Valorização da Apicultura nas Regiões de Batatá e Gabu: Produção, Transformação e Comercialização

Valorização da Apicultura nas Regiões de Batatá e Gabu: Produção, Transformação e Comercialização

Beekeeping is an ancient activity in Guiné-Bissau, particularly in the eastern part of the country where Fula and Mandinga ethnic groups where known as “honey hunters”. Over generations, beekeeping practices are oriented for traditional hives made of local raw materials, as bamboo or straw, but destroying the hive every year to extract honey for own consumption. The forest potentialities of the country, combined with the ancient knowledge of local populations, and their availability for exploring this activity towards the market, are the right keys for using beekeeping as a tool for local development. In 2010 the European Community, the Portuguese Cooperation and the Guinea-Bissau Government agree to finance the current project, oriented for production of bee products using Kenyan top-bar hives, and involving the development of a sustainable network, supported through a beekeepers organization. This structure will wotk in the entire honey chain: from training of beekeepers, the construction of tools and support structures, until the organization of a market scheme able to distribute and sell the products. The project is coordinated by UCCLA in collaboration with CIMO, FNAP and APRODEL.