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Bee Forage Alarm Challenge
BEECON 2016
Surval, Oudtshoorn
02 July 2016
Tlou Masehela
Presentation outline
• Bee forage alarm – bee forage challenge
• Bee forage status
• Interventions to secure bee forage
• Bee forage promotion and sustainability challenges
• Nightmares vs sweet dreams
– Beekeepers and growers
• Addressing the bee forage challenge
Bee forage alarm - CHALLANGE
• 1922 – 1982
– Advocacy to plant sweet clover to address bee forage shortage
– Request to protect natural flora and plant bee friendly ornamentals
– Intervention by the Western Province Beekeeping Association (WPBA)
• Assistance and support to plant bee forage (Ministerial support)
• Prevent cutting down of Eucalyptus
• Plea to quantify bee forage plants (ARC)
– Michael Cooke & Western Cape Bee Industry Association (WCBA)
• Concerns on Eucalyptus removal
• Engagement with Division Councils & Municipalities
Bee forage alarm - CHALLANGE
• 1996 to date
– Honey shortage (Schehle 1996)
– NAMC Report (2008)
– Eucalyptus removal (Allsopp & Cherry 2004)
– ARC & SANBI
– WCBA
How do we know there is forage shortage?
• Through beekeepers
• Hive restrictions and removals in protected areas
• Continuous forage removal
• Impacts of theft and vandalism in good forage areas
• Increased competition for apiary sites
• Competition in land use activities
• Pollination demand forecast vs current supply
Why fuss over forage?
Masehela 2015
Hypothetical flow of various beekeeping practices and their interconnectedness. Diversified forage is the main driver for all beekeeping practices, with its availability and accessibility heavily affected by
hive theft and vandalism
Bee forage status
• Bee forage questions:
– What?
– Where?
– When?
– What for?
– How much?
Bee forage status
Crop; 0
Eucalyptus; 43%
Shrub; 0Tree; 0
Eastern Cape
Crop; 0.5Eucalyptus; 0.5
KwaZulu Natal
Crop; 0
Eucalyptus; 0Shrub; 0
Tree; 0Weed; 0
Mpumalanga/Limpopo
Crop; 0
Eucalyptus; 0Shrub; 0
Tree; 33%
Weed; 0
Northern Cape
Crop; 0
Eucalyptus; 0
Shrub; 0Tree; 5%
Weed; 0
Western Cape
Crop; 0.25
Eucalyptus; 25%Shrub; 10%
Tree; 25%
Weed; 15%
Free State/Gauteng/North West
Hutton-Squire 2014
1920-2009
Bee forage status
Masehela 2015
Interventions to secure bee forage
Interventions to secure bee forage
Interventions to secure bee forage
Bee forage promotion and sustainability challenges
• Shift in responsibility and authority
– Government departments
• Different views and priorities
– Private vs government
• Forage removal
• Access to sites (Protected areas)
Bee forage promotion and sustainability challenges
• Financial support
– Government
– Growers
– Private
• Climatic conditions
– Shift in seasons (flowering, nectar and pollen)
– Drought
• Cohesion and cooperation among parties
Nightmares vs sweet dreams
PollinationBeekeepers
Good bee forage Profit
Growers
GDP
Nightmares vs sweet dreams
The disconnection
Addressing the bee forage challenge
• Bee forage shortage reality (acceptance)
– Depends on the audience
• Beekeepers, growers, government, consumers
– Making the case
– Lobbying in unity
• Honey production vs pollination service
– Strategy and approach
• Plants in the ground
– What, where and how much?
– Regulation and maintenance
Addressing the bee forage challenge
• Finances
– Whose responsibility is it…?
• Education and awareness
– Strategy and approach
What will it take to address the forage challenge?
• Bees to go on “strike”?
• Beekeepers to withhold pollination services?
• Growers to have no hives for pollination when
needed?
• …impact on GDP?
Acknowledgements
• WCBA & SABIO
• BEECON organising committee & sponsors
• Presentation inputs & comments
– Brendan Ashley-Cooper
– Nico Langenhoven
– Mike Allsopp
E-mail: [email protected]: 021 799 8702
Contact details
E-mail: [email protected]: 021 799 8702
“The past is my experience, the present is my responsibility and the future my challenge” – Joseph Forkpah