CRANE-Caramoan

NEWS
Beekeeping: An Alternative Livelihood for Bicolanos
By Prof. Raul Bonagua Ruiz

The Philippines has a diverse vegetation which is an excellent source of pollen and nectar for the honeybees. Thus, beekeeping could be a very good alternative livelihood for the Filipinos.

The science and art of raising honeybees is referred to as “Apiculture” whereas the process and art of raising bees is termed as “Beekeeping”. These simply refer to the culture of various honeybee species for the production of honey, pollen, propolis, beeswax, royal jelly and bee venom. Among others, beekeeping could likewise alleviate poor crop production through increased and efficient pollination work.

Benefits of Beekeeping
Beekeeping offers a lot of benefits because of the following:

Ideal alternative source of livelihood particularly in areas whose vegetations are mostly composed of nectar- and pollen-secreting plants.
Simple technology- in apiculture, visual and tactile skills can easily be learned.
Multi-product beehives- Aside from honey, other products can be extracted from the beehives such as:
1. Beeswax. It had been used to man’s advantage for thousands of years; cast into sheet of wax comb foundation; made into high quality candles which are dripless, smokeless and exquisitely fragrant; and many other uses.
2. Pollen. It is considered as the most perfect natural food found on earth. It is a male germ seed of plant, powder-like minute grain; a living body possessing life. It is a dietary supplement because it contains all vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids needed to sustain a healthy body.
3. Propolis. It is a natural antibiotic with anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and analgesic properties.
4. Royal Jelly. It is found to abate symptoms of internal ailments like cardiovascular, endocrine, gastro-intestinal, respiratory and immune systems and a highly priced bee product by Chinese who have been extracting it for over a millennium.
5. Bee Venom. Therapy has been used to reverse the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, both hitherto deemed irreversible.
6. Honey. It is a natural product made from plant nectar which contains enzymes used by the body to activate its chemical reactions, principally digestion. Because of its varied uses, it has been held in high esteem since ancient times and is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible, from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation.
Minimal Processing. Bee products need only minimal processing to extend the shelf-life and are best consumed and sold fresh from the beehive.
Ready Market. A very high premium is placed on fresh bee products.
Suitability in Rural Livelihood Programs. Beekeeping is a promising alternative source of livelihood especially in the rural areas for the following reasons:
1. No land-base. You need not own a land to keep bees.
2. Not gender – or age-specific
3. Minimal Investment. Investment can be quickly recouped if bee stock, timing and training are correct.
4. Promotes health. Regular household use of bee products results to healthier families.
5. Ecology-friendly. Bees depend entirely on flowers. With this, beekeepers are motivated to protect existing vegetation and to plant additional bee forage thus increasing plant diversity which ultimately results to a pristine environment.
6. Balances ecosystem. Planting bee forage for food integrates the bio-system and becomes the life of the family. Children grow up in a pristine natural environment with complete nutrition.
7. Pollination. Pollination of agricultural crops and wild plant species are the greatest benefits derived from beekeeping. It increase fruit set and seed yield; ensures propagation of wild and indigenous flora; and aids in forest self-propagation; etc.

In areas where vegetation is mainly composed of pollen and nectar-secreting flowering plants, beekeepers can easily harvest an annual average of 20-30 kg of honey per 2-3 supers of healthy and strong colony of Apis mellifera. More experienced beekeepers, however, could harvest 30 kg or more honey per colony and sell it at Php 250 per kilogram. Aside from honey, other bee products could also be harvested and sold. Two to five kilograms of pollen could be marketed at Php 800-1500 per kilogram; 500 mg to 1 kg of propolis at Php 1000 per kilogram; 150 mg – 1 kg of bees wax at Php 500 per kilogram; 0.5-1 kg of royal jelly at Php 300/5 grams; queen bee at Php 650/queen; and a nuc (starter colony at Php 4500-Php 6000.
A prospective beekeeper needs at least Php 8,000 – 10,000 initial capital to start his first colony of A. mellifera, a bee of commerce. As much as 50% percent of the capital could be saved should he fabricate his own materials such as hive, boxes, frames and hive stands.

An increasing knowledge coupled with technological improvements have paved the way to the culture of native honey bees, Apis ceranan Fab. and Trigona biroi. Both species are adaptable to our local condition making them preferable for use in honey and pollen production by small scale beekeepers. As compared to A. mellifera, they produce less honey but are resistant to bee pests and diseases. Also, they require just a simple technology. All of these characteristics should attract local beekeepers.

Culture of local bee species is more economical than that of A. mellifera. A potential beekeeper can start an apiary (without spending a single centavo) by hunting these species from the woods or by buying from established beekeepers. A colony of A. cerana could be bought between Php 800-2000 per colony while T. biroi, at Php 200-500 only. Experienced local beekeepers could harvest 2-10 kg honey from A. cerana and 1-2kg from T. biroi in a year. T. biroi, however, is a great producer of propolis making it a potential species for development.