Nelly Bassily | June 16, 2014
This week’s script from Zambia shows how honey can benefit farmers by increasing income and improving livelihoods. Our script of the week – from July 1997 – also focuses on beekeeping.
Farmers all over the world earn extra money by keeping bees. Farmers can sell the honey, wax and other products made by bees. Also, because bees pollinate crops, keeping bees on or close to your farm will probably increase your crop yields.
Beekeeping does not require expensive equipment or a lot of land. Bees are relatively easy to care for and can be kept almost anywhere.
If you decide to keep bees, one of the first things you’ll have to do is to get or make a hive. A hive is the bees’ home. It is the place where they take care of their young, build their wax comb, and store honey. A hive also protects bees from rain, cold, wind and pests.
There are many different types of hives to choose from. Some are simple to build, while others require more equipment and experience. You will want to choose a bee hive that makes it easy for bees to produce a lot of honey. At the same time, it should be a structure that makes it easy for you to harvest the honey.
Our script of the week gives instructions on making two simple types of hives. Farmers should be able to make these simple hives with materials which are readily available. http://www.farmradio.org/radio-resource-packs/package-45/beekeeping-part-two-a-home-for-your-bees/
For general information about bees and beekeeping, see Beekeeping – Part one: Have you heard the latest buzz? That item can be found at: http://www.farmradio.org/radio-resource-packs/package-45/beekeeping-part-one-have-you-heard-the-latest-buzz/