International Livestock Research Institute

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                                                                                    Sustainable Food security with beekeeping [Tigrigna]    Experience of farmers who use improved beekeeping practices for increased honey production   English—Transcription                Part one Sound effect Sustainable Food security with beekeeping It is a program dedicated to show by strengthening beekeeping possible to achieve sustainable food security.  Sustainable Food security with beekeeping Sound effect   <<If you are good in handling it in one modern bee hive you can get 75 to 80 and 90 kg honey per year. And it is 120 to 115 birr for kilo honey in the market.>> desta  Transitional music  We were using pesticides and chemicals. And it creates negative effect on beekeeping. Because of this many beekeepers lost most of their honeybees. Alem Transitional music  Honey production: one can’t cross river, honey shouldn’t provide for sell in the market, bee shouldn’t be sold these are among the old sayings by the society that seems defeated once and for all in woreda atsibe wenberta tabia haielom. The society living there produce honey with Small skill honey production go to market having it and deal the price with merchants. They sell some of it and they buy some other thing.  Sound effect that farmers deal each other about the price   Why don’t you sell it father? It is my property How much do you say? Whose is that? Which one?  That one?  It is already sold. You have another here.  You have two honeycombs.    Some studies show that in Ethiopia beekeeping considered to be begun in third century A.D during king Ezana. However, honey was used only for some purposes like Teji traditional drink during some occasions, and for consumption at the farmers’ house. Even if it started long ago it hadn’t provide any significant benefit for the farmers of the region. But in recent years, because the government of Ethiopia gives special consideration to beekeeping sector some few farmers are getting benefits: Like better bee hives, method of keeping honeybees, handling honey production and the market price of honey, and began working on it. As a result of this from the income they get they fulfill their needs and beyond this there are a lot of Tigrian farmers that become rich because of honey production. This time there are farmers that export their honey production by having hundreds of honeybees with modern bee hives.  Today’s program is about the experience of a successful farmer begun with three modern bee hives won poverty. Transitional music  Our guest’s name is Farmer Desta Gebrehiwot. He lives in woreda atsibe wenberta tabia KelishaEmni around deiesa. It has been almost seven years since he introduced himself with modern bee hives. In these working years, with how much bee hive he started the work? What did he get? How did he work? What are his capital and other things that he is going to tell us?  Desta:   I started this job around 1996E.C and 1997E.C. Since, I Started I just add a lot yet to reduce. The reason that I don’t interrupt the job is the benefit I get from this business .it has high profit so I looked at the benefit and I just continued. At the beginning in 1996 E .C  I got three modern bee hives. After I see the benefit of these three bee hives I accumulate a lot. This time I have around 35 modern bee hives. Even now I have a lot modern bee hives that are ready. Looking at the benefit I planned to take more. Before 1996 and 1997 we used traditional methods and the result and benefit was low. After 1996 and 1997 the government and the agriculture bureau introduce us with modern methods  Transitional music  What are the gains from traditional method? And what are the gains from modern methods?      The difference is too big. Even if the traditional method has some benefits, it is not first choice like modern one.  The market and the quality for modern method are high. The price of a kilo of honey produced by modern bee hive is 115 birr to 120 birr. Because of the difference I turn using the modern one. While the merchants asking is it by modern bee hive or traditional one, you can add some more price three to four fold, if you have  honey by modern bee hive. But if it is by traditional bee hive, it is too difficult to increase some price.  Even from one traditional bee hive you can’t get more than 25 or 30 kg honey. But from the modern one you can get 75 to 90 kg. If you are good in handling modern bee hive you can get 70, 80 or 90 kg. Above all last year the product reaches 90 kg from one modern bee hive. What makes me get this amount is because I believe in it. And I collect/get more bee hives. A kilo of honey was sold by 110 birr. We get a lot of money.  The experts around this area also knew this Even the administrative body of this Tabia knew this.   