60% of all honey consumed in Guadeloupe is imported despite the fact that good local honey is available. However, pest pressure from the mite Varroa causes high mortality among hives and impacts the production. There is no beekeeping research to resolve it. The current objective is to maintain and improve beekeepers’ income by stabilizing and increasing the production and through better marketing.

What Is the Innovation About?

In order to improve the production and the local market of honey, new prolific queen bees have been bred, selected and supplied to beekeepers. This process makes it possible to maintain the bee herd at an economically interesting size in the area.

Also, a program of honey characterization allows to certify the geographic origin labelling for the Guadeloupe honey, its authenticity and quality, and improves livestock management. The Guadeloupian honey has been awarded the best French honey at the Paris “International Salon of Agriculture” more than 30 times.

“The Melipona bee doesn’t give a lot of honey. But the good thing, is that they produce high quality honey and biodiversity side effects that are beneficial.” (Fréjus RANCE – Beekeeper)

The next challenge is to link beekeeping research and technical networks in France with other DOM (overseas territories) to have exchanges with and support from other outermost regions.

Participators in the Innovation

The honey sector needed a better representation and organization with more technical and marketing support. In response to this need, the beekeepers’ association (APIGUA) and the technical institute IKARE joined forces.

Results of the Innovation

The main outcomes of the innovation process are the establishment of a queen bee breeding station, the improvement of the supply, the publication of a flyer on “honey plants” of Guadeloupe, the implementation of a pollen databank and last, but not least, the initiation of interDOM collaboration.

This collaboration will act on the interDOM queen bees’ selection program, a common database of honey plants, bee health and common training programs. RITA (Réseau d’Innovation et de Transfert Agricole dans les DOM) facilitates the collaboration.

Read more about the French Cross Visit.

Watch Video
Beekeeping in Guadeloupe
RITA Guadeloupe