Buzzing bee business in Brasso Seco

Picture 1: Jenessa De Ramos President of the BSMLCFA, planting a tree

The Brasso Seco Morne La Croix Farmers Association (BSMLCFA) has an ongoing beekeeping project for the past three years and during this time has produced honey which it sells under the brand name “Honey Seco”. Members of this group manage a total of 330 hives, 40 of which belong to the organization. The group harvests a total of 1,650 gallons of honey annually.

Brasso Seco is located in a pristine forested area which produces honey of exquisite quality and has developed excellent farming models for example the Brasso Seco Chocolate Company and Honey Seco, our honey label.

The area has a high youth delinquency rate and low employment opportunities. It also suffers from high levels of deforestation as a result of unsustainable farming practices, especially christophene farming, as well as the heavy use of agrochemicals associated with monocropping.

Picture 2: Farmers receiving training in Integrated Agriculture from Mr. Karl Fitzjames

Historically, the area has been affected by an increase in crime rate due to lack of opportunities for youths. Also, because of the excellent honey production, there is an influx of beekeepers from outside the area who wish to set up apiaries, thereby pushing the limits of the carrying capacity of the area.

In 2019, the BSMLCFA applied for funding from GEF SGP with the overall goal of developing environmentally sustainable livelihoods through beekeeping. This goal would be achieved via the following:

1. Training of farmers in integrated agricultural practices to ensure that agricultural products were pesticide free.
2. They are also to plant 1000 trees in the Brasso Seco area, especially in those affected by slash and burn farming as well as landslides;
3. Training of farmers in proper hive management
4. Developing a fully equipped and fully functional queen rearing lab which will be used to breed new strains of highly productive queens;
5. Development of apitourism material and tours, and Development of value-added products from hives.

Picture 3: Javed Omardeen
Conducting training in mead making.

So far, the project has been able to host one Integrated Agriculture Workshop and the farmers have also successfully planted 300 of the 1000 agroforestry trees specified in the project. Due to COVID-19, the Brasso Seco group could neither go to St. Lucia to receive their hive management training nor their trainer come to Trinidad, due to the border being closed. As such, the trainer began online training with the group, which helped shape the Caribbean region’s first online beekeeping course. This course is currently being developed and will be beta-tested in St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago from April 2021.

The group has earmarked a suitable location for the establishment of their queen rearing lab and are awaiting approval to proceed with construction. They have also conducted a survey of beekeepers to gather their knowledge and understanding, as well as begun preparing content on apicultural tourism for dissemination. Finally, they have completed one mead-making session and are planning more workshops value-added products, when local restrictions allow.