I have got a lot I have changed in my life (It changed my life). At this time I worked a lot from the money I got. I built houses. From the land given to the people of the Tabia I got some pieces and I built houses that are rented for 160 birr per month. More than these I have many cattle.  From the previous times I am changed a lot. Even if I don’t boast much I got a lot. The people of the Tabia knew it. Transitional music  According to some studies in Ethiopia from one traditional bee hive on average one can only get 5 to 6 kg honey. From modern one it is possible to get 15 to 40 kg honey. But according to farmer Desta, as he informed as, he got 70 to 90 kg honey per year. One can produce/collect honey up to three times.  Not to be/seem boaster talking about him (For his words grant) he said my work and its result is known by the people of Denka and Agricultural experts.  What about his neighbors, what can one of his neighbors tell us about this skillful on beekeeping and diligent farmer?  We met a house wife. By introducing her name she will tell us:  I am called Koma’esh Kahsay. Desta cares his bees and considers it as his full time job. His bed is known, it is there. All his deeds are clear and perfect. It is only apiary his job is. He does nothing else. He doesn’t work as laborer or else. He only works it. He is known. The experts check the arrangements of his house, his cattle’s place, his bee hives place, it is known.   One of agricultural expert who follows closely Mr. Desta and other effortful farmers in Tabia Deska said Farmer Desta is a man who changed his life by apiary. Since he is effortful he may help other farmers. Yet, he couldn’t gain lessons from experts.  My name is Asmerom Kebede I ‘m an expert in beekeeping in Tabia Deska. Farmer desta’s experience will teach not only for our Tabia Woreda Region but also at the federal (Ethiopia) level, as a model.  We let Desta to do other things unlike other farmers in the area. He did all things in a better way. He has different works. But in his house all his families have their own responsibilities and work division. In his families, for instance, if Desta goes out to field his wife and children will taking  care the hives. Otherwise, he doesn’t go to field or Market.  When you look at other farmers and when they get a bee hive they visit it/check it after 6 months, they visit it at the time of honey harvest.  The reason he gave attention is the good income he get. Desta made better money than others by apiary. Even this year (2003) at the first phase he got 4.5 quintal honey production. Totally this year he got more than 10 quintal honey production. He sold a killo of honey by 110 and 105 ethiopian birr.   The merchants know him very well. If you look his honey it is quite white. The merchants buy his honey by going to his residence.  Transitional music   At this time Desta couldn’t get any lesson from us. This time he is teaching other farmers. He got training in Wiqro and in woreda.  At the beginning we gave the farmers some teachings like fertilizing bees. Even that time, because he is smar,t he was ahead of others.   It can be said a lot though we invite his neighbors and expert to witness the success of farmer Desta. While he started this business, in 1996, he had three modern bee hives. Where did he get the money to buy the beehives? It concerns many farmers. One who wants to engage in such business what are the very important things initially. Telling us his rich experience he will give us the response.  The basic thing when you engage in any business is the belief you have in it. If you have the belief in any business you will win and come with result. For instance, I believe in apiary and bought three bee hives. The three hives create 35 modern bee hives. If you look the hives that are not in action but ready I have a lot.   Once agricultural experts gave us detail information about apiary. They convinced us that it is a good business. In 1996, I borrowed some money from my government and bought three modern bee hives. I was supposed to pay back the money in 4 or 5 years. But I paid my debt in two and half years. I saw the product of the hives. As a result I decided to get better dept for second time. I bought more modern bee hives.   Even this year, I asked the administrative body to give me additional land. By using it I will convince other farmers to engage in the business. Since I become beneficiary, I will act as a model farmer to others. There are other farmers that can be changed. This is what I told them and they gave me additional land. This time for ten beehives you may be expected to pay ten thousand birr. But I don’t care if I even pay twenty thousand birr.  We took simply the success of farmer desta as diligent and fruitful. In Atsibiwonberta and other woredas  of Tigray there are a lot of farmers that changed their life for better through  beekeeping, using modern mechanisms of beekeeping, market oriented, producing quality honey and good handling of beekeeping. It is not only through farm land but also through beekeeping that is possible to avoid poverty. To show this it is possible to get many farmers in different part of Tigray.  