1. UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED BIOLOGY
APICULTURE ASALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF INCOME GENERATION IN THE
UPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA
BY:
ERNESTO ASIEDU - PAINTSIL (FAS/2917/09)
AND KYIRAPIM OSEI MOHAMMED (FAS/3255/09)
JUNE, 2013.
2. APICULTURE AS ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF INCOME GENERATION IN THE
UPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA
A PROJECT WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, SUBMITTED
TO THE FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCES (HONS.)
APPLIED BIOLOGY DEGREE
BY
ERNESTO ASIEDU – PAINTSIL (FAS/2917/09)
AND KYIRAPIM OSEI MOHAMMED (FAS/3255/09)
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED BIOLOGY
FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
NAVRONGO CAMPUS, GHANA
JUNE, 2013.
3. DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to Almighty God for granting us absolute protection, grace and wisdom in
our lives and education. To our parents, benefactors, friends and loved ones for their care and
continuing support throughout our education.
4. ABSTRACT
Apiculture, the study and keeping of bees, can be expanded into a small business. Honey has a
long and distinguished history in the human diet. Employing both sound beekeeping and
business practices can generate a substantial income from the sale of honey. The main objective
was to assess the potential of apiculture as an alternative source of income generation through
survey and field trials. Cost benefit analysis was also compared with traditional cereal crops
production. The field trial employed the construction, baiting and mounting of Kenyan top bar
beehives and for the survey; questionnaire was designed to collect information on beekeeping. A
profit of GH¢ 462.00 could be obtained from Apiculture using six beehives on an acre of land
compared to a profit of GH¢ 148.00 could be obtained from an acre of maize farm and with a
profit difference of GH¢ 314.00 proved that Apiculture could be a good alternative source of
income. Apiculture is a very good business venture as an alternative source of income generation
and has the potential to improve the economic status of people in the Upper East Region of
Ghana. More farmers, women and the unemployed youth in the region are advised to take up
apiculture to generate more income and improve their economic status. Government agencies
such as SADA and NGOs involved in afforestation should also promote apiculture to improve
the vegetation of the region.
5. CERTIFICATION
We certify that this project work was carried out by us, Ernesto Asiedu – Paintsil and
Kyirapim Osei Mohammed, under the supervision of Mr. James Owusu-Kwarteng and we
take full responsibility for whatever has been reported here. Related work by others, which
served as source of information, has been duly acknowledged by reference to the authors.
------------------------------------ -----------------------------------
ERNESTO ASIEDU PAINTSIL KYIRAPIM OSEI MOHAMMED
(STUDENT) (STUDENT)
DATE: ……………………..... DATE: ……………………………
------------------------------------
Mr. JAMES OWUSU-KWARTENG
(SUPERVISOR)
DATE: ……………………..
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, we thank the Almighty God for how far He has brought us, and our families
for the support they have given us.
We again thank Mr. James Owusu-Kwarteng our Supervisor; Mr. YahayaAlhassanBasigi of
Navrongo Meteorological Station and Mr. Solomon Abeinge of TRAX Ghana – Bolgatanga, for
their enormous support and assistance.
To all who in diverse ways made our Project work a success, we say a big thank you and may
God richly bless you.
7. Table of Contents
Dedication……………………………………………………………………………………..i
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………..ii
Certification…………………………………………………………………………………….iii
Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………………………iv
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.1 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION..............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2 OBJECTIVES ..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER TWO ...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1 DESCRIPTION OF BEES COLONY.....................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.1 Composition of the colony....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2 SPECIES AND RACES OF BEES..........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.1 Apismellifera.........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.2 Apis cerana............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.3 Other bee species ..................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BEE....................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.4 HONEY BEE DANCES ..........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5 BEEKEEPING/ APICULTURE..............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.1 Marketing of honey...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.2 Domestic market ...................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.3 The export market .................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.4 Challenges associated with beekeeping ................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.5 Access to suitable land..........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
8. 2.5.6 Frequent occurrence of bushfires..........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.7 Lack of finance for expansion...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.8 Lack of standardisation and quality management.................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.9 Weak producer groups ..........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.10 Pests and diseases ...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.11 Lack of business approach to beekeeping...........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.12 Equipment ...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.13 Smoker ................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.14 Protective clothing ..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.15 Hive tools ............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.16 Beehives..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.17 Traditional hives .................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.18. Kenya top bar hive .............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.19. Intermediate technology hives ...........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.6 MAKING A START................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.7 HARVESTING HONEY AND BEESWAX ...........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.7.1 Harvesting the combs............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.7.2 Honey extraction...................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.7.3 Beeswax extraction...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.8 BEE STINGS ...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY.................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1 STUDY AREA ........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2 FIELD TRIAL..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.1 Making the top bar ................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
9. 3.3 SURVEY/ QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION............Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER FOUR..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.0 RESULTS ................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.1 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS...............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.2 BEEKEEPING CHARACTERISTICS ...................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.3 BEEKEEPING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ....................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.4 CHALLENGES OR PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH BEEKEEPING.Error! Bookmark
not defined.
4.5 HONEY MARKETING CHARACTERISTICS .....................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.6 FARM BUDGET FOR AN ACRE OF MAIZE (2013) ..........Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.7 BEEKEEPING BUDGET FOR AN ACRE OF LAND (2013)............. Error! Bookmark not
defined.
CHAPTER 5 ..................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.0 DISCUSSION ..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER SIX..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.0 CONCLUSION AND RECCOMMENDATION(S) ...............Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.1 CONCLUSION........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.2 RECOMMENDATION(S) ......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
REFERENCES ..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
LIST OF ACRONYMS .................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
APPENDIX 1.................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
QUESTIONNAIRE .......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
10. LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: The approximate development phase in days of different stages of European
A. mellifera races …………………………………..…………………………………………....9
Table 2: Marketing of Honey in the Upper East Region ...............Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 3: Demographic characteristics............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 4: Beekeeping characteristics...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 5: Beekeeping management practices..................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 6: Challenges or problems associated with beekeeping.......Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 7: Honey marketing characteristics......................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 8: A farm budget for an acre of maize farm…………………………………………........40
Table 9: A budget for apiculture on an acre of maize..................Error! Bookmark not defined.1
11. LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.0: Drone, Queen, and Worker..........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 2.1: Anatomy of a Honey Bee. ...........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 2.2: A smoker with bellows………………………………………………………………17
Figure 2.3: Top bar hive (Kenya). A: top bar. ...............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 2.4: Construction drawing of a Kenyan top bar hive……………………………………..21
Figure 3.0: (A) Kenyan Top bar beehive, (B) Beekeepers in full gear……………….………….28
Figure 3.1: Parts of the Kenyan Top bar beehive ........................Error! Bookmark not defined.9
Figure 4.1: Problems associated with beekeeping in the Upper East Region of Ghana…………39
Map of Upper East Region of Ghana.............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
12. CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
Apiculture, the study and keeping of bees, can be expanded into a small business. A beekeeping
enterprise can provide marketable honey and serve as a source of pollinators for nearby
cultivated crops. Honey has a long and distinguished history in the human diet. For thousands of
years honey hunters have plundered the hives of wild bees for their precious honey and bee wax
– a practice still common today. The most widely used honeybees are the European
Apismellifera, which have now been introduced worldwide. In Asia there are three main native
tropical species, Apiscerana, Apisdorsata, and Apisflorea; ceranais the only species that can be
managed in hives, but the single combs of the other two are collected by honey hunters. Tropical
Africa has a native Apismellifera, which is slightly smaller than the European Apismellifera, and
is more likely to fly off the comb and to sting. They are also more likely to abandon their hives if
disturbed, and in some areas the colonies migrate seasonally (Adjare, 1984).
