BEEKEEPING –AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION

Nature’s systems and processes which sustain life on this planet operate through interconnectivity, interdependence and complementarity. Every component of nature depends on or is interconnected to other elements or systems for perpetuation of its own existence or of its species. Nothing exists in isolation.

Living things derive their means for sustenance and increase from other living or non-living things. Animals depend upon plants and insects as the primary food source. Plants depend on animals and insects, wind and other processes to enable them propagate their species through aided pollination and seed dispersion. Other aspects such as water, solar and other forms of energy, minerals, etc. are also vital components which constitute the making of life as it is.

^{If humanity can embrace this nature’s principle of system interdependence and adopts it at farm level, the natural result is the optimization of productivity across all components in a most sustainable way. This inevitably entails more income, prosperity and development for the farmer}.

Beekeeping is an integral component of the ecosystem which should be incorporated into every agriculture production system if maximum returns are to be realised. Beekeeping enhances agricultural production and productivity in several ways. The pollination services which bees provide to flowering plants increases seed formation and yields from anything between 40% to up to 70% in most insect pollinated plants, thereby directly impacting on farm agricultural productivity and income

The importance of pollination is in most cases not fully appreciated. The process of pollination, to a large extent, contributes to the perpetuation of life on this globe. Like the celebrated scientist Albert Einstein observed and famously declared, if bees where to disappear from the face of the globe then man would only have 4 years of life left. No bees would mean no plants which would result in no more animals, including man.

Pollination is responsible for seed and fruit formation in flowering plants. In grain and cereal crops, it is the seeds which are harvested for food and industrial use while in others’ it is the fruits which develop from the seeds, which are used. In some of these crops, pollination is completely effected through insect pollination without which no seed formation will occur. Examples are sunflower, melons, runner beans and almonds. Others like cowpeas, sesame, avocado, pawpaw, mango and eggplant have their seed and fruit yields substantially increased as a result of pollination by bees.

Pollination by bees does not only affect the quantity of the yield but also the quality. Adequate pollination ensures early setting of seeds and uniformity which results in maximum possible length of growth period. Poor quality, uneven and small fruits and seeds are usually an indication of inadequate pollination.

Besides the aspects of enhancing plant yield quantity and quality, beekeeping activities on the farm also enhances other production systems through the income it generates. Because income from beekeeping is resilient, available even in times of adversity when other activities fail, it can be channelled to support or even revive other agricultural activities. Beekeeping rarely competes with other agricultural activities for resources such as land and time as it usually is undertaken to great advantage in agriculturally unproductive areas of the farm such as rocky outcrops or even unopened forest portions. And being mostly a side activity, it takes very little, if any, of the prime time for other demanding agro activities.

As it is now generally recognized that farming is a business, diversification of production systems is of great importance in order not only to maximise returns but also to minimise or mitigate the elements of risk. Crop production (vegetables, field crops, fruit production and agroforestry), animal production (poultry or other livestock), and fish farming, are the most common farm activities. Beekeeping easily integrates with all of these activities for maximum benefits to the farmer. Like it is a matter of common logic, and advisable, not to put all eggs in one basket, let every discerning farmer who seeks to optimise productivity and realise maximum returns from their farming business incorporate beekeeping in their production systems.

Even if you are averse to bees for fear of beestings, there is always help for you to enable you succeed and benefit from beekeeping. Continue reading your favourite agriculture information publication- Agricoop news and you will never go wrong.  

Enjoy your farming.