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Project details for Kwe Danda
Location - Pokhara hill-side area in Nepal
Chandra with Straw Hive
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The Kwe Danda Project is a beekeeping development project
in the villages of the Gurung people.
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The project aims to encourage beekeeping in the
villages, using the native bee, Apis Cerana.
Many things can be done to improve the honey yield and,
in particular, its quality. Most of them, such as the conversion of a log
hive to accommodate top bars, can be achieved at little cost.
Initially, suitable training material will be prepared
in Nepali, followed by training courses for potential beekeepers. They
will be shown how to improve the quality of their honey harvest and
methods of using beeswax for candles and salves.
The project aims to become self-sufficient.
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In February 1999, a young beekeeper, Chandra, was employed
to look after the apiary and to visit and help farmer-beekeeper groups in
Gachok and the surrounding villages. He has established a training
programme and he has also fired the enthusiasm of the village beekeepers.
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Traditionally, honey is squeezed from the comb by hand and may
or may not be filtered. Water is often added and, for good measure, the
whole thing boiled well. By showing beekeepers how to filter the honey and
teaching them not to dilute or boil it, Chandra is illustrating simple ways
of improving honey quality.
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Small changes, but potentially things that can have a great
impact on the bees, the beekeeper and the honey or wax crop. The bees
gather the honey and, as a bonus, they ensure better pollination of the
crops. There are plans to increase honey production, both from the apiary
and in the village beekeeping groups. When this is achieved, the quality
products will be sold in Pokhara, with the profits going back into the
project.
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