Publisher's Synopsis
Honeybees are social insects with which man has established a harmonious co-existence. These insects have contributed the example of their finely evolved social behaviour to man and are also the source of the earliest sweet food and trade commodity. At the same time, honeybees service the ecosystem in cross-pollinating and propagating cultivated and wild plant species, thereby maintaining biological diversity. They boost crop productivity and help in the conservation of forests and grassland ecosystems.;Apiculture (beekeeping) has been closely linked with the cultural and natural heritage of rural peoples and mountain ecosystems. It is an important resort of mountain farming systems and offers specific advantages for developing sustainable agriculture. The most important aspect of beekeeping is that it is a key income-generating activity in the hills for small and marginal farmers, landless labourers and other weaker sections of society living at or below subsistence level.;The region for which beekeeping is explored in this book is the Hindu Kush-Himalay whose ecological resources and socio-economic conditions are assessed for their suitability in supporting a beekeeping cottage industry. The conclusions and recommendations drawn by the author have general relevance for other developing countries.;This book is intended for the use of university and research institutes especially related to agriculture, biology, entomology, forestry and rural development, national and international funding agencies, extension workers in government and non-government organizations, policy makers and planners, environmentalists and naturalists.
