WHEN THE STUDENTS BECOME THE TEACHERS: Sweet golden honey helps communities and mangroves!
By Manon
Whittaker, MAP Asia Intern
Whittaker, MAP Asia Intern
The successful honey project which started in Nai Nang, in Krabi province in Thailand has
now expanded to Ta-Sanook, Phang-Nga province.
now expanded to Ta-Sanook, Phang-Nga province.
Read this inspiring story about mangrove
restoration, livelihoods and knowledge transfer between communities!
restoration, livelihoods and knowledge transfer between communities!
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| MAP meeting with Ta-Sanook villagers to kick off the DAIMLER project |
How it started
The project started several years ago in Nai Nang when MAP
implemented a mangrove restoration site with the support of the German Ministry
of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) funding and through Global Nature Fund’s administered project entitled “Mangrove Restoration and Reforestation in
Asia, a Project for Knowledge Exchange and Action to Protect Climate change,
Forest and Biodiversity”. In
order to secure the long-term protection of the restoration efforts MAP decided
to help the community develop their apiculture
activity as an alternative livelihood. The
wonderful part is that honey is partly produced from mangrove flowers . Nai Nang
villagers had already been involved in apiculture for some time but MAP helped provide
material, technical training, develop labels, marketing and equipment support
to take this project to the next level. Today, the village has more than 200
beehives and produced 270 kilos of honey last year.
implemented a mangrove restoration site with the support of the German Ministry
of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) funding and through Global Nature Fund’s administered project entitled “Mangrove Restoration and Reforestation in
Asia, a Project for Knowledge Exchange and Action to Protect Climate change,
Forest and Biodiversity”. In
order to secure the long-term protection of the restoration efforts MAP decided
to help the community develop their apiculture
activity as an alternative livelihood. The
wonderful part is that honey is partly produced from mangrove flowers . Nai Nang
villagers had already been involved in apiculture for some time but MAP helped provide
material, technical training, develop labels, marketing and equipment support
to take this project to the next level. Today, the village has more than 200
beehives and produced 270 kilos of honey last year.
 |
Honey partly produced from mangrove flowers by Nai-Nang village |
Passing on the torch
At the beginning of this year, another MAP restoration site,
funded by DAIMLER AG’s, the “Mangrove Conservation in Asia” project also
managed by GNF in Ta-Sanook village in Phang-Nga showed keen interest to develop
apiculture as an alternative livelihood. Ta-Sanook village is a relatively
close to Nai-Nang village, hence it became evident that something exciting
could begin here. The knowledge gathered by locals from Nai-Nang village from
several years of producing honey products could be shared directly to Ta-Sanook
villagers. And this is what is currently taking place.
funded by DAIMLER AG’s, the “Mangrove Conservation in Asia” project also
managed by GNF in Ta-Sanook village in Phang-Nga showed keen interest to develop
apiculture as an alternative livelihood. Ta-Sanook village is a relatively
close to Nai-Nang village, hence it became evident that something exciting
could begin here. The knowledge gathered by locals from Nai-Nang village from
several years of producing honey products could be shared directly to Ta-Sanook
villagers. And this is what is currently taking place.
Early March 2016, 16 villagers from Ta-Sanook undertook a
day long training under the supervision of the experienced leaders from
Nai-Nang village. They demonstrated bee-keeping technics, shared beehive
construction methods and gave important recommendations for producing honey. In
addition, a second training session has been planned for the women of Nai Nang
to teach their sisters at Ta Sanook the craft of making value added products
such as shampoo, conditioner and hand soap.
day long training under the supervision of the experienced leaders from
Nai-Nang village. They demonstrated bee-keeping technics, shared beehive
construction methods and gave important recommendations for producing honey. In
addition, a second training session has been planned for the women of Nai Nang
to teach their sisters at Ta Sanook the craft of making value added products
such as shampoo, conditioner and hand soap.
This form of knowledge transfer is extremely thrilling and
promising for community empowerment in the future.
promising for community empowerment in the future.
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Knowledge transfer between Nai-Nang and Ta-Sanook villagers |
What’s next?
The story doesn’t end here. Ta-Sanook is only at the
beginning of the journey. The next step is building the wooden bee-boxes so that wild
bees (Apis Cerena) can colonize. The wood working tools, will be provided by MAP throughout
the project, however, the community has been encouraged to use recycled wood for
the construction of the hives because the bees only require a dry clean home, nothing fancy. The aim is that the
twinned communities are able to support each other in their apiculture enterprise.
beginning of the journey. The next step is building the wooden bee-boxes so that wild
bees (Apis Cerena) can colonize. The wood working tools, will be provided by MAP throughout
the project, however, the community has been encouraged to use recycled wood for
the construction of the hives because the bees only require a dry clean home, nothing fancy. The aim is that the
twinned communities are able to support each other in their apiculture enterprise.
As part of the project, the village is also constructing a
70 m Mangrove Interpretative Nature Trail which will be a great asset for the
Environmental Education program which will take place in the local school.
70 m Mangrove Interpretative Nature Trail which will be a great asset for the
Environmental Education program which will take place in the local school.
So these projects are allowing the transfer of local
knowledge between communities but also to future generations, not bad yeah?!
knowledge between communities but also to future generations, not bad yeah?!
Make
sure you follow each stage of the project on the MAP Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MangroveAction/?fref=ts
sure you follow each stage of the project on the MAP Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MangroveAction/?fref=ts