled to increase the production, sustainability and profitability of apiculture in Ghana.
>> English translation below <<
Les abeilles ont un rôle important dans la préservation de biodiversité. Leur existence fait vivre beaucoup d'autres êtres vivants, y compris l'homme. Elles sont très bien connues dans la production de miel, mais force est de constater que le commun des hommes ne lui reconnaît pas les fonctions de pollinisation et donc leur contribution aux rendements agricoles. C'est à ce niveau que des actions d'information, d'éducation et de communication sont encore indispensables. Au Bénin, les abeilles se retrouvent plus au centre et au nord du pays, au point qu'il est courant de dire que le vrai miel se retrouve dans ces régions, pas au sud. Malheureusement, la pression anthropique dégrade déjà des habitats de ces insectes vitaux. Les techniques archaïques de collecte du miel ne sont pas de nature à protéger les abeilles et leurs habitats. Les actions à développer doivent beaucoup plus se concentrer sur ce que les populations perdraient si les abeilles disparaissaient.
Bees have an important role in biodiversity conservation. Their existence allows many other living beings to live, including humans. They are very well known for the production of honey, but it is clear that the man in the street is not generally aware of their pollination functions and thus their contribution to agricultural outputs. It is at this level that information, education and communication activities are essential. In Benin the bees are found more in the center and north of the country, to the point that it is common to say that the real honey is found in these regions, not in the south. Unfortunately, human pressure is already degrading habitats of these vital insects. The archaic techniques for collecting honey are not likely to protect bees and their habitats. The actions to be developed should focus much more on what people would lose if the bees disappeared.
This activity is now closed. Please contact [email protected] for any further information.