This site uses cookies, as explained in our terms of use. If you consent, please close this message and continue to use this site.
1 min Read
Beekeeping is an income generating option in several areas across HKH region. A group of experts from the Initiative International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development’s (ICIMOD) Rural Livelihoods and Climate Change Adaptation in the Himalayas (Himalica) and Environment Conservation and Development Forum (ECDF) made a field visit to Himalica pilot site in Taplejung to assess the feasibility of developing a viable beekeeping enterprise as a source of income diversification for enhanced resilience of people in pilot villages.
The findings revealed that beekeeping is a common practice in pilot households with more than one-third having 2-20 colonies of the Apis cerana in traditional fixed comb log and wall hives producing from 5 to 50 kg of honey each. The area has bee flora necessary for honeybees to thrive; Leucosceptrum canum (bhusure or gurmis), Eurya accuminata (wild osmanthus), Englehardtia spicata (bandre), and Prunus cerasoides (wild cherry) are the main sources of honey which form the basis for the development of beekeeping enterprise.
But the harvesting method of squeezing combs by hand results in low yield and poor quality. Traditional harvesting methods also kill some brood and adult bees, leading to a decline in colony strength. The small quantities of honey harvested by individual beekeepers is sold locally and not able to enter the mainstream market. There is a need to improve the quality of honey through introducing modern bee management techniques and equipment.
There is a great need to develop community-based beekeeping enterprise in the area. Not only will further development help farmers earn cash income through sale of honey and other bee products, but pollination for production of various crops, particularly cash crops like cardamom, and will lead to an improvement in productivity, maintenance of biodiversity, helping farmers adapt to climate and other changes. Beekeeping and large cardamom are mutually beneficial — large cardamom provides food for bees and in turn bees provide pollination services necessary for production of large cardamom capsules.
As a result of the study, further training and technical/financial support for youth, women and farmers in the pilot villages will be provided jointly by ICIMOD and ECDF. Further need-based trainings and technical and follow up support will be provided in the village itself.
Share
Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.
Related content
The REDD+ Himalaya Initiative of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) was formally launched during a kick-off and ...
The participants came from the National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Bhutan; Karakoram International University (KIU), Pakistan; the Department ...
Virtual reality for tourism, a crop database, a landslide warning system, and documentaries on Himalayan environments… these four topics took ...
The destruction of brick kilns caused by the massive earthquake earlier this April damaged approximately 110 chimneys in the valley. ...
ICIMOD is pleased to announce the four winners of the ICT for Mountain Development Award 2014. They are Avinash Jha ...
ICIMOD took another step in improving the quality of hydrometeorological data collection that will contribute to reducing flood vulnerabilities in ...
Nepal harbours abundant biodiversity. Diversity exists largely due to the unique climatic conditions and geography in the Himalayan range. Indigenous ...
距人类首登世界之巅已70年,而气候紧急情况发生在此:在兴都库什-喜马拉雅区域内,三分之二的冰川预计将在本世纪末消失。 领先的山地机构国际山地综合发展中心(ICIMOD)、尼泊尔登山协会(NMA)和山区伙伴关系(Mountain Partnership) 呼吁全世界来拯救地球上的冰雪,以避免为时过晚。 #“拯救我们的雪”宣言在最初48小时内就收集到1000多个签名,其中包括新西兰前总理、各国外交官、传奇登山者和著名地球科学家。 尼泊尔加德满都讯(2023 年 5 月 29 日)——七十年前的今天,在埃德蒙·希拉里爵士和丹增·诺尔盖首次登上珠峰 ; 70 年后的今天,地球上最高的山峰正在经历由全球变暖引起的前所未有且基本不可逆的变化。 全球变暖正在危及珠峰与兴都库什-喜马拉雅地区的环境,该地区横跨八个国家,约长3500公里。根据目前的排放情况,科学家预计在未来70年内,该地区三分之二的冰川或将消融。 国际山地综合发展中心(ICIMOD)在包括 尼泊尔登山协会 和 山区伙伴关系(联合国自愿伙伴联盟)在内的全球山地机构的支持下,呼吁公众支持 #拯救我们的雪(#SaveOurSnow)运动。该运动要求公众: 在社交平台分享来自世界各地山区的故事和照片,使用#SaveOurSnow 标签 强调气候影响; 在网址 icimod.org/saveoursnow/declaration/ 签署一份宣言,呼吁各国政府兑现将升温限制在 1.5 ...