Africa is blessed with numerous types of wild honeybee (Adjare, 1990). Wild honey hunting, an
age- old practice, is being discouraged due to its environmentally destructive nature. Instead,
modern beekeeping which involves the domestication of bees for honey production is receiving
greater attention, especially from development oriented non- governmental organizations.
Farmers have been supported by several NGOs and private enthusiasts under various poverty
alleviation and conservation projects to go into beekeeping enterprises. The beekeeping industry
13. in Ghana has, however, failed to attract adequate public sector support and has largely remained
a hobby among a few interested farmers. This may largely have been due to the general lack of
information on the sub – sector which poses a challenge in demonstrating the true potential of the
industry and in accurately assessing and increasing the visibility of the impact of interventions in
the sub – sector. Beekeeping can be readily integrated into small farm operations, including those
that produce fruits and vegetables needing pollination. Bees also fit readily into small scale
livestock production, including pastured poultry. Locally produced honey can be an attractive
addition to the mix of produce offered at farm stands and gift shops. Those who employ both
sound beekeeping and business practices can generate a substantial part-time income from the
sale of honey. Honey bees contribute directly to local food production and make an important
contribution, through pollination, to crop production. They are susceptible to a variety of threats,
including pests and diseases, the likelihood and consequences of which have increased
significantly over the last 5-10 years. (P. Seregen 2004)
Honey consists mostly (± 80%) of sugars that are readily absorbed by the body. It is therefore an
extremely suitable food for children, sick people and those who perform heavy manual labour.
1. It can be used as a sweetener for food and drinks.
2. It can be used to treat superficial wounds and throat complaints.
3. It is a pleasant-tasting food and an effective medicine.
4. It has a high economic value and is therefore a good trade commodity. (P. Seregen 2004)
14. 1.2 OBJECTIVES
1. To assess the potential of apiculture as an alternative source of income generation
through survey and field trials
2. To assess the structure of production cost, major constrains and opportunities of
honey production.
15. CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 DESCRIPTION OF BEES COLONY
There are three different kinds of bees in every colony: a queen, the drones, and the workers. The
queen's job is to lay eggs, as many as several hundred in a day. These larva develop into drones,
workers, or new queens, depending on how the workers treat them. (March 1994. Technical
Brief. Appropriate Technology Journal Volume 20, Number 4, AT Brief No. 7.)
Drones are the only male bees in the hive, and their main function is to mate with a virgin queen
outside the hive. They die after mating. They have no sting, do not carry pollen, are unable to
produce wax, and when resources are scarce they can be driven out of the hive to die. The all-
female worker bees make up about 98 per cent of the colony, and they do almost all the work.
They bring water, pollen, nectar, and propolis (bee glue) back to the hive, while some remain to
guard the hive, and some clean it, build the wax comb, nurse the young, and control the
temperature of the hive. Workers eat honey to produce heat in cold weather and fan their wings
to keep the hive cool in hot weather. Their legs are specially equipped with pollen baskets, and
they have glands that produce wax on their abdomens. The worker has a sting, but usually dies
after stinging anything. (March 1994. Technical Brief. Appropriate Technology Journal Volume
20, Number 4, AT Brief No. 7.)
A honey bee nest consists of a series of parallel beeswax combs. Each comb contains rows of
wax with hexagonal compartments containing honey stores, pollen, or developing bee larvae
(brood). To thrive and produce honey the bees need adequate supplies of nectar, pollen, and
water. The combs are evenly spaced and are attached to the ceiling of the nest. The space
16. between the faces of the combs is known as the 'bee space'; it is usually between 6 and 9mm and
is critical in maintaining optimal conditions within the nest, with just enough space for bees to
walk and work on the surface of the combs while maintaining the optimum nest temperature. Bee
space, dimensions of combs, and nest volume all vary with the race and species of honey bee.
The bee-space is a crucial factor in the use of bee equipment, and honey bees cannot be managed
efficiently using equipment of inappropriate size. Bees need a supply of food and water to live,
and during dry periods the beekeeper may have to supplement natural sources. As a general rule,
attempts to begin beekeeping should start with the area's existing bees, techniques, and
equipment, which will all have been adapted for the local circumstances.
2.1.1 Composition of the colony
In a bee colony there are two female castes: the queen and the worker, and males: the drones
Figure 2.0: Drone, Queen, and Worker. (Needham 2010)
17. 2.2 SPECIES AND RACES OF BEES
2.2.1 Apis mellifera
This honey-bee is the most widespread economic species. It is native in Europe, the near and
middle East of Asia and Africa. There are about 25 races, of which the most important are:
A.m.ligustica: known as the Italian bee. This race is very adaptable to different environments.
A.m.intermissa: native to the north coast of Africa, a black race suited to these dry zones.
A.m.adasonii: native to coastal West Africa, and A.m.scutellata, native to Central and Eastern
Africa: both of these species have a very pronounced, defensive behaviour and are prone to
swarming and absconding (meaning: the entire colony leaves the old hive).
2.2.2 Apis cerana
This Asian bee is quite similar to A.melliferaas it also nests in cavities, such as hives. Similar
types of beekeeping can be done with both species. However, there are also important
differences, especially in biology and behaviour. The most productive race is A.ceranacerana
In China, least productive with much smaller colonies is A.ceranaindicain India and South East
Asia and A. ceranajavana. It is useful to know that tropical A.mellifera and A.cerana races are
smaller than European A.mellifera.
2.2.3 Other bee species
Two other Apis species are found in Asia south of the Himalayas and China:
A.dorsata: the rock bee, with a single comb-nest built on rock or a branch of a tree.
A.florea: the dwarf bee, which builds a small single comb-nest around a twig of a shrub or a tree.
18. Figure 2.1: Anatomy of a Honey Bee. (Needham 2010)
2.3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BEE
The eggs hatch after three days; the larval stage lasts for about 5 days. During this period the
nurse bees provide the larvae in the open cells regularly with small quantities of food. After this
the bees close the brood cell with a porous wax capping. This is called sealed or capped brood.
