Bees/or Development Journal 84

Beekeeping, poverty alleviation and forest
conservation in Imadiala, Madagascar

Raoelinarivo Yvan Russell, FFV, Antananarivo, Madagascar

Beekeeping is an important source of livelihood in Imadiala, an eastern
sub district of Ambositra in Madagascar. However, in spite of the efforts
made by beekeepers and by numerous organisations to improve
beekeeping in the region, the negative effect of deforestation on
beekeepers' activities is increasing.

Approximately 90% of Madagascar's flora and fauna is endemic. Eleven
million hectares (20% of Madagascar's surface area) are forest and
350,000 hectares are Eucalyptus species and pine plantations.
However, loss of species, including the decrease of honey bee
populations on the Island, is closely related to the loss of forests.

In September 2003, President Marc Ravalomanana committed to
increasing protected areas in Madagascar from 1.7 million to 6 million
hectares by 2008. Now Madagascar is attempting to reduce poverty and
increase areas under conservation. Beekeeping has potential to play an
important role in these processes, both for poverty alleviation and
conservation of natural environments.

Madagascar's honey bee

Endemic to the Island, Madagascar's honey bee Apis mellifera unicolor
is black, small and docile, and can be kept close to home. The Island's
geographical isolation has spared it from many bee diseases and
parasites. Ants and termites are not great problems for beekeepers in
Madagascar, and Varna mite and American foulbrood are not present.
The sub district belongs to two ethnic groups: Zafimaniry, a sub group
of Tanala 'people of the forest' who live in the natural forests in the
East, traditionally considered to be tavy (slash and burn agriculture)
farmers, and Betsileo of Imady, the zone surrounded by Eucalyptus
forests in the West, who farm irrigated rice. In the Zafimaniry zone, the
The apiary that the author shares with Dandria, another FFV member
most important honey flow season is between October and January. The
zone in Imady has lost most of its forests which have been replaced by
Eucalyptus and pine trees. The honey flow from Eucalyptus {fees is
during June to August.

In the Zafimaniry zone, beekeeping is practised in log hives called
tohoka or tohotra in Malagasy, where honey and bees are collected fr
natural sites. Beekeepers in Imady use top-bar hives and obtain
colonies by catching swarms or buying bees from the forests in the
East. This shows the complementary nature of both zones for
beekeeping that may be enhanced if care is given to the region's natural
resources.

The remaining natural resources and the willingness of beekeepers to
improve their activities make beekeeping possible on a large-scale in
Ambositra. However Imadiala, which is the most advantaged beekeeping
area in the whole region, has suffered serious deforestation by cutting of
trees to make planks, charcoal, sculptures or to make space for
cultivation - all have severe negative effects for beekeeping. This
process is ongoing and forest degradation remains one of the major
problems for beekeeping, honey hunting and swarm catching in
Imadiala.

Trap hive: a hive placed in a tree to collect a honey bee colony
"In September it is common to see bee swarms passing over my
village when they go to the forests, and to see them coming back
while we are harvesting rice in April. In the past it was possible to
see tens of swarms every day during the migration period of about
one month. Today such swarms have become very rare."
Dandria, FFV beekeeper in Vohimasina
MADAGASCAR Bees/o/-Development Journal 84
Bee stocks have declined and the few that are available have become
very expensive for local beekeepers. Two years ago one colony of bees
cost Ar4,000 (€2; US$3). In 2007 the price has reached Ar16,000
(€8; US$11).
Ten years ago beekeepers from Imady travelled 5-7 km to reach
convenient forest plots to site their hives. Today they must travel
15-25 km to get to better places in the forests. Carrying the hives is
one of the most laborious tasks. Men carry hives on their heads, as the
use of vehicles is impossible.

Appropriate action
The Association FFV, in partnership with three beekeeping groups and in
collaboration with FAO and USAID, is leading two projects in Imadiala
Ambositra that provide beekeeping materials to the members. Since
2005, 340 units of frame hives, stainless steel extractors, five plastic
extractors, joinery tools and some bee colonies have been distributed.
Half of the costs of the materials received by the beekeepers are to be
paid back to the partner groups.

20,000 Eucalyptus citriodora and camaldulensis trees, 17,000 orange
trees and 17,000 'Ravintsara' Cinammomum camphorae have been «ited on the beekeepers' and primary school lands in both zones,
se plants are not only needed for their quality, as sources of nectar
and reforestation agents, but also for their role as sources of income, as
some of them will generate fruits and essential oils. The new varieties of
Eucalyptus are fast growing and will add to the dominant one,
Eucalyptus robusta, and by 2012, are expected to expand the main
flowering season by up to five months. Their flowers will help to
increase the bee population in the area, to retain the bees for a relatively
Fitarikandron'ny Fampandrosoana Vohimasina
FFV is an NGO established in 2002, based at Ambositra in
the region of Amoron'lmania. FFV objectives are to promote
improved beekeeping, environment conservation, ecotourism
and ecological farming and to support rural communities in
other development projects.

FFV planned a beekeeping project to support members by
providing hives and other equipment. We sent a proposal to
the US Embassy in 2002 but the application was
Unsuccessful. FFV members were encouraged to explore
iir own resources to do something. They became members
"of FIFATAM to receive training at reduced cost. It was not
good to get funding for a project if the recipients were not
fully prepared and well organised. Our next proposal was
funded by the US Embassy in 2005. A second project which
includes three other beekeeping groups has been funded by
the FAO TeleFood Special Fund [see Notice Board page 13].
We thank fi/Dfor sending copies of Bees for Development
Journal by means of a sponsored subscription. We learnt
many useful things through the Journal, for example, without
it we may not have known that FAO fund small-scale
development projects.
long period in the savanna, and to prevent the uncontrolled movement
of the bees which is a cause of beekeeper discouragement.

Possibilities for apicultural development
Men and women of Imadiala show interest in beekeeping and are
becoming organised into associations, with small beekeeping groups all
over the sub district. The majority of these are a result of support that
was given (or promised) by donors to these communities to engage in
beekeeping. At their current stage, beekeepers of Imadiala have begun
to increase their influence on decisions affecting beekeeping, advancing
knowledge by sharing information, purchasing equipment in bulk,
selling hive products and applying for funding from national and
international organisations.

FFV members realise thaf providing beekeepers with equipment and
appropriate techniques will not automatically make beekeeping
successful and move people out of poverty. Other measures must be
taken to alleviate it and mitigate the impact of people's poverty on the
natural environment. Beekeeping activities should be promoted in line
with market promotion of bee products and the improvement of other
livelihood sources.

In the 1930s Madagascar's annual honey exports were 30,000-50,000
tonnes. Since the 1950s honey export almost stopped, as a result of
tighter quality controls by European countries. However the efforts that
are being engaged in the region of Amoron'lmania and the capital
demonstrate that Malagasy beekeeping has the potential to become
more prosperous and draw a large number of people out of poverty
while fostering environmental conservation.

 Apis mellifera unicolor foraging on Eucalyptus
When we think of the environmental aspects of beekeeping we
think that promoting beekeeping activity in any place of the
globe should be the concern of all citizens of the planet. We
believe in this: "// the bee disappears from the surface of the
globe, human beings will have only four years to live - no bee,
no pollination, no grass, no animal, no human"
(attributed to Albert Einstein).