Bee Forage Alarm Challenge

BEECON 2016

Surval, Oudtshoorn

02 July 2016

Tlou Masehela

Presentation outline

• Bee forage alarm – bee forage challenge

• Bee forage status

• Interventions to secure bee forage

• Bee forage promotion and sustainability challenges

• Nightmares vs sweet dreams

– Beekeepers and growers

• Addressing the bee forage challenge

Bee forage alarm - CHALLANGE

• 1922 – 1982

– Advocacy to plant sweet clover to address bee forage shortage

– Request to protect natural flora and plant bee friendly ornamentals

– Intervention by the Western Province Beekeeping Association (WPBA)

• Assistance and support to plant bee forage (Ministerial support)

• Prevent cutting down of Eucalyptus

• Plea to quantify bee forage plants (ARC)

– Michael Cooke & Western Cape Bee Industry Association (WCBA)

• Concerns on Eucalyptus removal

• Engagement with Division Councils & Municipalities

Bee forage alarm - CHALLANGE

• 1996 to date

– Honey shortage (Schehle 1996)

– NAMC Report (2008)

– Eucalyptus removal (Allsopp & Cherry 2004)

– ARC & SANBI

– WCBA

How do we know there is forage shortage?

• Through beekeepers

• Hive restrictions and removals in protected areas

• Continuous forage removal

• Impacts of theft and vandalism in good forage areas

• Increased competition for apiary sites

• Competition in land use activities

• Pollination demand forecast vs current supply

Why fuss over forage?

Masehela 2015

Hypothetical flow of various beekeeping practices and their interconnectedness. Diversified forage is the main driver for all beekeeping practices, with its availability and accessibility heavily affected by

hive theft and vandalism 

Bee forage status

• Bee forage questions:

– What?

– Where?

– When?

– What for?

– How much?

Bee forage status

Crop; 0

Eucalyptus; 43%

Shrub; 0Tree; 0

Eastern Cape

Crop; 0.5Eucalyptus; 0.5

KwaZulu Natal

Crop; 0

Eucalyptus; 0Shrub; 0

Tree; 0Weed; 0

Mpumalanga/Limpopo

Crop; 0

Eucalyptus; 0Shrub; 0

Tree; 33%

Weed; 0

Northern Cape

Crop; 0

Eucalyptus; 0

Shrub; 0Tree; 5%

Weed; 0

Western Cape

Crop; 0.25

Eucalyptus; 25%Shrub; 10%

Tree; 25%

Weed; 15%

Free State/Gauteng/North West

Hutton-Squire 2014

1920-2009

Bee forage status

Masehela 2015

Interventions to secure bee forage

Interventions to secure bee forage

Interventions to secure bee forage

Bee forage promotion and sustainability challenges

• Shift in responsibility and authority

– Government departments

• Different views and priorities

– Private vs government

• Forage removal

• Access to sites (Protected areas)

Bee forage promotion and sustainability challenges

• Financial support

– Government

– Growers

– Private

• Climatic conditions

– Shift in seasons (flowering, nectar and pollen)

– Drought

• Cohesion and cooperation among parties

Nightmares vs sweet dreams

PollinationBeekeepers

Good bee forage Profit

Growers

GDP

Nightmares vs sweet dreams

The disconnection

Addressing the bee forage challenge

• Bee forage shortage reality (acceptance)

– Depends on the audience

• Beekeepers, growers, government, consumers

– Making the case

– Lobbying in unity

• Honey production vs pollination service

– Strategy and approach

• Plants in the ground

– What, where and how much?

– Regulation and maintenance

Addressing the bee forage challenge

• Finances

– Whose responsibility is it…?

• Education and awareness

– Strategy and approach

What will it take to address the forage challenge?

• Bees to go on “strike”?

• Beekeepers to withhold pollination services?

• Growers to have no hives for pollination when

needed?

• …impact on GDP?

Acknowledgements

• WCBA & SABIO

• BEECON organising committee & sponsors

• Presentation inputs & comments

– Brendan Ashley-Cooper

– Nico Langenhoven

– Mike Allsopp

E-mail: t.masehela@sanbi.org.zaTel: 021 799 8702

Contact details

E-mail: t.masehela@sanbi.org.zaTel: 021 799 8702

“The past is my experience, the present is my responsibility and the future my challenge” – Joseph Forkpah