SIANI’s expert group Pollination in Asia is preparing for the final phase of the project while planning how to build on its legacy. Here is a report from a workshop in Laos with researchers and experts on beekeeping from five countries.
The expert group on pollination began its activities in 2024, launching six Living Labs in India, Laos, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to explore how beekeeping can help rural communities. Successful beekeeping can contribute to pollination and biodiversity protection while generating welcome additional income.
Knowledge exchange
So, what have been the results so far? In November, expert group members held a workshop in Luang Prabang, Laos, to share insights from their respective countries. It was the first such meeting between the researchers and experts from India, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Sweden, where they could compare experiences.
They found that the situation varies significantly, but they all grapple with the same underlying challenge: the decline in pollinators. A key activity of the group is, therefore, to map pollination deficits in their respective countries and generate a shared understanding. Another important question relates to the potential for selling honey and bee-related products, with the group studying consumer attitudes and market conditions in the participating countries.
The participants found it valuable to compare their different contexts and interesting to learn from other countries. Not least, they appreciated the chance to get to know each other better and explore new collaboration opportunities.
Pollination deficit research
The participants are investigating the extent of pollination deficits at plots in the different countries.The crops choosen for the study are either watermelon or cucumber, both from the cucurbits family. The farmers cultivate cucurbits, using standardised conditions for watering, fertilisers, and weeding. They will record the pollinator community at each site and track the pollination success in the cucurbits production.
At each site, they apply three experimental treatments, with multiple replicates within each treatment:
- Pollinator Exclusion – the flowers are covered with a netting bag to exclude all insects.
- Open Pollination – the flowers are freely visited by the insect pollinator community.
- Hand Pollination – the flowers are pollinated with a paintbrush to achieve optimum pollination.
Consumer attitudes and market conditions
In the final phase of the project, the expert group will conduct surveys in the members’ respective countries. This will generate a new and better understanding of consumer attitudes, market opportunities, and regulatory challenges relevant to beekeepers.
Lessons from Laos
The workshop provided a chance to delve deeper into the situation in the host country of Laos, where beekeeping among smallholder farmers has evolved over the past decades. The Agro-Biodiversity Initiative (TABI) was launched back in 2003, initially offering training for farmers in the provinces of Xieng Khouang and Luang Prabang.
Today, beekeeping has also spread to the provinces of Vientiane, Bolikhamxay, Houaphanh, and Phongsaly. Three honey bee species dominate: Apis cerana, Apis mellifera, and Apis dorsata.
The expert group clearly sees that beekeeping has great potential to expand in Laos. Beekeeping is suitable for many more locations as the country boasts a rich diversity of flowers, and there is high demand for bee-related products like honey. Many smallholders are also interested in generating this extra source of income.
Yet obstacles remain. Environmental problems and threats to biodiversity pose long-term risks. Another challenge is the lack of honey processing and preservation techniques. There is no standard yet for beekeeping, nor quality certificates.
The way forward
The expert group works to build capacity and address obstacles for smallholder farmers interested in beekeeping. In Laos, the focus will be on sharing best practice examples related to farming, as well as the storage and processing of honey.
In the coming months, the researchers will also finalise the studies and surveys on pollination deficits and honey markets. More insights will be shared, so stay tuned for updates.