The larva inside spins a cocoon, expels its excreta and then becomes a pre-pupa and pupa. The
capped phase of the worker brood lasts about 12 days. Then the bee which has developed from
the pupa gnaws away the wax capping and appears on the comb. The newly emerged light-grey
bees are easy to recognize. The drones take the longest to develop. The open brood stage lasts
about 7 days and the capped brood stage about 15 days. The young queens, however, are ready to
emerge within 7 days. It is important for the beekeeper to know that after a hive has lost its
queen he can expect the birth of a young queen after about 13 days.
19. Table 1: The approximate development phase in days of different stages of European
A.mellifera races.
Composition Egg Open Brood Capped
Brood
Total Days
Worker 3 5 12 20
Queen 3 5 7 15
Drone 3 7 15 25
Source: (Segeren, 2004)
The duration of the approximate worker brood stage of African A.mellifera races and A.cerana
races may be one day shorter.
2.4 HONEY BEE DANCES
When a bee finds a bush covered with flowers, or a tree loaded with blossoms, it is only a matter
of time before a great number of bees arrive to gather pollen and nectar. How does the first bee
let other bees know where the flowers are located? Communication about the location of food is
accomplished through a dance language. A few bees, called scout bees, fly around searching for
new sources of food. When a scout finds a good patch of flowers, she flies back to the nest. She
walks into the hive and up onto one of the combs, where other workers are grouped. There she
performs a dance by running in a precise pattern that communicates the direction and distance of
the flowers to the other bees. When the food is more than 300 feet away from the colony, the
scout honey bee dances in a figure -eight pattern. The bee first runs straight ahead for a precise
distance wagging her abdomen from side to side. Then she turns left and circles back to the
starting point, where she starts forward again, waggling the same distance as before. When she
reaches the point where she turned, she circles back to the right. Depending on how plentiful the
20. nectar is, the figure-eight may be repeated a number of times. The bees can get some information
about what type of flower the scout bee visited by the odour of the nectar.
The tail wagging portion of the dance indicates both the direction and distance of the flowers.
When the bee dances on the vertical face of the comb, straight up is the direction of the sun. The
angle the bee runs (from straight up) indicates the angle of the food from the sun. For example a
bee that runs straight down when the sun is in the west indicates the food directly east. How long
the bee goes forward wagging indicates distance. When the food is less than 300 feet away, the
bees omit the tail wagging portion of the dance and merely circle around. The process for
locating a new colony site during swarming also requires communication between bees. A few
bees go out to find suitable locations. Once located, they indicate to the other bees what has been
found and where it is. There can be more than one scout returning from different locations, and
somehow the swarm of bees evaluates the alternatives and chooses which one to follow. (
Frischet al1967)
2.5 BEEKEEPING/ APICULTURE
2.5.1 Marketing of honey
The urban market for honey is vibrant. However, in remote areas where beekeeping is
undertaken, lack of detailed market information, high transportation costs, inaccessibility to
market centres and a disconnect between major honey users such as pharmaceutical companies
and production centres are major constraints. Analysis of respondents indicates that majority of
individual beekeepers sell their products to consumers and retailers/processors. The export
market in Ghana has largely not been exploited.
21. Table 2: Marketing of Honey in the Upper East Region
HONEY MARKET UPPER EAST REGION (%)
Consumers 66.9
Processors/ retailers/ wholesalers 16.5
Exporters 0
Pharmaceutical companies 0
Others 16.6
Source: (The Honey Industry in Ghana 2010.)
The market for honey may be categorized broadly into two – the domestic and export markets.
2.5.2 Domestic market
The survey identified two kinds of domestic markets: rural and urban.
A. The rural domestic market is the lowest end of the honey market. Consumption of honey
in the local communities is largely for medicinal purposes and to a small extent for
nutrition. Development of this market has been constrained by low incomes of
consumers, patronage of cheap honey supplied from wild sources and very little
appreciation of the value of honey. The main outlets for honey in the rural setting are
limited to open markets, table-tops, corner shops and street hawking by women and
children. This has consequently resulted in low market prices for honey in rural markets.
With the gradual rise in rural incomes and the integration of wild honey hunters into
beekeeping programmes, it is expected that efficient honey value chains will be
developed and the rural market situation for honey will transform.
22. B. The urban domestic market for honey consists of shops, supermarkets, vendors and
pharmacies. The survey indicates that the urban market has a gamut of honey products
sourced locally and abroad from countries like UK, France, Italy, Argentina and USA.
Local honey products on the urban domestic markets are supplied by wholesalers.
Interviews with supermarkets and shop operators indicate that demand for honey
products in the urban markets is by the middle class income earners who use honey for
mainly nutritional and health reasons. These shop operators observe that the demand for
honey products is increasing due to shifts to organic food products by the ever increasing
health conscious consumers. According to the operators, market development for locally
produced honey is adversely affected by negative practices that include adulteration of
honey. Pharmaceutical manufacturers also use honey in medicinal syrups which are sold
in pharmacies stores/shops.
2.5.3 The export market
There is a large export market for honey. Information obtained from the Ghana Export
Promotion Council (GEPC) indicates that foreign buyers have been making inquiries about
exports. Order requests are estimated at about 10,000 metric tons per annum but virtually no
commercial quantities of honey are exported from Ghana. The capacity to produce the right
quantities and quality is inadequate.(The Honey Industry in Ghana 2010.)
2.5.4 Challenges associated with beekeeping
The honey sub-sector is facing certain key challenges and constraints which need to be resolved
if the full potential of apiculture is to be realised. Lack of enabling regulatory and policy
23. framework: a fundamental challenge for the honey sub-sector is lack of an enabling policy and
regulatory regime to provide the needed catalyst for its development and growth. This gap has,
among others, contributed to the neglect, fragmentation and lack of support resulting in the
generally poor performance of the sub-sector. Lack of technical capacity:a major constraint of
the sub-sector is weak technical capacity including poor hive management skills, weak capacity
to colonise hives, lack of business orientation among beekeepers, etc. Other technical challenges
include, poor quality products, lack of quality standards, poor packaging, marketing challenges,
etc.
2.5.5 Access to suitable land
Inadequate access to land is one of the fundamental challenges facing agricultural development
in general and the honey sub-sector is no exception. This problem in the honey sub-sector is
exacerbated by the rampant destruction of farmlands and critical ecosystems. The exponential
expansion of real estate development contributes to this problem as farmlands, forest and
beekeeping enclaves are being used for residential facilities. In other areas, beekeepers are
unable to site their hives on lands hitherto used for beekeeping due to the perception that bees are
wild and dangerous insects and could sting people with potentially fatal consequences. People
are inclined to be discouraged from keeping bees within communities. A case in point occurred
at Dravagain the Ga East District where the community members protested against the
introduction of beekeeping by two of their members due to bee-related fatalities in the past. (The
Honey Industry in Ghana 2010)
2.5.6 Frequent occurrence of bushfires
Bushfires are major challenges facing the sub-sector. Hives and bees are destroyed by unguided
bushfire and farmers often lose their investment. This discourages them and has been responsible
24. for some discontinued interest in beekeeping. Furthermore, the destruction of the vegetation and
forest affects access to nectar bearing vegetations, thus, reducing the yield levels. One of the
impacts of bushfires is the low colonisation of hives. This is recognised as one of the main
causes of poor yield of honey and its derivatives in the Region.
