1. FROM HONEY GATHERING TO BEE KEEPING: the role of bees TO IMPROVE RURAL LIVELIHOODS by Paul Vantomme Forestry Department, FAO

2. overview Purpose of presentation: raise awareness and inform on the wide range of products and services offered by bee’s to a wide range of different actors impact of honey hunting & bee-keeping on many sectors, and vice-versa; and the need for more inter-sectorial communication and policy support (Agriculture, Nutrition, Health, Trade, Forestry, Rural Development - Small scale/ family enterprises, Pollination, Environment, Consumer protection,..……)

3. wide range of products and services offered by bee’s Honey Bee wax Pollen Propolis Royal jelly Bee brood Bee Venom...... Pollination Apitherapy Environmental indicator income generation –not “land” bound –low start-up capital intern. trade cultural........

4. wide range of different actors involved with bee’s Honey-gatherers (rural forest dependent peoples mainly in developing countries for their food, health and cultural needs) Bee-maintaining/-keepers (varying levels of + technology) Bee products processors & traders Bee-keeping equipment manufacturing Food preparation & food processing Industry Health care providers (apitherapy, medications,.....) Farmers and (fruit) (tree-) crops growers (polination) NGO’s (producers/ trade associations, environmental,...) Government Agencies (for ex. Tanzania “Forestry and Bee-keeping Division” Minstr. NR & Tourism) Donors, International Development Organizations,... Public in general at large.........

5. impact of honey hunting & bee- keeping on # sectors Environment: (indicator species) –honey-hunting: destructive for bee’s + environment (cutting trees, bush-fire,. !): Forestry Agriculture: +pollination Economic: income generation & Trade (SCE) Technology:raw materials new products (RD) Health/ Nutrition Social & Cultural (Gender: opportunities for women, children and eldery people)......

6. impact of # sectors on honey hunting & bee-keeping Environmental degradation; forest fires;.. (Env.; Forestry;...) Agriculture: +pesticides, too frequent bee-hives relocations, monoculture landscapes, reduced BioDiversity,.. Competition from substitutes (honey, wax, etc..) (Research) Social & Cultural (Educ.; Training): loss of bee-keeping skills in rural areas due to move to cities, or other job opportunities making bee- keeping less interesting (large scale oil-palm-; rubber-; or soja crops; mining sites; factories;....in rural areas) Economic: global “trade” resulting in: “competition” depressing local production; spreading diseases (trade rules);... Health and Nutrition: regulations impacting of honey and bee-products markets (Consumer protection rules & procedures) “Development Organizations bias to ” favor “higher-tech” (imported) bee- keeping technology/species/procedures rather then improve local technology levels (from “honey-hunting” to farming (imported) Apis melifera) Consumer (food) preferences (bee-products + +++) (“natural” products)..........

7. from « gathering »honey to farming bees: Developing Countries a multitude of different bee species varying levels of domestication # bee products & services contribution to livelihoods, income, jobs impacts of bee keeping on sectors: farming, forestry, horticulture, small scale enterprise development with low capital/ technology entry needs

8. need for more inter-sectorial communication and policy support enhance communication and awareness among key sectors involved/impacting on honey- hunting/bee-keeping (Web, workshops, publications, Trade fairs,….) Policy formulation and regulatory frameworks in various sectors to incorporate Honey-hunting /Bee-keeping issues (Agriculture; Forestry; Nutrition & Health; Education; …. Institutional support; capacity building and training (NGO’s, Donors, Intern Agencies,..)

9. NON-WOOD FOREST PRODUCTS 19 Bees and their role in forest livelihoods A guide to the services provided by bees and the sustainable harvesting, processing and marketing of their products by Nicola Bradbear Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2009 http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/i0842e/i0842e00.htm MANY THANKS