Beekeeping shouldn’t be considered as additional farming activity. Side by side with other farming activities modern beekeeping can be one of the ways to ensure sustainable food security. It is described that the successful story of Farmer Desta is expanding to other farmers.  He is changing the attitude of many other farmers. Comparing this year and last year, this year many farmers are ready to engage in beekeeping.  There were many farmers that said starting from our ancestors bee were not our chance. We hate bees, the like. But this year those who said that are willing to engage in the beekeeping.    Honey is no more for Tejji and Birz (traditional drink made of honey).  Thanks to saving system and modern ways, beekeeping is making many farmers rich. But it needs enough knowledge and treatment. Transitional music  Dear listeners, we moved to the second program of beekeeping  Saying honey is becoming gold, you started beekeeping, with modern beehives and bees, suddenly the queen bee with its colony left the hive and gone. After that you may say it is not my fate and you get out of the business. This is many farmers experience.  The reason you can’t get out of this business is bees do not leave their hives. Especially during summer, farmers are busy engaging different farm works. The farmers focus could be to other activities. During summer there are many chemical sprays for various reasons; for malaria, rats, weeds and many other insects.  The negative effects of the chemicals used on bees are a lot. Those who lost their colony know it very well.  A few years ago, in Asibewonberta woreda Tabia Haielom, farmer Alem had bought modern beehives and honeybees with high cost. Unexamined pesticide chemical sprayed around his bee yard. It costs him a lot of damages. He remains with only one honeybee. He explains the situation as follows: Alem Hailu  My name is Alem Hailu. I live in Tabia Haielom, Eshetgera. Six or five years ago, it was so devastating the pesticides impact. But the past two years, they trained not to do, it is getting better. The reason why we lost many of honey bees are we don’t advice experts about when we should use pesticides, at what time is it good to use pesticide, what should be done to the bees, for how long the chemical is active and so on.  From your experience tell us what did you lost?  It is a lot I lost three to four honeybees. It is not only me many farmers lost a lot. This is why many farmers vacant their hives. Even those who have many beehives closed the business.    I had one honeybee left. But by breeding it now it becomes four. Because of the chemical sprayed all the honeybees gone. With the help of the experts by breeding the one remain I survived.   Breeding the one that left farmer Alem has now four honey bees for four modern beehives. It shouldn’t be sprayed anti weeds and anti pests’ chemical around bee yards. These days, in Atsibewonberta woreda Tabia Haielom, pesticides and other chemicals do not sprayed without experts’ consultation.  Tesfay Hailu I am called Tesfay Hailu. I am an expert in beekeeping. In our Woreda some Tabias there were unnecessary practices related to beekeeping. There was chemical spray used by farmers without consulting experts. It created negative effect on production. After serious discussions and understanding with local farmers they stopped using illegal chemicals. We gave them some lessons like when they spray chemicals to close beehives. When one farmer wants to spray a chemical he/she doesn’t do it even without consulting other farmers around his/her farm. There were a chemical (DiDit) usually used by extension health workers that created problem. After discussion we worked together. When they (extension health workers) want to spray the chemical (DiDit) we let all farmers to know it and make every preparation. The chemicals we give beekeepers legally is also used with the knowledge of veterinaries and health workers. When a farmer is going to spray any chemical he/she inform other beekeepers to close their beehives. In addition to this, we advise farmers to use chemicals when bees are not moving around. We narrowed the gap that was a problem.  Transitional music  The season is spring. It is the time that bees fly everywhere. We would like to advice you that it is necessary to use every caution during chemical usage. Next week we will discussed on how to prepare bee forage, when and how to sprit bee comps, and adding beehives. Transitional music  Dear listeners for your suggestion use our telephone 410542 or 410548 or P.O. Box      

Experience of farmers who use improved beekeeping practices for increased honey production

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Experience of farmers who use improved beekeeping practices for increased honey production

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