Now it is time to I answer some questions Frans put foreward.

He is invited to look up some

details in the table “comparisons of keeping African bees“, and more informations are
presented in my talk at the recent Apimondia meeting. ( I am not quite sure when Janus will
move the text into our blog ?).
- What are the material costs for one Bellhive?
Small BHs: the bucket $2.5 , the honey top $0.5, wire, papyrus, separate roof
together approx. $ 2.- ( Two hives made per day when materials available )
Big trough BHs: not made yet but estimated costs may amount to $10.- cheaper
versions made from concrete should be $ 6.-
-Did the beekeepers have to pay for the BH at this moment? If so how much? No!
So far beekeepers made their own BHs ( max 2) during the the workshop from
materials which was provided. In the Lady workshop all hives were also provided
free.The latter had been made with materials provided and $ 4.- for the work paid
by the donor organisation. Myself I added final touches.
-The buckets are made of plastic, but durable one. After one year I did not notice they got
brittle which I should have noticed as I worked on some of them after a year to
improve the design. I reckon they have a live expectancy of 5 years. The papyrus of
the mantle was dark after exposure to the weather during one year but seemed still
stabilizing the hives so it can withstood bumps (unlikely, with bees inside!) if the
hive was treated roughly.
-Discarded plastic is common around and in villages. Waste plastic is usually burnt in pits
near dwellings. (I instructed my beekeepers to hang their hives close to home.)
-How many beekeepers use the BHM at the moment? So far they use only one each, and I
know of altogether 50 hives in African hands..
Around one of my workshops near Karatu 15are hung (7 occupied with bees). Of 30
extra ones made in two villages I do not know their whereabouts.
From the three other workshops I have no reports but guess that the majority is hung,
although probably not in the choicest places. Of some 15 hives near Moshi,
Kilimanjaro I contolled 4 hives with bees inside. By the way, bee swarms move in
and out, so at present I am at odds.
It is difficult to visit all places or hear from the Africans. Some people
seem to have stored the hives away as a show-piece or for other reasons. Some hung
hives too high, so even checking was impossible, but I shall make efforts to find
out more.
-For most hives it is less than one year since hanging, so I do not expect that the people to had
harvested much. I noticed some had not even opened the honey top in March when I
visited them. I also noticed that even one particularely strong colony had not
deposited honey and I guess it was because of lack of rain in this particular area and
in consequence there was no nectar to be collected by the bees. With harvesting honey
from log hives people usually wait two years.
The amount of honey per hive to be expected is probably less than 30 Kg for one year
allowing 2 – 3 harvests. Traditional beekeepers are very conservative and are afraid of
repeatedly disturbing bees. When you read the text of my Apimondia talk you will see
that with the design of the “trough-BH, the large container” I am about to venture
towards larger colonies and larger harvests although with the difference that there is no
honey-top and with more risk being confronted with more soldier bees; in contrast to
the small bell hives which are more suitable for beginners and particularly for women
and youngsters.
How much can or will “they” harvest, just by hunting for honey in one year? I know that in
Some areas many hives are “forgotten”. In other areas beekeepers may have 100 log-
hives but harvest only 50, (may be 3 per night). Proper “honey hunting” from hollow
trees or termite hills is rare. I heard of 30 to 50 Kg as a total yearly harvest from all
hives. In my rural areas the subsistence farmers keep bees as a sideline occupation.
During one of my next visits I shall concentrate on providing large trough hives. They should be
accepted more willingly as they look like the accustomed containers/ log hives.The
required harvesting technology will also be very similar to the traditional one.
You see, I am concerned that the hives must be accepted and understood. Then helping the
 people within their limits is more likely acchieved.
They can approach these hives savely from the bottom and will realize that bees and
even larger colonies are managable. With no honey top the main nest can be exposed,
and honey combs selectively removed from the main nest but not brood combs. In
consequence bees will survive and stay for several harvests. ( See last slide showing a
colony in a trough made of wood, although wood I intend to avoid ).
There was a question about the acres the farms comprise and how many hives may be hung.
This question is to be answered with the following. Land in open country is very small
and only few acres are available. The land is not the limiting factor for setting up bee
hives. It is the number of trees around the “ home garden” with shade for hanging. Since
there may be only few, and people avoid trees at foot paths and near the houses,
( even if you tell them it is save with our bell hive method) the hives will still be carried
to the forest. This is an offence but authorities cannot handle this problem.
So space for 100 hives may be a problem.

I have some general comments to make, or rather remind you:

In our case with helping people to gain something from beekeeping this aim is logged to
the technological aspects of the bee project and not separable in my eyes. The development of
beekeeping as a new help for providing some extra income for Africans on a noncommercial
basis is my aim. If I could not offer a new technology there was no point in helping, and this can
be only done by changing the peoples approach slightly and understandably and cheaply and..
and …( The idea is that every village should have 100 to 200 hives available to give a
worthwhile revenue, if honey collecting stations work well and the market is established.) This
aim can become reality only if the safety aspect is the other methodological key to the project,
and this relies on the knowledge of the bees’ behaviour. So there are three unseparable
conditions (pillors) for our help to be fruitful: Particular hives, secure handling technology and
business. I am sure among the volunteers we have gifted people in our Wageningen group who
will find their particular role / place for participation in the project: Some hives need to be built
and developed, some beekeeping practices will have to be tested, much training is likely and
visiting coppled consulting an important corner stone to success). The trade side which we need
to build up must in the end bring the merit and then guarantee that the enterprise gets off the
drawing board and become self running. Janus once said the approach is apparently so new and
revolutionary that we may have to “fight” for it and against the preconceived Westerners
philosophy who do not want to step down from their Top Bar Hives, but we sayalthough it is
already an intermediate technology it still does not suit home beekeeping. We must procede
very close to traditional ways because the Africans’ acceptance is the key and Africans must
slowly “grow into all aspects of this new beekeeping approach including local group-help
priciples.

Frans, do you understand now why we need ( more) funds (actually small funds) for making our
help function, for this sustainable technology.? I am aware are about to try anew with
development of beekeeping after so many failiers in the past. (I will try and send an article
which is a kind of review of attempts). Now in view of the dramatic outlook, the globes
warming and the threat of hunger and deseases all over Africa, we must do something
responsible.

Africans can only get into charge of our project after they learnt/ understood why and how the
“White Man” has a point in helping to self-help ( of course to their conditions, with their
experiences!!) Local partners we have already and I shall advertise and find more in schools
among teachers, among foresters, in church circles, and other groupings. Please have patience
.
At this point I like to stop, as I may repeat much of what I had said before. In my next letter I try
to expand on a “consulting approach” which may well grow into one other very separate project.