2.5.7 Lack of finance for expansion
A major concern expressed by beekeepers in all the study regions was lack of finance to acquire
the equipments needed for beekeeping and honey production. For example, equipments such as
refractometers and hydrometers which are required for determination of quality standards are
lacking in the processing centres. These equipments are relatively expensive and cannot be
acquired without access to financial support.
2.5.8 Lack of standardisation and quality management
There is lack of standardisation and quality management system in the sub-sector contributing to
the prevalence of poor production processes. This is affecting the production and sale of honey
on the local market. Additionally, in the absence of support to address these, locally produced
honey is unsuccessful in attracting good market prices.
2.5.9 Weak producer groups
Many beekeeping projects in Ghana are organized around groups and cooperatives. Many of
these groups are functionally ineffective. There is lack of group commitment and good
leadership. This situation makes it difficult for individual beekeepers to access support services
and micro-credit facilities for expanding their businesses. The lack of strong producer groups and
its associated fragmented production units also make it difficult for beekeepers to access
25. lucrative markets. Other problems associated with the weak producer groups are lack of
collective action in input acquisition, production planning and output marketing.
2.5.10 Pests and diseases
Concerns for beekeepers include parasites and predators as well as unwanted pesticides. These
predators and parasites including bloodsucking mites like Varroa and tracheal mites, wax moth,
ants etc attack and kill the bees. These insects interrupt the honey production process and bees
eventually abscond. Yields are consequently low. Together, the predators and parasites present
big problems for the beekeeping industry. Some of the pesticides used in crop production also
poison and kill bees and where these bees survive, the honey produced becomes polluted,
rendering it unwholesome for human consumption.
2.5.11 Lack of business approach to beekeeping
Most beekeepers perceive beekeeping as a hobby and a part-time economic activity. Managing
and growing beekeeping as business is one of the major challenges that beekeepers face. Profits
are not ploughed back to raise production and maintain customer satisfaction. Customers,
especially big marketing agents, rather want a guaranteed supply at a certain quantity and
quality. As a result, beekeepers do not have access to markets where the true value of their honey
is realised. The overall impact of the above challenges manifests in low production, poor yield,
limited market access, low incomes and under-utilisation of beekeeping for effective poverty
reduction. When these challenges are addressed, beekeeping can better contribute significantly to
household income, rural economic enhancement and national development.
26. 2.5.12 Equipment
Most of the equipments needed for small-scale beekeeping can be made at village level. It can be
helpful to import basic equipments to serve as prototypes for local manufacturers. For practicing
on a large scale, some specialized equipments will probably need to be bought, such as honey
gates, special filtering gauze, and gauges to determine honey quality.
2.5.13 Smoker
A beekeeper uses a smoker to produce cool smoke to calm the bees. The smoker consists of a
fuel box containing smouldering fuel (for example dried cow dung, hessian, or cardboard) with a
bellows attached. The beekeeper puffs a little smoke near the entrance of the hive before it is
opened, and gently smokes the bees to move them from one part of the hive to another.
28. 2.5.14 Protective clothing
Adequate protective clothing gives beginner beekeepers confidence, but more experienced
beekeepers find that too much protective clothing makes it difficult to work sufficiently, gently
with the bees, and it is very hot. Always wear white or light-coloured clothing when working
with bees - they are much more likely to sting dark-coloured clothing. It is most important to
protect the face, especially the eyes and mouth; a broad-brimmed hat with some veiling will
suffice. Individual items of clothing must be impermeable to bee stings, and every joint between
them must be bee-tight; rubber bands can prevent bees from crawling up trouser legs or
shirtsleeves. Some people find that a good way to protect their hands is to put a plastic bag over
each hand, secured at the wrist with a rubber band.
2.5.15 Hive tools
The hive tool is a handy piece of metal which is used to prise boxes apart, scrape off odd bits of
beeswax, separate frame-ends from their supports, and so on. They can be made from pieces of
flat steel, and screwdrivers are often used. It is possible to use an old knife for this job, but knife
blades tend to be too flexible and give insufficient leverage.
2.5.16 Beehives
A beehive is any container provided for honey bees to nest in. The idea is to encourage the bees
to build their nest in such a way that it is easy for the beekeeper to manage and exploit them.
29. 2.5.17 Traditional hives
These are made from whatever materials are available locally: typically hollowed-out logs, bark
formed into a cylinder, clay pots, woven grass, or cane. They are used to encourage bees to nest
in a site that is accessible by the beekeeper. The bees build their nest inside the container, just as
they would build it in a naturally occurring cavity. Eventually the beekeeper plunders the nest to
obtain crops of honey and beeswax. Bees may or may not be killed during this process,
depending on the skill of the beekeeper. If the colony is destroyed, the hive will remain empty
for a while. If there are plenty of honey bee colonies in the area, then eventually a swarm may
settle in the empty hive and start building a new nest. Traditional beekeepers often own 200
hives, and expect only a proportion of these to be occupied by bees at any time. All the
requirements for traditional beekeepers will be available locally, but beekeepers can be helped by
the provision of protective clothing, smokers, and containers for the honey, and with help in
locating markets for their products.
2.5.18. Kenya top bar hive
A long trough-shaped box with sloping side walls (forming an angle of 115° with the floor) is
covered with bars of a fixed width. Round sticks can be used instead of bars, as long as the
spacing between the sticks is correct. The advantage of using adjoining bars is that when you
inspect part of the combs, the rest of the colony remains covered and is therefore not disturbed.
The bees will build a comb on each of the bars. The remarkable feature of this kind of hive is
that the bees do not attach the combs to the sloping sidewalls; a bee space is left free. The centre
to centre distance of top bars should be the same as the comb spacing, which is specific for every
bee race.
30. Figure 2.3: Top bar hive (Kenya). A: top bar. (Segeren, 2004)
The hive consists of a bottom board, two side walls and a front and back wall (figure 2.4). The
bottom board can be a little wider than indicated in the drawing. The protruding section can then
be used as a flight board (landing strip) for the bees flying in. Two slits measuring 1 × 15 cm are
made in the front wall to serve as flight entrances. The cover can be made from any material
which gives adequate protection against light, sun and rain. The underside of the bars should be
planed down to a V shape. It is extremely important that the bars have the right width, or, where
sticks are used, that these are placed at exactly the right distance from each other by means of
nails or spacing bars. The bars or sticks should be 48 cm long.
The hive is suspended between two trees or poles with strong wire. This will keep the hive out of
the reach of ants, termites and other enemies. Finally the hive should be painted white to protect
it against too much heat. One could first treat the wood on the outside of the hive with a
preservative (without insecticide!).
