Forest friendly honey….Top-bar hives are also used, often kept closer to the beekeepers’ home. The honey from all three types of hive is rich and diverse, some being thick, white and opaque monofloral honey from the nectar of the Getemé tree, while some is darker, runnier, polyfloral and more translucent.
No pesticides are used in the harvesting of these honeys and the honey cooperatives are currently going through the process of organic certification.
These forest-dwelling bees contribute to the preservation of the Afromontane forest ecosystems, offering important sources of income for beekeeping households, and helping to combat more destructive practices. As key pollinators, conservation of local bee populations is critical to the forest habitats.