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Indigenous honey bees of Kalash Valley at High Risk
Honey is collected from traditional bee hives is an important source
of nutrition and income for dweller of Kalash valley. Traditionally,
bees are reared in wall hive (locally called Kator) fixed in the
houses. The main species is the indigenous Apis cerana. According to
Kalash mythology, the honey (Ushniru) means clean. In Kalash faith,
the women can�t touch the honey of their own hive. But now
unfortunately like other natural resource of the valley, honey bees
are also decreasing day by day.
A new study ( Status of indigenous honey bee in Kalash valley Chitral,
Ajaz Ahmed, 2007) on the entire Kalash valley Chitral confirms the
critical importance of indigenous honey bee ( Apis cerana)to the dry
temperate forest ecosystem of chitral. The research has implications
for honey bee conservation in an area of high rates of forest loss
from deforestation, livestock grazing and fire wood collection. The
indigenous honey play an important role in the socioeconomic
improvement of the local community.
Despite an increasing recognition of their important role in
pollination, the population and diversity of native bees is declining
in the region. Factors causing the decline include habitat loss
through land use changes, traditional honey harvesting and negative
impacts of pesticides and herbicides. In addition, the well-intended
introduction of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, to the Kalash
valleys by some unskill NGOs staffs, has brought difficulties for
indigenous bee species, partly because of competition for nectar in
some areas, but more importantly through the introduction of different
types of contagious bee diseases and harmful mites. Although Apis
mellifera potentially produces more honey than the indigenous
honeybees, it is not as well adapted to the local climatic conditions
and the indigenous vegetation, making it a less effective pollinator
in Kalash Valleys. The introduction has therefore adversely affected
the livelihoods of poor farmers community of kalash valleys.
These pressures are likely to be greatest on honey bees that are
entirely dependent on fruit and unable to turn to alternative food
sources. It is therefore important that the role and conservation
value indigenous honey bees for the conservation and management of the
dry temperate forest of the valley.
Ajaz Ahmed
Non-Timber forest Produce,
NWFP, Forest Department, Peshawar.
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