Day 1 (14/8/14): 

We met all the participants in Kampala and took a bus to Bushenyi, where we were greeted at his store by Mr. Elly Mugisha and his two employees. He toured us through the facility, where they sell honey, honey wine, propolis tincture, smokers, and other beekeeping materials in the front, and then have an advanced processing operation in the back. 

When we arrived at the compound where we were to be staying, we began the sensitization session. Mr. Mugisha had the participants outline their expectations and then their fears for the three day course; the list goes as follows: 

Expectations:

-How to handle and calm the bees

-Colony multiplication practices

-Acceptable plants for forage

-Pests and diseases

-Hive product marketing strategies

-Making honey wine

-Production of hive products

-Royal Jelly harvesting

-Beekeeping calendar

-Hive product processing

-Management and formation of beekeeping cooperatives

-Advantages and disadvantages of different hive types

-Community health and environmental benefits of a beekeeping cooperative

-African bee behavior, especially aggression

The topics highlighted in bold of which he discussed in further detail, the remainders he concluded we would experience the following day during the practical session or were too complex for a three day seminar.  

Fears: 

-Time restriction of a three day seminar

-Stings

Mr. Mugisha briefly covered the basics of hive management, with emphasis on fixed comb traditional hives as those are the hives that the majority of the participants keep.

Day 2 (15/8/14): 

Participants discussed the various value added products that they were making already or had been planning to start. This included pollen and propolis collection for dietary supplements and medicinal use. They also covered how to make candles and lotions from wax, and briefly covered the process of making honey wine. 

The morning session covered honey bee biology, and the participants had the opportunity to learn about anatomy, communication, and the inner workings of a colony. Mr. Mugisha then took everyone outside for a hands on exercise in setting the apiary. He placed everyone in the field in a specific spot and had them be the “hives,” so participants got to recognize the appropriate spacing and direction for their own hives (which was about 6 feet apart and rows facing alternate directions). He showed the proper arrangements for both traditional and Kenyan Top Bar Hives (KTBs). He emphasized the importance of protecting the hives from the wind and other elements without using a spot that is too shaded. He also discussed the value of using quality materials to build the hives so they last a long time. 

He then showed everyone around his own farm and apiary, which is used very efficiently to incorporate fish, cattle, and honeybee rearing with crop production. He allowed participants to see his sheds built for colonized bee hives, which allows the colonies protection from the elements and permits the beekeeper more favorable working conditions. The hives in the sheds were all KTBs. He then toured us through his other three apiaries which were on the perimeter of his farm and had mostly the traditional log hives. From this tour the participants learned how to keep the hives close to one’s home without creating a problem for the residents. 

After lunch, he brought everyone to on of the cooperative members’ apiary where he demonstrated a honey extraction from a traditional log hive. Many of the participants enjoyed the practical, as they were accustomed to only working the hives at night. We then travelled to another members’ apiary where Mr. Mugisha showed a honey extraction from a KTB hive. Throughout the training he avidly encouraged the beekeepers to remain calm around the bees and not to fear them. 

Day 3 (16/8/14): 

On the final day of the exposure visit Mr. Mugisha taught participants how to process the honey that was extracted on the previous day. He demonstrated two methods, one with his equipment and the other using alternative tools for those lacking the specialized supplies. He showed how honey could be extracted using a fine mesh bag and a bucket, or with a large strainer placed on top of another bucket. Both methods use gravity to extract the honey. He noted that it is important to use a lid when extracting to prevent contamination and spoiling. He then continued to illustrate the 4 popular methods of wax rendering, that is: solar wax melter, submerging, squeezing, and the Dutle method. 

Finally he reviewed the precautions that must be taken during processing. Namely he emphasized the importance of maintaining a hygienic environment for all the steps (especially if the product will be marketed to the public). He also discussed the importance of double boiling the wax and the safety precautions associated with the highly flammable material.    

Before leaving, TUNADO had the participants briefly mention what they had learned in the exposure and what they were planning on bringing back to share with their groups. The table below covers their discussion. Most notably, many of them mentioned that they gained much confidence and knowledge from watching Mr. Mugisha inspect and harvest from his hives in the day time. Many others talked about the skills that they had gained for making the value added products from a hive (such as propolis tincture, pollen, honey wine, and lotions).

Nnkokonjeru Trainings

Nnkokonjeru is a small town located about an hour by bus from the capital of Uganda, Kampala. I stayed here with my translator Liz for the past four weeks with the Rural Agency for Sustainable Development. Our typical day consists of an early breakfast of tea and toast at the compound, then maybe constructing some demonstration hives or going on a short walk to town. We generally have one or two training sessions after a (huge) lunch of cassava, matoke, posho, and beans. Although our trainings are considered to be very local, it can still take us up to half an hour to reach them by boda boda (a small motorcycle that functions as a cab in Uganda). We’re a  comical sight on the bodas, as we will sandwich up to 3 passengers and a demonstration beehive on one before setting out on the bumpy dirt roads. While bodas aren’t exactly the most comfortable mode of transport, they are certainly the most efficient on the backroads of the Ugandan countryside; you can ask a boda driver for directions to the most obscure village and he will usually be able to locate it for you. 

I love doing the beekeeper trainings because we work very closely with a diverse range of people. Some are beekeepers, but most aren’t (I have found that the biggest barrier to many farmers starting their own sideline beekeeping business is not lack of motivation but rather fear of the bees that stems from a lack of proper education on the matter). To this point, I’ve worked with both young and very old people, with the wealthy and the poor, with men and women, and with those living in the heart of Kampala and others who live in the farthest reaches of the most rural town. With the novice groups we cover the absolute basics of honeybee biology, management, and hive designs. We have been using top bar hives as a demonstration (however we are also discussing the merits of using the traditional hive designs) because i find them to be a very practical option for low cost beekeeping. I have tried to format each presentation to each group depending on their skill level and what they have said they were most interested in during our initial meetings. Therefore, the sessions with the groups that already had bee hives were very varied, and covered everything from basic inspection skills and queen rearing techniques. My biggest mission in my training sessions has been to encourage the beekeepers to lose their fear of their bees and to practice inspecting their hives more. While African bees do rightfully have a reputation of being especially aggressive, in my experience working the hives, the behavior is can be managed.