The Honeybee Forage Project

This project is funded by the Working for Water Programme and

is being implemented by scientists at SANBIs Applied Biodiversity
Research Division, assisted by the Agricultural Research Council.
The project runs from 2011 until the end of 2013.
Commercial crop growers are becoming increasingly reliant
on managed honeybee pollination services and beekeepers.
Beekeepers rely on numerous, and at times controversial, forage
sources. This project aims to contribute to the knowledge base of
forage resources and their management.
The Global Pollination Project
This Global Environmental Facility (GEF) project is implemented
through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
and executed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the
United Nations (FAO) in coordination with the governments of
seven project partner countries: Brazil, Ghana, India, Kenya, Nepal,
Pakistan and South Africa. it is being implemented by SANBI, and
runs until the end of 2013.
The project will conduct scientic research in three agricultural
crops: apples, onion seed and sunowers. Each crop is highly
dependent on insect pollination, and most of the farmers rely on
managed honeybees to ensure adequate pollination. The project
will investigate the best management practices that will conserve
pollinators, and will build capacity and raise awareness about
pollination services in the agricultural context.
Mbulelo Mswazi
Site Manager, Global Pollination Project
Applied Biodiversity Research Division
South African National Biodiversity Institute
m.mswazi@sanbi.org.za
Crop Agriculture, Pollination and the Honeybee
Biodiversity for Life
SANBI
Did you know? Our key research areas:
About one-third of crops that feed the world rely on pollination by insects
or other animals to produce healthy fruits and seeds.
Globally, honeybees are the most important pollinator of commercial
pollinator-dependant crops with at least 90% of these crops reliant on
honeybee services.
In Europe and North America, mounting evidence points to a pollination
crisiswith declines in populations of wild pollinators, and signicant losses
of managed honeybee colonies.
In SA, our indigenous honeybee species, Apis mellifera (with two sub-
species), is also facing increased threats from diseases, parasites and loss
of forage habitat.
The status and trends of pollinators in SA long-term monitoring of
diversity and abundance.
Pollination decits in targeted crops in SA diversity and density of
pollinators; agronomic and economic yields.
The reliance of commercial pollinator-dependent agriculture in SA on
managed honeybees.
Current national forage use by beekeepers for managed bees in SA, and
the quantity and quality of available forage.
The importance of conict forage species (such as Eucalyptus species,
which fall under invasive species-removal programmes), the impact of
their removal, and possible substitutions.
Agricultural and honeybee management practices relating to the
conservation of pollination services.