By Nelson Manneh
Bee-keepers have argued that one of the main farming systems that promotes the protection and restitution of the forest in the Gambia, is bee-keeping.
“The Gambia was covered by dense forest and it served as a home for bees. But today, there are only a few remnants of primary forest left, with 78% of the remaining forest area classified as degraded tree and shrub savannah vegetation. The loss of forest parks has affected and prompted difficulties in bee-keeping,” Arafang Jarju, a bee-keeper at Kafuta Forest Park said.
Beekeeping has a long history in The Gambia, and it is a lucrative, environmentally beneficial activity. Beekeepers in The Gambia use local materials to build cylindrical hives known as ‘kumbo’, out of logs, grass, woven straw, and bark or clay pots.
The National Beekeepers Association of the Gambia (NBAG) promotes modern beekeeping techniques and business management to help improve the livelihoods of rural people. They provide training to villages and sell honey to their members at a fair price.
According to Mr. Jarju, he has been in the bee-keeping trade for more than thirty years.
“In the early 1980s, I was not keeping bees. Instead, what I was doing was to go to the forest to search for beehives. After seeing one, I will first observe it to see whether it has enough honey before I harvest it for sale,’’ he said. Down the line, it was difficult to see beehives within the nearby forest, because most of the tall and big trees in the forest were cut down for charcoal production and other domestic use.
“There are some trees in the forest and even within our surroundings that attract bees. So what I do is to identify those trees and create an artificial cage so that when bees come around them, they will be attracted to stay. This was the initial plan I used before getting to learn this formal way of bee-keeping,” Mr. Jarju said.
“Keeping bees is like the direction of sunbeams. It is a work of art, and yet no art of man can work this type of work that these little creatures can do. Man is not worthy of the honeycomb that shuns the hives because the bees have stings,” Nfally Dibba, a retired forester said.
Mr Dibba, who worked in the early 80s as a forest protection officer in the Central River Region, said the main cause of forest degradation can be traced back to the early days of bad farming practices.
“In The Gambia, the easiest and cheapest way for preparing farmland for cultivation is the use of fire, because at the end of every dry season, people actively set fire to small and large areas of land in preparation for cultivation. In many cases, those fires spread to nearby trees and shrub vegetation, thus further contributing to forest degradation. Fire prevention and control thus appears to be essential for the protection of the remaining forest areas,” he said, adding that bee-keeping can effectively be carried out in forest areas with lots of trees and other forest covers.
“A plentiful supply of flowering plants, a diverse range of nectar sources, a good water supply, a dry and well-drained location, minimal wind exposure, and the situation of these areas near agricultural lands with crops that benefit from pollination, are essentially places with a rich ecosystems that support bee populations by attracting them,” he said; noting that bee-keepers now place their hives away from human settlements to protect them from theft and bush fires.
Mr. Momodou Ndour, a prominent beekeeping expert in The Gambia who specializes in beekeeping training, honey production and harvesting techniques, said The Gambia is not only known for its beautiful landscapes and wildlife, but also for its thriving honey production..
“Bees play a crucial role in the ecosystem of The Gambia, and their importance cannot be overstated. They are not only responsible for pollinating a wide variety of plants and trees, but also for ensuring the biodiversity and sustainability of the country’s flora. Bees help in the production of fruits, vegetables, and seeds. This enables plant reproduction and ensures food security for both humans and wildlife,” he indicated, and continued to add that the Gambia is home to several species of bees, including the African honeybee that are well-adapted to the local climate and vegetation, making them highly efficient honey producers.
He said these bees form organized colonies with a single queen, worker bees, and drones that work together to sustain the hive.
“Beekeeping in the Gambia has a rich history dating back centuries. Traditionally, beekeepers used log hives made from woven grass or straw, to house the bees. These traditional beekeeping practices are still prevalent today, particularly in rural areas where communities have preserved their ancestral knowledge,” he indicated.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
Beekeeping is a low-cost, low-maintenance activity that does not compete with crop cultivation. It also has environmental benefits and can help with forest protection and restoration.
Traditional beekeepers rarely use protective clothing, smokers, or other equipment due to the cost.
Beekeeping is an off-season activity for low-income earners in the countryside, so it therefore does not attract much financial investment.
Challenges in Bee-keeping in The Gambia
“In The Gambia, the main challenges faced by beekeepers include limited access to modern beekeeping techniques and lack of training in proper hive management and honey harvesting,” Arafang Jarju outlined.
He said the other challenges they faced as bee-keepers include inadequate storage facilities for honey, poor market access for selling honey products and seasonal honey production due to climate variations, and lack of awareness about the commercial value of beeswax, which often leads to traditional and inefficient beekeeping practices.
Mr. Nfally Dibba said small-scale beekeepers often struggle to access larger markets due to poor marketing strategies and limited infrastructure.
“Many beekeepers do not fully recognize the commercial potential of beeswax, often only using it for creating new hive frames,” Mr. Dibba underscored.
