Promoting beekeeping in South Africa

Elizabeth Lamond, chairperson of the Free State Beekeeping Association, and Enid Brown, member of the Scottish Beekeepers' Association, director of the World Beekeeping Awards and a beekeeper for more than 30 years, spoke to Janine Ryan about the upcoming honey and mead competition in the Free State, challenges facing the industry, and what can be done to promote beekeeping in South Africa.

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Please give a brief history of the Free State Beekeeping Association (FSBA), and elaborate on the association's vision and mission.

Elizabeth Lamond (EL): The FSBA was registered in October 2024. The benefits of an association is that it connects new entrants to the industry with seasoned, experienced beekeepers who can offer valuable insights, tips and advice.

Having a mentor can significantly enhance a new entrant's beekeeping journey, saving him or her money and time. Networking provides a platform for sharing experiences, brainstorming, and collaborating on beekeeping challenges. It is a safe space to ask for support or advice as it is not a random platform open to the public.

The FSBA's vision is to:

Sell honey produced in the Free State by small-scale or commercial farmers, as well as to sell bee-related products and produce across South Africa.

Protect the limited foraging, especially eucalyptus, in the province, as well as to plant or re-establish other foraging.

Create a strong working bond with Free State Agriculture and bring to the attention of the association the impact of cutting down trees and the use of herbicides, insecticides and pesticides on bee colonies.

Tell us about your upcoming honey and mead competition.

EL: This is quite a ground-breaking event that will be held at the Sandstone Estate outside of Ficksburg from 17 to 20 April as part of the Cosmos and Honey Festival, as it will be the first honey and mead competition ever held in the Free State. Another first for South Africa is that our presiding judge will be Enid Brown, the international judge and referee for the Scottish Beekeepers' Association, the British Beekeepers' Association, as well as Apimondia (the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations).