Trax Ghana, in collaboration with Self Help Africa has distributed 78 bee hives among farmer groups in the Upper East Region of Ghana. This week, William Adongo, Trax’s Sustainable Livelihoods Project Coordinator, has found that 51% of the hives are colonized. All these farmers will therefore earn an extra inc ome from the sale of honey in September and March/April, to supplement their income from the sale of their crops.
In June 2012, Trax Ghana sensitised, identified and Selected potential smallholder farmers groups who were already doing bee keeping locally. The selected farmers groups were trained and supported with improved bee hives with their accessories for honey production. The sale of honey will diversify their incomes, which consists primarily of the income from the sale of crops. It thus makes farmers less vulnerable to external shocks, especially in the present time where drought is a huge challenge to good harvests. Bees are also responsible for the pollination of 80% of crops globally. Bees are therefore important for food security and biodiversity.
Seventy-eight (78) bee hives were distributed among the farmers groups in the Kugre, Goruk, Zearmborg, Golung, Tengre, Nwan, Zoog, Sundore, and Tarakrug communities for honey production after a successful training.
However, there was an initial unappreciable harvest during first year due to low bee colonisation and absconding and this called for refresher training on proper baiting and installation of the bee hives. When Trax Ghana visited the above communities again on the 6th & 7th of August, 2014, to inspect the progress of the honey production, 51.28% of the bee hives were “colonised” and others are expected to colonise during the course of the year. Farmers therefore expressed their appreciation for the support and the appreciable progress of honey production in the area. The farmers groups therefore expect minor harvest in September, 2014 and a major harvest in March & April, 2015.
Trax Ghana 
What a great project.
LikeLike