31. Figure 2.4: Construction drawing of a Kenyan top bar hive. A: lid; B: back; C: bottom; D:
side; E: front.(Segeren, 2004)
2.5.19. Intermediate technology hives
Intermediate technology hives combine the advantages of frame hives with low cost and the
ability to manufacture locally. The hive consists of a container with a series of 'top bars', on
which the bees are encouraged to build their combs. These top bars then allow individual combs
to be lifted from the hive by the beekeeper. The containers for the hives may, like traditional
hives, be built from whatever materials are locally available. Top-bar hives can also be kept near
the home and moved between flowering crops, enabling women to keep bees.
The only items in the top-bar hive which need to be built with precision are the top bars
themselves; they must provide the same spacing of combs within the hive as the bees would use
in their natural nest. The natural comb spacing is the distance between the centres of adjoining
combs, and this spacing will depend upon the species and race of honey bees which are being
32. used. As a very general guide, Apismellifera of European origin need top bars 35mm wide,
Apismellifera in Africa need 32mm, and Apiscerana in Asia need 30mm.
The best way to determine the optimum width is to measure the spacing between combs in a wild
nest of the same bees. The volume of the brood box should equate roughly with the volume of
the cavity occupied by wild-nesting honey bees.
2.6 MAKING A START
A good way to begin beekeeping, especially in Africa, is to bait an empty hive to attract a
swarm. Set up a hive and either rub it inside with some beeswax or lavender to give it an
attractive smell, or leave some attractive food for the bees: granulated sugar or cassava powder
will work. You could also put some honey on the tops of the top bars. The bees will not be able
to get at it and take it away to another hive, but the scent will still remain to attract them. This
will only be successful in areas where there are still plenty of honey bee colonies. Another option
is to transfer a colony from the wild into the hive. The wild colony will already have a number of
combs and these can be carefully tied on to the top bars of the hive, making sure that you include
the brood combs and the queen. One of the best ways to get started in beekeeping is with the
assistance of a practicing, local beekeeper.
2.7 HARVESTING HONEY AND BEESWAX
Honey is harvested at the end of a flowering season. The beekeeper selects those combs which
contain ripe honey, covered with a fine layer of white beeswax. These combs are usually the
outside-most ones. Combs containing any pollen or developing bees should be left undisturbed.
Honey will keep a long time if it is clean and sealed in an airtight container, but will deteriorate
rapidly and ferment if it has absorbed water. Preventing this from happening is crucial in honey
harvesting.
33. 2.7.1 Harvesting the combs
Harvesting should be carried out in the evening or the early morning. Gentleness is the key to
successful colony manipulation, so learn to carry out this process swiftly but calmly to avoid
upsetting your bees.
• Put on your protective clothing.
• Get your smoker, brush or quill, knife or hive tool, and a rust- proof container in which to put
the honeycomb.
• Load your smoker, and puff some smoke gently around the hive for a few minutes. Wait a few
more minutes, then puff smoke around the entrance holes.
• After puffing the smoke, open the lid.
• Knock the top bars to see which of them have combs; they will sound heavier than empty ones.
• Use the knife or hive tool to remove the first bar from one end of the hive.
• Puff smoke gently into the gap to drive the bees to the other side of the hive.
• Start removing the bars one by one, until you get to the first comb, which will be white and
new. It may be empty or it may contain some unripe honey. Replace it and leave the comb for
the bees to develop.
• Remove only the capped or partly capped combs, which will be quite heavy. Use a brush or
feather to sweep any bees back into the hive.
• Cut the comb off, leaving about 2cm for the bees to start building on again. Put the comb in a
container and replace the top bar.
• Carryon harvesting until you come across a brood comb, which will be dark in colour and
contain pollen too. Leave this honey for the bees.
• Start the process again at the other end of the hive.
34. • Close the hive carefully, replacing the lid.
2.7.2 Honey extraction
The honeycomb can be simply cut into pieces and sold as fresh, cut comb honey. Alternatively,
the honey and comb can be separated and sold as fresh honey and beeswax. It is important when
processing honey to remember that it is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture, so all honey
processing equipment must be perfectly dry.
The most common traditional methods of honey extraction are squeezing or burning the combs.
Burning the honeycomb is wasteful and makes the quality of both the wax and the honey
inferior; it should be avoided at all costs. If your quantity of honey or financial resources is
small, then squeezing the honey out by hand is probably the most viable option. The honey
extracted by this method will have to be strained through several increasingly finer meshes to
remove any bits of wax or debris, ending with something like muslin cloth. It is very important
that this procedure be carried out hygienically, and that the honey is not left exposed to the air,
where it will pick up moisture and deteriorate.
Another good way of extracting honey from top-bar hives is a radial or tangential extractor. This
is a cylindrical container with a centrally-mounted fitting to support combs or frames of
uncapped honey, and a mechanism to rotate the fitting (and the combs) at speed. The honey is
thrown out against the side of the container and runs down to the bottom, where it is collected
and then drained off with a tap. Most manufactured extractors are made to hold frames and have
to be adapted to take comb from top bar hives. This is usually done by making wire baskets to
hold the comb. The baskets can either lie flat horizontally, or be attached to the vertical frames
and sit tangentially within the container.
35. Top-bar combs in tangential extractors have to be spun twice, once on each side, to extract all the
honey. The honey must be stored in airtight, non-tainting containers to prevent water absorption
and consequent fermentation. If you want to sell your honey it would be helpful to add a label
describing the source of the honey (for example sunflower, mixed blossom, tree honey), the
country and district it was produced in, the weight or amount of honey in the container, and your
name and address.
2.7.3 Beeswax extraction
The comb from which bees build their nest is made of beeswax. After as much honey as possible
is separated from the combs, the beeswax can be melted gently over moderately warm water
(boiling water will ruin the wax) and moulded into a block.
Another option for processing the wax is a solar wax melter. This appliance is easy to make and
consists of a wooden box with a galvanised metal shelf with a spout, a bowl or container that sits
under the spout, and a glass or plastic cover. When placed in the sun the temperature inside the
box will melt down a comb and the wax will flow into a container inside the box. Any honey that
was left in the combs will sink to the bottom; it is usually used for cooking or beer making as its
taste is spoiled somewhat by this process.
Beeswax does not deteriorate with age and therefore beekeepers often save their scraps of
beeswax until they have a sufficiently large amount to sell. Many beekeepers still discard
beeswax, unaware of its value. Beeswax is a valuable commodity with many uses in traditional
societies: it is used in the lost-wax method of brass casting, as a waterproofing agent for
strengthening leather and cotton strings, in batik, in the manufacture of candles, and in various
hair and skin ointments. Beeswax is also in demand on the world market. Beeswax for export
should be clean and have been re-heated as little as possible.
36. 2.8 BEE STINGS
Bee stings can be avoided by wearing protective clothing, but if you are stung, you should
remove the sting as soon as possible by scraping it off with a fingernail or knife. Do not try to
pick it off as you may squeeze poison into your flesh. Some steps to help avoid bee stings are:
• Wash yourself to make sure you are free of odours.
• Do not use any cosmetics, perfume, etc.
• Approach the hive from the side or behind the entrance.
• Do not wear dark clothing.
• Approach the hive quietly.
• Provide bees with water during the dry season.
