About this module
Ghana imports much of its honey, yet most of the country suits bees all year. A careful beekeeper can earn from honey and wax and make nearby farms more productive.
Who it is for. People with no formal certificate, aged 18 or over for hive work. National Proficiency I is a bridging level for people with minimal education. School groups can join Units 2 and 6 at a safe distance.
Why bees
- Over 60% of the honey used in Ghana was imported, while local output was far below potential.
- MoFA says over 70% of Ghana's vegetation is good for beekeeping all year.
- In Ghana and Benin, cashew yields were two to three times higher with honeybees kept nearby.
- Former honey hunters trained by Bees for Development Ghana now keep bees instead of burning colonies, and protect the forest.
CTVET status. No CTVET standard for beekeeping was found, and in 2026 stakeholders called for a national apiculture training framework. This module is not a CTVET curriculum. CSIR's Forestry Research Institute trains beekeepers in Ghana. This module follows FAO's beekeeping guide and Ghanaian research.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent from what your assessor sees, asks and reads in your logbook. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme, which uses about 30% in school and 70% at the workplace.
Unit 1 · Work safely with African bees
African bees defend their home fiercely. Calm, slow work, the right clothes and smoke keep you safe.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Dress correctly | wears suit, veil, gloves and boots with no gaps |
| 1.2 Use the smoker | lights and uses the smoker gently and safely |
| 1.3 Treat stings | removes a sting correctly and cools the spot |
| 1.4 Spot an emergency | recognises signs of a severe allergic reaction and acts fast |
Range. Apiary work. Evidence. Observation; oral questions.
African bees
West African honeybees are known for defensive behaviour. In Ghana, stinging was worst in the mornings in the rainy season and in early morning and late evening in the dry season, and bees stung about four times more during the dry-season honey flow. Work in pairs, smoke gently, and disturb the hive as little as possible.
Stings
Scrape the sting out sideways with a fingernail or flat edge; do not pinch it. Wash the spot and cool it for 10–15 minutes.
Emergency. Difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, a fast or weak pulse, fainting, hives all over the body, or vomiting after a sting are signs of anaphylaxis. Call for help and get to hospital immediately; use an adrenaline auto-injector if the person has one. Ghana's emergency number is 112.
Fire
Bush fires and charcoal burning destroy hives and forest. Keep the smoker away from dry grass, and put it out fully after work.
Suit up and smoke
- Dress in full protective clothing; your partner checks for gaps.
- Light the smoker with dry grass or sacking; keep it smoking gently.
- Practise sting removal on a fruit with a pin.
- Walk the emergency route to the road and know the hospital.
Allergy check
Ask your family if anyone has ever had a strong reaction to a bee sting. Write down your emergency plan.
Unit 2 · Know your bees
A hive is a family of thousands with one queen. Understanding them makes you a calmer beekeeper.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Name the castes | describes queen, workers and drones |
| 2.2 Know the seasons | explains swarming and absconding |
| 2.3 Know the pests | names the main pests |
Range. Observation hive or comb photos. Evidence. Oral questions; labelled drawing.
The colony
- Queen: lays all the eggs and lives for years.
- Workers: females that collect food, build comb and defend; they live about six weeks in the busy season.
- Drones: males whose only job is mating.
These figures are from temperate countries and may differ in Ghana.
Swarming and absconding
In forest areas, brood rearing peaks around August–October and April–May, which leads to swarming. African bees abscond (leave the hive completely) easily, even after small disturbances.
Pests in Ghana
Ghanaian beekeepers report ants (35%), small hive beetle, lizards, wax moth and termites as the main pests.
Watch the bees
- From a safe distance, watch a hive entrance for 15 minutes; count bees coming in with pollen.
- Draw and label a comb: honey, pollen, brood.
Flowers near you
List flowering trees and crops near your home that bees visit.
Unit 3 · Hives, siting and baiting
Put the hive in the right place and bait it well, and bees will move in by themselves.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Know the top-bar hive | names parts; checks bars are 32 mm |
| 3.2 Site the apiary | chooses a safe, shaded site near water and flowers |
| 3.3 Bait and hang | baits and sets up a hive with pest guards |
Range. Kenya top-bar hives. Evidence. Sited, baited hive.
Top-bar hives
Most Ghanaian beekeepers use top-bar hives. Top bars must be exactly 32 mm wide for African bees.
Siting
Keep hives away from playgrounds and noisy places, 100–200 m from crops where people work, near fresh water and food, and out of swampy valleys.
