BEE KEEPING

INTRODUCTION

GOVERNMENT AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES

The Government of Botswana has number of programmes for Batswana to choose from and make a living out of. One of these programmes is BEE KEEPING.

ESTABLISHMENT:

Size of Land:            Bees do not need vast land to be reared. The apiary may take any shape such as a long; square or rectangle. EG 10mx10m or 5mx5m and so forth or any size one may have secured for the purpose.

REQUIREMENTS:

The apiary should be accessible throughout the year at all times or even at the back of ones dwelling yard, have some bee pastures at leased one hundred metres from public places or roads, should have water and be fenced in.

INPUTS:

Nearly every equipment for bees in Botswana may be obtained freely or at cost. For a poor person, the project may be started by the use of local materials such as wood poles or bush fences. This implies that anybody may start a bee keeping project in Botswana.

HIVES

These may be built by means of mud and sticks. The smoker may be a tin picked from a rubbish pit. They should be holed around at many points to allow smoke to pass through. The rest of the protective clothing may also be constructed from the local materials. Only the veil as a matter of must should be bought.

CHALLENGES

Bee pirates; ants and some beetles are the common pests of the bees and must be controlled. Hives need to be protected by means of shades; hive stands; oil; wood ash and some weeding around.

GENDER

Women who are said to be more vulnerable because of the climate changes are the ones who are encouraged to rear the bees since the bees do not require much work to do. The project may however be undertaken by anybody irrespective of age or sex.

MANAGEMENT

One needs to master the activities to be carried out in each of the four seasons of the year.

PRODUCTION

One needs to concentrate on honey production in beekeeping in Botswana.

MARKET

In Botswana 99% of the bee products come from outside the country hence there is vast market to sell the honey.

PRESENTED BY MALOPE GAEBOLOKE