• Be careful not to crush a bee, as it gives off an alarm scent (pheromone). If you are stung, you
should move away and remove the sting, as other bees will be attracted by the powerful smell
that the bee leaves on the spot where you have been stung. As soon as the sting is out, the site
should be smoked to disguise the alarm pheromone. If you are allergic to bee stings, you should
not take up beekeeping.
37. CHAPTER THREE
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY
3.1 STUDY AREA
The study was carried out in the Upper East Region. The region is located in the north-eastern
corner of Ghana. It lies between longitude 00° and 10°west, and latitudes 100° 30°N and 110°N.
The region shares boundaries with Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, Upper West
Region to the west, and the Northern Region to the south. The region is divided into 9 districts.
The land is relatively flat with a few hills to the East and southeast. The total land area is about
8,842 sq km, which translates into 2.7 per cent of the total land area of the country. The natural
vegetation is that of the savannah woodland characterised by short scattered drought-resistant
trees and grass that gets burnt by bushfire or scorched by the sun during the long dry season. The
most common economic trees are the Sheanut, Dawadawa, Baobab and Acacia. (Modern Ghana,
2013)
3.2 FIELD TRIAL
Four constructed Kenyan top bar beehives were mounted with metallic stands at vantage points
on campus. The planes are cut into sizes which are the side panels. The wood may need to be
planed to give a neat fit. Two shorter pieces are nailed together to make the gable ends (front and
back). Cut the ends off two nails (or hammer flat with a stone) to give a nail with two sharp ends.
Hammer the sharp end of the nails into the planks to join the wood. The joined wood makes the
rough gable shapes (front and back). Saw the rough gable shapes into the correct shape and size.
Use a standard template to make measuring easier. This can be made of cardboard. Measuring
38. from the middle ensures accurate angles. Cut a slot or a row of ‘V’ shapes or drill holes (no
bigger than the diameter of a biro pen) in one gable end for the entrance. The entrances must not
be more than 8mm high to prevent pests entering the hive. Once the pieces are cut the hive is
ready to put together. The sides are nailed to the gable ends. The floor is added (nailed). The
gable ends can be made a little higher than the sides to accommodate the top bars, or runners are
put inside the hive so the top bars fit neatly with the sides. It was baited with wax, honey and
Pito mash. The wax starter strips were rubbed with wax and honey and inside the hives were
baited with Pito mash and honey. The hive was covered with a quarter of half inch plywood to
prevent rain or water, and direct sunshine from disturbing the bees.
Figure 3.0: (A) Kenyan Top bar beehive (B) Beekeepers in full gear
39. 3.2.1 Making the top bar
Cutting top bars is the most difficult and expensive part of hive building. It is essential they are
32 or 33 mm (3.2 or 3.3 cm) wide. The width of the top bars can be measured using a bottle top
or a used 9 volt battery (the only square shaped battery). Most top bars are wedge shaped in
cross section. However, many people have success with simpler top bars made of local materials
that are easier to cut than best timber. Sticks, bamboo, or other suitable materials can be carefully
cut to size. The wax starter strip can be easily made with a beeswax candle. Badly cut top bars
are the cause of most problems that can happen when using top bar hives. If the top bars are cut
correctly and waxed well, bees will build one comb on one top bar. This allows the beekeeper to
harvest easily and move combs between hives to manage bees in a similar way to frame hives.
40. Figure 3.1: Parts of the Kenyan Top bar beehive
A – Gable end
B – Side panel
C – Entrance (no more than 8mm high)
D – Floor (& optional landing board no bigger than 2 cm)
E - Top bar
F – Roof(All measurements are internal to allow for variation in thickness of construction
materials) (Gregory, 2011)
41. 3.3 SURVEY/ QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION
In order to get the overall picture of Apiculture in the Upper East Region of Ghana, a
questionnaire was designed and administered to obtain primary data.
The primary data collected from the farmers focused on:
A. Demographic Characteristics; which entails name, age, sex, marital status, occupation
(other than beekeeping), education level, religion and ethnicity.
B. Beekeeping Characteristics; which entails farm size, number of hives, types of hives,
cost of hives, materials for baiting, experience in beekeeping, equipment/ gears, sources
and cost, annual honey production, annual income, sale/ price per gallon, and access and
source of credit.
C. Beekeeping Management Practices; which involves cultural practices, process of
extraction, other products from extraction, and problems facing beekeepers.
D. Honey Marketing Characteristics; which includes packaging, labelling, and marketing
strategies.
E. General Views; personal ideas from the beekeepers.
Secondary data was collected from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) on other farm
produce in the region on their cost of production and annual income.
42. CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 RESULTS
The results from the questionnaire administered to twelve beekeepers that were randomly
selected from the various parts of the region.
The analysis below shows the Demographic characteristics, Beekeeping characteristics,
Beekeeping management practices, and Honey marketing characteristics.
4.1 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
The demographic characteristics portray or give the personal information of the various
beekeepers. It includes their age, sex, education, marital status, ethnicity, and any other
occupation apart from beekeeping.
Table 3: Demographic characteristics
Serial
Number Characteristics
Response
Variable
Number of
Persons
Percentage
(%)
1 Age ≤ 25 0 0
25 – 50 9 75
≥ 50 3 25
2 Sex Male 12 100
Female 0 0
3 Education Basic 5 41.7
JHS 2 16.7
SHS 0 0
Post- Secondary 0 0
Tertiary 3 25
No 2 16.6
4 Religion Christianity 4 33
Islam 2 17
Traditional 6 50
Other 0 0
44. 4.2 BEEKEEPING CHARACTERISTICS
This shows the size in acres of their farm lands, the number, and type of hive they use, baiting
materials, and their experience in beekeeping. Source of equipment and hives which were mostly
obtained from NGOs, average annual production by a single farmer, average price of the honey,
requiring access to credit and its availability.
Table 4: Beekeeping characteristics
Serial
Number Characteristics Response Variables
Number of
Persons Percentages (%)
1
Farm size
(Acres) ≤ ½ - 2 7 58.3
3 – 4 2 16.7
≥ 5 3 25
2
Number of
hives 1 -4 5 41.7
5 – 7 5 41.7
8 – 10 2 16.6
3 Types of hive Top bar 9 75
Pot 2 16.7
Tree trunk 1 8.3
4 Source of hive Donated/ NGOs 7 58.3
Self-purchased 5 41.7
5
Source of
equipment Donated/ NGOs 7 58.3
Self-purchased 5 41.7
6
Baiting
materials Wax 2 16.6
Pito mash 5 41.7
Animal droppings 5 41.7
7
Experience
(Years) ≤ 3 6 50
> 3 – 5 2 16.7
> 5 – 10 1 8.3
45. > 10 3 25
8
Average annual
production
(Gallons) by a
single farmer ≤ ½ - 4 5 41.7
5 - 7 1 8.3
8 - 10 2 16.7
0 4 33.3
9
Average price
(GH¢) Gallon (65 - 65) N/D N/D
Bottle (10 - 12) N/D N/D
Other N/D N/D
10 Require credit Yes 12 100
No 0 0
11 Access to credit Yes 12 16.7
No 10 83.3
N/D – Not determined.
