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A beekeeper fixes a hive onto a tree in this file photo

Pamenus Tuso
Unfriendly environmental surroundings are threatening the survival of bees in some areas in Zimbabwe. Bees provide numerous benefits to the natural environment and have a critical role in the ecosystem. The insects maintain biodiversity by facilitating the pollination of different plant species.

Worldwide, it is estimated that half of the pollinators of tropical plants are bees. Despite playing such a critical role to the universe, the bees’ importance remains overlooked not only in Zimbabwe but the world over. Although officials do not have exact statistics on the extent and impact of climate change on bee-keeping and honey production in Zimbabwe, there is an observation that changing weather patterns have affected the sector.

“We’ve not carried out much research in terms of the impact of climate change to bee-keeping and honey production. But there’s minimal impact because the moment we have droughts, we have a number of plant species dying and we tend to have the bees migrating to better areas. The start of migration reduces honey production. Farmers might find their bee hives not colonised for longer periods,” said Mr Addmore Chikohwa, Matabeleland North provincial livestock and development officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.

The province is one of the leading honey producing areas in the country.

Over the past years, Zimbabwe has been experiencing recurrent droughts.

Mr Chikohwa said a number of people in the province have either suspended or scaled down bee-keeping projects due to a variety of factors.

“A number of people have withdrawn from producing honey and in some cases it is just a dormant system. For example, in Nkayi we used to have bee-keeping projects run by youths but there was no market for the honey and as a result the projects folded,” said Mr Chikohwa.

He said as a way of conserving bees and promoting beekeeping initiatives, stakeholders including Government should identify areas which are more ideal for bee habitation and survival and strengthen environmental preservation programmes in those areas.

“Certain areas like Tsholotsho are more conducive for bee-keeping. Bees don’t just want to go to any tree or any area. We need researchers to inform communities on plants which are favoured by the bees. Once we have identified these plants, it is easier to mobilise communities to plant these trees and take care of their environment effectively,” said Mr Chikohwa.

Forestry Commission public relations manager Ms Violet Makoto said beekeeping also promotes forest conservation because the practice is only sustainable in the presence of well conserved forests that provide bee forage.

“When a community or an individual has invested in bee-keeping, they appreciate the importance of protecting the trees around them to provide forage for the bees. Bees play an important role in the pollination of many flowering plants and crops. This promotes re-growth of numerous plants needed to curb land degradation,” said Ms Makoto.

She said climate change brings drought and floods at times and these conditions affect vegetation which is also bee forage (source of nectar).

Nectar is a major component in honey production and its absence affects the quantity and quality of honey produced.

Drought conditions bring shortage of water which is another important component in honey production. Bees do not like to fly long distances in search of water and nectar so the absence of these in any area discourages bee population growth.

“Climate change can also present too much rain like what happened last season. When there’s too much rain, bees don’t leave their hives to forage. This means that honey production is slowed down and if the wet weather persists, bees will start to consume already produced honey in the hives resulting in less or no honey for harvesting,” said Ms Makoto.

Mr Felix Chari, a Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) lecturer said there is overwhelming evidence indicating that environmental changes have had a direct influence on honey bee development in the country.

Mr Chari said climate change issues should be included in curricula at colleges, universities and schools as a cross cutting measure to combat climate change.

Recent research carried out in five regions of the world predicts that if the present rate of climate change continues unabated, about 24 percent of bee species in these regions will be on their way to extinction by 2050.