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| Farmserve Africa Farmer to Farmer volunteer report Higher incomes for beekeepers through the
Trip dates September 15, 2002 to October
16, 2002 Conrad Bérubé |
Cak (Abakai) Haizel
Chief Warden
Mole National Park
PO Box 8
Damango, Northern Region
Ghana
Dear mr. Haizel:
while working in a program to promote apicultural development in northern Ghana recently I had the pleasure of visiting, for a second time, mole national park. I also, as a sideline to my career work as an entomologist and integrated pest management advisor, do some writing for magazine publication (see Beekeeping-appendix_2_part1.htm). In that regard I hope to write a general interest article about mole park. I had hoped to take your photo and conduct a small interview with you for inclusion-- however you were engaged in a meeting when james barnei and I stopped by your office and I was unable to wait due to previous engagemments.
In addition to the mole article I had hoped to discuss with you whether there is any conflict between elephants and farmers at the periphery of the park. If there is such a conflict I believe there would be an opportunityfor OIC to offer technical assistance to those farmers who would be interested in acquiring beehives in order to discourage elephants from ravaging their farms. Of course the beehives would also afford the farmers the opportunity to generate income from the sale of honey and other bee products.
I'd appreciate hearing back from you on whether there is, in fact any problem with elephants raiding the crops of farmers at the periphery of the park. If this is the case I beleive the information would assist us in acquiring financial support to fund efforts to promote beekeeping in the area as a means both of increasing income and as a method to protect the crops of local farmers and to protect the elephants from the wrath of the same.
I hope that your efforts at protecting the wildlife resources of Ghana meet with the greatest of success.
sincerely,
|
Conrad Berube |
890 eberts st |
Abdul Sommed Zanjani
Project Manager, Northern Region
Agricultural And Rural Development (Ard)
PO Box 953
Tamale, Northern Region
Ghana
Dear mr. Zangeeni,
It was a pleasure to speak with you on june 10, concerning a number of aspects of developmental beekeeping. As discussed it is my belief that, with respect to beekeeping, the interests of rural Ghanaians are best served through apicultural development projects that promote the use of the local bee strain kept in Kenya Top Bar Hives (for a detailed explanation see http: www3.telus.net/~Conrad/KTBH.htm; other information that may be of interest to you is available at http: www3.telus.net/~Conrad/bees.htm). Such projects should emphasize the production of honey and beeswax for sale and/or the manufacture of value-added goods (such as confections in the case of honey or candles, pomade or batik in the case of beeswax).
Iit occurs to me that the mandate of opportunities industrialization centres- Tamale (oict) and ard are similar enough that there might be the opportunity for synergism in your work by collaborating in apicultural development. The kumbungu training center operated by OICT is available to rent for meetings, seminars and short-courses. Similarly, OICT personnel can be subcontracted to conduct training sessions at the training center or on-site at the village level. Electronic versions of technical materials can be provided free of charge or hard copies supplied at reasonable rates. If you are interested in discussing various options for training of your own personnel and/or clients in developmental beekeeping please contact florence pul, technical co-ordinator (oict's contact information is contained in the letterhead). (alternatively, you could also contract Mohammed Ali ibrahim indepently of the office here if you already have your own training facilities and simply need an experienced apiculturual facilitator.) lastly, I 'm afraid that I have not been able to find anywhere in Tamale to burn a cd of the technical material about which we spoke. Instead I will send you a copy shortly after my return to canada-- so I would hope you can expect it within the next two to three weeks.
It was a pleasure meeting you and I hope that your efforts at improving the lives of rural Ghanaians meet with the greatest of success.
Sincerely,
|
Conrad Berube |
890 eberts st |
For more information on the farmer-to-farmer program write to
Farmserve Africa Program
OIC International 240 West Tulpehocken Street
Philadelphia, PA 19144
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