46. 4.3 BEEKEEPING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
These are the practices performed by the farmer to ensure effective and successful colonization
of hives and honey production. Visiting bee hives, the process of honey extraction and wax
processing.
Table 5: Beekeeping management practices
Serial
Number Characteristics
Responds variables/
Response.
Number of
Persons
Percentage
(%)
1 Visit to Bees
Daily 1 8.3
Every other day 2 16.7
Once a week 4 33.3
Other 5 41.7
2 Weeding around hives Yes 9 75
No 3 25
3
Provide additional water
and food (glucose and bee
combs with honey)
Yes 10 83.3
No 2 16.7
4 Process of extraction
Squeezing 4 33.3
Cold Extraction 7 58.4
Solar Extraction 1 8.3
5 Wax processing Yes 3 25
No 9 75
47. 4.4 CHALLENGES OR PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH BEEKEEPING
These are the various day to day problems encountered by the beekeepers. It includes problems
with rodents and insects, shortage of bee forage, absconding bees, disease and pest associated
with beekeeping and several others.
Table 6: Challenges or problems associated with beekeeping
Serial
Number Characteristics
Responds variables/
Response.
Number of
Persons
Percentage
(%)
1
Problems with rodents and
insects
Yes 7 58.3
No 5 41.7
2 Shortage of Bee forage
Yes 6 50
No 6 50
3 Absconding Bees
Yes 5 41.7
No 7 58.3
4 Disease and Pest
Yes 4 33.3
No 8 66.7
5 Lack of equipment
Yes 9 75
No 3 25
6 Death of colony Yes 2 16.7
No 10 83.3
48. 7 Marketing Problems
Yes 0 0
No 12 100
8 Lack of adequate skills
Yes 7 58.3
No 5 41.7
9 Reduction in Colony size
Yes 6 50
No 6 50
49. Figure 4.1: Problems associated with beekeeping in the Upper East Region of Ghana
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Problemswith
rodentsand
insects
Shortageof
Beeforage
Absconding
Bees
Diseaseand
Pest
Lackof
equipment
Deathof
colony
Marketing
Problems
Lackof
adequateskills
Reductio
nin
Colony
size
Problems
Percentageofrespondents(%)
50. 4.5 HONEY MARKETING CHARACTERISTICS
This entails the types of package used by the farmers, whether plastic or glass containers, if they
do package their honey, labeling of honey which no one did, who they sell their products (honey)
directly to consumers, and exporting of the honey which has not yet been achieved in the region.
Table 7: Honey marketing characteristics
Serial
Number Characteristics
Responds variables/
Response.
Number of
Persons
Percentage
(%)
1
Packaging of
product
Yes 5 41.7
No 7 58.3
2 Types of package
Glass bottle 1 20
Plastic bottle 4 80
3 Labeling
Yes 0 0
No 12 100
4
Selling/
Marketing
Consumer 12 100
Middleman 0 0
Other 0 0
5 Export
Yes 0 0
No 12 100
51. 4.6 FARM BUDGET FOR AN ACRE OF MAIZE (2013)
This gives detailed information of the average cost involved in cultivating an acre of maize. It
provides various activities required and their corresponding cost involved. After harvesting
twelve to fourteen bags of maize can be obtained and a bag is sold averagely for GH¢ 50.00;
therefore investing GH¢ 552.00 into an acre of maize farm, a profit of GH¢ 148.00 could be
made.
Table 8: A farm budget for an acre of maize
Serial
number
Activity Cost (GH¢)
1 Land Clearing 10.00
2 Land Preparation (ridging) 60.00
3 Seed (10kg) 15.00
4 Labour for planting 25.00
5 Labour for first weeding 30.00
6 Compound fertilizer (2 bags) 102.00
7 Labour for fertilizer application 30.00
8 Second weeding 30.00
9 S/A fertilizer (2 bags) 70.00
10 Labour for fertilizer application 30.00
11 Harvesting (labour) 30.00
12 Transport 20.00
13 Processing (dehusking and shelling) 60.00
14 Bagging and storage 40.00
Total 552.00
52. (Source: Ministry of Food and Agriculture.)
This budget is the average cost for the various crops produced in the region; the difference is cost
the cost of fertilizer and its application.
4.7 BEEKEEPING BUDGET FOR AN ACRE OF LAND (2013)
This provides the equipment/ gears, their unit price, quantity, and total cost for beekeeping and
honey production on an acre of land. For an acre of land six beehives were used. Each hive can
produce about three gallons of honey and eighteen gallons of honey could be obtained after
harvesting if all the hives were colonized successfully. The average price for a gallon of honey is
GH¢ 60; therefore if GH¢ 618.00 is invested in Apiculture, a profit of GH¢ 462.00 will be made.
Table 9: A budget for apiculture on an acre of maize
Serial
Number
Gears/ Equipment Unit Price
(GH¢)
Quantity Cost (GH¢)
1 Kenya top bar hive 55.00 6 330.00
2 Wax 10.00 1 10.00
3 Beehive stand 13.00 6 78.00
4 Plywood 40.00 1½ 60.00
5 Bee suite 48.00 1 48.00
6 Bee veil 35.00 1 35.00
7 Bee smoker 35.00 1 35.00
8 Hand gloves (pair) 10.00 1 10.00
9 Pito mash 2.00 - 2.00
54. CHAPTER 5
5.0 DISCUSSION
Using an acre of land for the production of maize, fourteen bags could be harvested if the yield is
good, considering all environmental factors. If the average price for a bag of maize in the market
is GH¢ 50.00 then fourteen bags will be sold for GH¢ 700.00. If the total cost incurred in
producing maize on an acre of land is GH¢ 552.00; therefore subtracting the total cost from the
total sale of the bags of maize a profit margin of GH¢ 148.00 is made.
On the same acre of land used for Apiculture, where six beehives are used, a total of eighteen
gallons of honey are obtained, three from each hive when beehives are fully colonized. The
average price for a gallon of honey in the market is GH¢ 60. 00; an amount of GH¢ 1,080.00 will
be obtained from the sale of the eighteen gallons of honey. If the total cost incurred in Apiculture
on an acre of land is GH¢ 618.00; therefore subtracting it from the sale of the eighteen gallons of
honey a profit margin of GH¢ 462.00 is made.
From tables 7 and 8, the total costs involved in producing maize on an acre of land is GH¢
552.00 and that of Apiculture is GH¢ 618.00. Though the total cost incurred in maize production
is less than Apiculture, the profit obtained from Apiculture is GH¢ 462.00 which is higher than
the profit in maize production, GH¢ 148.00 in a farming season. The difference incurred in the
production of maize and Apiculture is GH¢ 66.00 and that of the profit margin is GH¢ 314.00
which shows that Apiculture is a good and an alternative source of income. Also in maize
production the farmer will have to reinvest (GH¢ 552) every year but with Apiculture there is no
reinvestment, because the beehives and other gears can be used for several years. Honey being a
non – perishable food can be stored for a very long time and sold later for money.
