When industrial design student Ivan Brown from the University of Johannesburg had to choose a topic for his Master’s Degree, he was looking for ways improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The outcome, the Beegin project, provides a tool for smallholder and urban farmers to increase their income, as well…
The government of Mauritius has launched a national apiculture blueprint that is aimed at raising farmer awareness and setting guidelines to grow the underutilised potential of the beekeeping and honey industry. In a statement published on its portal, the government said the paper was launched in the capital Port Louis…
Bees are essential for the pollination of many crops. However, vandals cause a lot of damage to hives. A Gauteng honey farmer has devised a clever plan to minimise damage. Protecting bee hives is essential for both bees and farmers in this industry. Like other bee farmers, Louis van Zyl…
The expiry of a mandate of the Trade and Investment Project for Enhanced Competitiveness (TIPEC-ZAS) has put Zambia’s honey production in jeopardy. This according to the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI) which drives the initiative. “There has been a decline in honey production since the mandate of TIPEC-ZAS…
The Zambian government has issued honey export licenses to five local companies who met the international threshold. The move opens doors for local honey producers to penetrate European Union (EU) markets such as Finland and the United Kingdom, as well as South Africa and Botswana on the African continent. “There…
The African Honey Bee company in Pretoria in South Africa was specifically established to assist poor communities in setting up viable beekeepers and beekeeping businesses. The company’s founder believes that in order to keep costs down, farmers should collaborate with their neighbours in these types of projects. Carien Kruger spoke…
Ask any beekeeper what his biggest problem is, and you’ll hear about the red ants that eat larvae in the beehive and will even frighten off a swarm if they aren’t stopped in their tracks. Mr. Quintis Bezuidenhout put a lot of thought into how he could keep ants away.…
Mr Louis van Zyl from Mummy Honey, Randfontein, South Africa, decided not to give in when he suffered damages to his beehives due to vandalism and predators. He needed only concrete, a mould and some clamps to build this bee bunker. This “maximum security” beehive weighs about 200 kg, and…
Zambian producers will in future be able to export to one of the largest honey consumer markets in the world - the European Union. The development is expected to propel the nation’s annual production from the current 2 000 metric tonnes to 10 000. “This shows the great potential honey…
