Beekeeping has its many challenges, more so if situated in nearby farms which are into pesticide application.
Apart from the natural growing plants around like sunflower and wild berries found in the province, honeybees also look for other areas in search of nectar and pollen like established farms which are using pesticides.
Here now lies the dilemma.
Farmers have to look into their livelihood and keep their farm produce protected from pests and do measures such as pesticide application, said Saint Louis University Extension Institute for Small Scale Industries Foundation, Inc. (SLU EISSIF) Director Edmund Benavidez. And the bees get exposed to pesticides endangering the bee population.
Benavidez shared that the institution is engaged in beekeeping for several years now, and their apiaries were not spared from such a predicament.
There is this gap that really needs to be addressed, Benavidez said.
The SLU EISSIF has partnered with the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in the advocacy to address such concern to help farmers and beekeepers.
What they do is to constantly coordinate with the farms around so that they know when to release honeybees for foraging. It normally takes around three days or one to two days if not potent, to ensure that pesticides shall have dissipated and considered safe for the honeybees.
They also try to persuade those using pesticides to stop, though they admit that they could not totally prevent such.
SLU-EISSIF and ATI and have been partners for years now in promoting beekeeping industry in the region.
Aside from honey, there are many products from beekeeping, thus the beekeeping industry is being pushed especially as sunflowers abound in the Cordillera.
Even the Benguet Provincial Veterinary Office (PVET) is now managing an apiary in Adaoay, Kabayan which has vast wild sunflowers that naturally grow in the area as forage for honey bees.
PVET Head Dr. Miriam Tiongan said beekeeping is now one of her office’s thrust. From crops sector, it was transferred to their office as it still falls under animal care and management services.
The PVET partnered with the SLU-EISSIF through basic training on beekeeping and hands on beekeeping care and management, Tiongan shared.
Established in December 2017, the apiary in Kabayan started with only 10 colonies but swarmed to more than double now totaling 26 colonies, said PVO Agricultural Technologist Rocky Salupen who takes charge of the apiary. Each colony contains 15,000 bees with a queen bee.
The first harvest in its initial year was 222 kilograms of honey. But Sauten admitted it could have been more if only there were no bee mortality due to toxic effect of pesticides.
Another challenge in bee keeping is the continuous rains. There is nowhere to forage. Some beekeepers feed them with sugar but the quality of honey produced deteriorates, Benavidez said.
Tiongan said as soon as they will master care and management of beekeeping, they will roll out similar projects to interested groups or individuals as source of livelihood. **JDP/SCA-PIA CAR, Benguet