55. During our research four beehives with their stands were mounted on campus with only one
beehive colonized after three weeks. After a month the bees absconded due to persistent
disturbance by the local inhabitants who were after the honey. This resulted in the destruction of
our field trial.
56. CHAPTER SIX
6.0 CONCLUSION AND RECCOMMENDATION(S)
6.1 CONCLUSION
From our research it was found that Apiculture is a very good venture as an alternative source of
income and has the potential to improve the economic status of the people in the Upper East
Region of Ghana.
6.2 RECOMMENDATION(S)
More farmers in the region are advised to take up Apiculture alongside their farming activities to
generate more income.
Women and the unemployed youth in the region are also advised to venture into beekeeping and
honey production since it is a very good business to improve their economic status.
From our research only NGOs such as TRAX Ghana supports farmers in Apiculture, the
government can step in to subsidize the cost involved in beekeeping and honey production as in
other crop production.
Government agencies such as SADA and NGOs involved in afforestation should also promote
Apiculture to improve the vegetation of the region.
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13. FAO, (1986).Tropical and Subtropical Apiculture.
14. Gregory, Pam. (2008).Bees for Development.
58. 15. Honey Processing Practical Action Technical Brief Tools for Agriculture; (1992).4th
Edition ITDG Publishing.
16. IBRA, (1985).Source Materials for Apiculture.
17. ITC. (1986). Honey: a study of major markets. International Trade Centre,
UNCTAD/GATT, Geneva.
18. Jaycox, E. R. (1982). Beekeeping Tips and Topics. The Bee Specialist, Dept. D 5775,
Jornada Road North, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001.
19. Karl von Frisch(1967). The Dance Language and Orientation of Bees.
20. Kelley, W. T. (1980). How to Keep Bees and Sell Honey. Walter T. Kelley Co.,
Clarkson, Kentucky.
21. Kigatiira, K.I., (1988). Beekeeping for beginners.
22. Killion, E. E. (1981). Honey in the Comb. Dadant& Sons, Inc., Hamilton, Illinois.
23. Modern Ghana, (2013).
24. Ntenga, G. M., Mugongo, B.Y., (1991). Honey hunters and beekeepers. Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
25. Ordetx G.S.(1986).Tropical Apiculture, Costa Rica.
26. P. Seregen, (2004).Beekeeping in the tropics, Digigrafi, Wageningen, the Netherlands
ISBN: 90-77073-57-4, NUGI: 835. Fifth edition.
27. Pam Gregory. (2011).Basic Beekeeping Manual 1, Third edition.
28. Roberts, E., (1971). A survey of beekeeping in Uganda.
29. Root, A. I., E. R. Root, H. H. Root, and J. A. Root. (1980). The ABC and XYZ of Bee
Culture. 38th ed. A.I.Root Company, Medina, Ohio.
59. 30. Snodgrass, R. E. (1956). Anatomy of the Honey Bee. Comstock Publishing Associates,
Ithaca, New York.
31. Stephen Adjare,(1984).the Golden Insect ITDG Publishing, Beekeeping in the Tropics;
Agrodok 32, Agromisa Foundation.
32. Susan M (2003).Daily Beekeeping Business Plan Workbook.
33. The Honey Industry in Ghana (2010). An Overview. Synthesis Report, Final Version.
34. Thomas Webster, (2009).Beekeeping and Honey Production, Revised.
35. Tools for Agriculture(1992).4th Edition ITDG Publishing.
36. Vincent Subbey(2009).Baseline Studies on Honey Sub Sector In Ashanti, BrongAhafo
and The 3 Northern Regions April.
60. LIST OF ACRONYMS
ACRONYM MEANING
MOFA........................................................................................Ministry of Food and Agriculture
N/D.............................................................................................Not Determined
NGO...........................................................................................Non Governmental Organization
61. APPENDIX 1
QUESTIONNAIRE
QUESTIONAIRE FOR COLLECTING DATA ON CURRENT STATUS OF
BEEKEEPING AND HONEY PRODUCTION IN THE UPPER EAST REGION OF
GHANA AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF INCOME
This questionnaire is purposely designed for academic purpose and not for any other reason.
Effort will be made to maintain confidentiality of the response, no one known to respondent will
have access to the information provided and no one can link the data to a particular respondent
name.
A. DERMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
1. Name..................................................................................................................................
2. Age................................
3. Sex: Male Female
4. Marital Status: Married Single Divorced
5. Occupation (other than beekeeping)......................................................................................
6. Education level: Basic JHS SHS Post Sec Tertiary
7. Religion: Christian Muslim Traditional Other
8. Ethnicity..................................................
62. B. BEEKEEPING CHARACTERISTICS
1. Farm size.....................................................
2. Number of hives..........................................
3. Types of hives................................................
4. Cost of hive GH ¢.....................................................
4.What materials are used for baiting ....................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
..............
5. Experience in beekeeping: ≤ 3 years 3 ≤ 5 years 5 ≤ 10 years > 10 years
6. Beekeeping equipments/ gears and sources
Equipment Source Cost (GH ¢)
63. 7. Annual honey production...................................................................... (Gallons or kg)
8. Annual income/ sale/ price per gallon ........................................... /bottle................................
9. Do you require access to credit: Yes No
10. Do you get access to credit: Yes No
11. Who provides the credit.............................................................................................................?
C. BEEKEEPING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
1. How often do you visit your bees: Daily Every other day Once in a week
Others (Specify)..................................................................................................
2. Do you clean/ weed around your hives: Yes No
3. Do you provide additional food and water: Yes No
4. Do you have problem with rodent or insects: Yes No
5.How do you manage the problem with rodents or insects
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
........................
64. 6. Process of extraction.....................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
........................................................
7. Other products obtained from extraction...............................................................................
8. What are these products used for............................................................................................
9. Please indicate if you encounter any of the problems below:
I. Shortage of bee forage (drought) Yes No
II. Absconding bees Yes No
III. Diseases and pest Yes No
IV. Lack of beekeeping equipment Yes No
V. Death of colony Yes No
VI. Marketing problem Yes No
VII. Lack of adequate skills Yes No
VIII. Reduction in colony size Yes No
IX. Credit Yes No
65. X. Other problems (specify)
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...................................
D. HONEY MARKETING CHARACTERISTICS
1. Do you package your honey: Yes No
2. How do you package your honey? .................................................................
3. Do you label your product: Yes No
4. How do you label your product...............................................................................................?
5. How do you sell/ market your product: Consumer Middleman Other.............
...............................................................................................................................
6. Do you export your product: Yes No
7. How do you market/sell other products from extraction: Consumer Middleman
Export Other
66. E. GENERAL VIEW
1. Do you consider beekeeping as an economically good venture? Yes No
2. Give reason for your answer above..............................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
3. Any comment or information you would want to provide on beekeeping..................................
......................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
