[cid:image001.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image002.png@01D0E664.43263580]<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/> Digest No. 1189 3 September 2015 Discussion 118 [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] Bee products: providing nutrition and generating income - Honeybees, beekeeping and bee products in our daily lives [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]How to participate Send your contribution to [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>or post it on the FSN Forum website www.fao.org/fsnforum<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum> [cid:image005.jpg@01D0E664.43263580] In collaboration with the TECA Beekeeping Exchange Group<http://teca.fao.org/group/beekeeping-exchange-group> Dear Members, Our discussion “Bee products: providing nutrition and generating income - Honeybees, beekeeping and bee products in our daily lives<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/beekeeping>” has come to an end and we would like to thank you all for your interest and participation. In this digest we share with you a closing note by this discussions' facilitator James Edge and the short summaries of the latest comments received. To read all contributions in full, please download the proceedings document<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/files/118_Beekeeping/PROCEEDINGS_Beekeeping.docx> or visit the discussion website<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/beekeeping>. Over the next few weeks we will prepare a consolidated summary of the whole exchange and will share it with you as soon as it is published. We would also like to take this opportunity to encourage you to follow our two open online discussions currently taking place: Nutrition-sensitive social protection programmes around the world – What’s being done and to what effect? <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/social-protection-nutrition> and Food Security and Nutrition in APEC Economies. Sharing lessons learned and looking into the future<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/FSN_APEC> Let us thank you once again for this exchange and please do not hesitate to contact us for any additional information. Your FSN Forum team James Edge, facilitator of the discussion Thank you everyone who has taken part in this lively and wide-ranging discussion about bees and bee products. The importance of bees cannot be understated. In additional to providing honey, their value lies in pollination and ecosystem services, economic value as a source of income and, cultural and religious significance. We have heard from a number of countries about the range of uses of bee products, including the use of honey in brewing in Kenya, as a medicine or sweetener for traditional medicines, to feeding bee brood to sick bees as medicine. The cost and accessibility of honey was raised in a couple of responses – and, although honey production seems to be available year-round, the general decline and costs of beekeeping has raised the price of honey in some countries. From a national perspective, there are still a number of countries that do not actively support sustainable beekeeping, or create the right condition for agriculture and apiculture to benefit from each other. Some initiatives were highlighted, such as two World Bank resource projects in Tunisia<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-10>, which addresses beekeeping as an incoming generating activity. Regional and national initiatives have a critical role to play in sharing knowledge, building capacity and supporting the development of better policies and practices. A number of responses were hopeful about the future of beekeeping. Bella Gabitashvili<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-25> from Georgia suggests that the number of farmers interested in beekeeping is increasing, but more technical knowledge is required. Florence Egal<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-26> in Italy gives an example of how beekeeping can be an optimal coping mechanism and livelihood strategy for displaced people and families who have lost livestock due to famine or conflict. While pollination was not a direct topic of this discussion there is clearly a need for further discussion on pollination services provided by honeybees. In particular, the challenges bees face in terms of habitat loss, invasive species, pathogens, agro-chemicals and climate change. Lal Manavado<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeeping-8> from Norway provided us with a succinct summary of some of the approaches needed to address some of these issues. We hope to follow up on the pollination issues next year. In the meantime, please do join the TECA knowledge base and Beekeeping exchange group to continue the discussion on best practices and technologies in the apiculture sector. Read James’s comments online<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-27> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]Saydagzam Khabibullaev, "Land of Plenty Agro Distribution" LLC, "Real Estate Strong Partners" LLC, Uzbekistan Saydagzam reflects on the situation of beekeeping in his native Uzbekistan arguing that it is important to develop ways of delivery and distributing good quality honey, produced in respect of the bees. This includes the need for forming associations, which would be able to derive part of its income from sales of products of recognized quality. Read Saydagzam's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-18> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]Emile Houngbo, Agricultural University of Ketou (UAK), Benin Emile reminds us of the important role that bees have in biodiversity conservation. All too often are these animals seen only as producers of honey, while their pollination functions and thus their contribution to agricultural outputs remains largely unfamiliar. Read Emile's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/beekeeping> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]Solomon Akamiti, University of Ghana, Department of Agric Economics and Agribusiness, Ghana In Ghana, honey is used for medical as well as dietary purposes. However, Solomon informs us that a big challenge lies with the standard of production and the authenticity of the product as an increase in the level of adulterated honey in the market has been recorded. Read Solomon's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-21> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]C. Palanivelayutham Chokkalingam, India C. Palanivelayutham focuses on beekeeping in India. In this country honey is considered an important nutrition supplement for a regular diet. Crop specific honey production and the rearing in drumstick filed yields a special honey, which fetches a higher price. Read C. Palanivelayutham's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-22> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]De Jakes Osida, Kenya De Jakes gives us a detailed picture of the role of beekeeping in Kenya and introduces hybrid beehive innovation. Read Dejakes's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-23> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]Ann Waters-Bayer, Prolinnova International Support Team, Germany Ann shares a video in which De Jakes Olwendo further explains his hybrid beehive innovation. Read Ann's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-24> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]Bella Gabitashvili, Scientific-research center of agriculture, Georgia Bella tells us about the situation in Georgia where honey products play an important role. Despite some programmes starting to promote beekeeping and the number of farmers interested in such activity is growing, know-how and technology still need to be improved. Read Bella's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-25> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] [cid:image004.png@01D0E664.43263580]Florence Egal, Food Security and Nutrition expert, Italy Florence introduces us to a participatory nutrition project in Somalia, which identified honey production and beekeeping as one of the livelihoods interventions to improve food security of families who had lost their livestock. Read Florence's contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-bee-products-providing-nutrition-and-generating-income-honeybees-beekeepin-26> [cid:image003.png@01D0E664.43263580] www.fao.org/fsnforum<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/> CONTACT US<mailto:[log in to unmask]> • DISCLAIMER<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/disclaimer-copyright> ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the FSNFORUM-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.fao.org/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=FSNFORUM-L&A=1