Given the great diversity among bees and beekeepers, it will not be possible for us to cover the apicultue of every culture, country or variety of bee. Instead we will focus on some general topics, and provide supplemenatry material for each of those topics. In short, beekeeping is so cool because it can work almost anywhere. Bees also provide wax, which has almost unlimited uses. Both honey and wax are valued for their medicinal use in traditional cultures.
Bees also probvide a valuable ecological service through their role as a pollinator.
Ways and Means of Apiculture Beekeeping has gained much attention as a means of raising the productivity of farm systems in the developing world. This is because the technology of beekeeping is typically within the means of even the smallest farm system. Beekeeping requires little capital input and low maintence, so it does not compete with other aspects of the farm system for these precious resources. The following is a list of sources that describe some technical information on implementing and maintaining beekeeping systems. Some of the information is of particular relevance to developing countries.