Baiting and guards
Beeswax is the best bait; almost all Ghanaian beekeepers start by catching swarms with baited boxes. Stop ants with oil, grease or water on stand legs. Fit lizard guards on the legs.
Set up an apiary
- Choose a site with your trainer; check distance, shade, water and flowers.
- Check the bars of a hive with a ruler.
- Rub melted beeswax on the bars.
- Set the hive on a stand with oil or water guards.
- Record the date; check weekly for a swarm moving in.
Map the site
Draw a map of the apiary: hives, water, flowers, paths, homes and distances.
Unit 4 · Inspect and protect the colony
Inspect quietly and only when needed. Each disturbance risks the bees leaving.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Inspect | opens, checks and closes a hive calmly |
| 4.2 Read the comb | finds brood, honey and signs of a queen |
| 4.3 Control pests | finds and deals with ants, beetles and wax moth |
Range. Occupied top-bar hives. Evidence. Inspection records.
A quiet inspection
- Approach from the side, never across the entrance.
- Smoke gently at the entrance; wait a minute.
- Lift bars slowly, one at a time, holding comb upright.
- Look for brood (a laying queen), honey stores and pests.
- Close up gently in the same order.
Keep inspections short. Ant, wax moth and small hive beetle attacks can make a colony abscond.
Inspection round
- In pairs, inspect two hives under supervision.
- Record: brood seen, honey bars, pests, temper of the bees.
- Clean ant guards and remove pests.
Inspection sheet
Design a one-page inspection record sheet.
Unit 5 · Harvest clean honey and wax
Take only capped honey, keep everything clean, and never add anything.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Harvest | takes only capped honey comb, leaving stores for the bees |
| 5.2 Process | crushes, strains and bottles honey hygienically |
| 5.3 Make wax | melts and cleans beeswax |
| 5.4 Label | labels honey to FDA rules |
Range. Top-bar hive honey. Evidence. Bottled, labelled honey; wax block.
Harvest and process
Take only bars where most cells are capped with wax; leave enough honey for the colony. Crush and strain through a fine cloth into clean, lidded buckets, then bottle. Good honey keeps moisture at or below 20%.
Yields
Studies in Ghana found about 16–19 kg of honey per hive a season. Some promoters claim much more; plan on the study figures.
Selling legally
FDA Ghana registration needs a business certificate, a laboratory Certificate of Analysis, and samples; cottage-industry registration is GH¢150 per product for three years, and any health claim on a label must be proved.
Harvest day
- Harvest two capped bars under supervision.
- Crush and strain the honey in a clean room.
- Bottle and label three jars.
- Melt and strain the wax into a mould.
- Record weights of honey and wax.
Price survey
Find the price of local and imported honey at three shops.
Unit 6 · Pollination and bee-friendly farming
Bees don't only make honey. They help farmers grow more fruit and seed.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Explain pollination | explains how bees help crops |
| 6.2 Protect pollinators | advises safe pesticide use |
| 6.3 Plant for bees | plans bee-friendly planting |
Range. Farms around the apiary. Evidence. Oral questions; planting plan.
Why pollination matters
75% of food crop types depend to some extent on animal pollination. CSIR says 60–70% of crops in Ghana and Africa depend on pollinators. Cashew yields rose two to three times with honeybees nearby. Not every crop relies on honeybees: cocoa is pollinated mainly by tiny midges and oil palm by a weevil.
Pesticides
Spray when bees are not flying, ideally in the evening; some insecticides stay toxic to bees for days.
Bee-friendly plan
- Walk a farm and list flowering plants.
- Plan a hedge or border of bee plants.
- Write a one-page note for a farmer on safe spraying.
Talk to a farmer
Ask a cashew, citrus or vegetable farmer if they would like hives on their land.
Unit 7 · Your location, business and brand
Real honey sells itself, once customers trust that it is real.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Choose a location | picks sites near forage, water and buyers |
| 7.2 Add income ideas | plans at least three products or services |
| 7.3 Build trust | brands, labels and tests honey |
| 7.4 Cost a hive | works out costs and returns |
Range. The trainee's planned business. Evidence. Business plan; sample label.
Location
- Forage all year. Forest edges, cashew, citrus and other flowering farms.
- Water within reach.
- Safe distance from homes, schools, roads and workers.
- Protection from fire, thieves and flooding.
- Buyers. Shops, supermarkets, pharmacies and hotels in town.
Ideas to earn more
- Beeswax: most Ghanaian beekeepers sell wax as well as honey; retail wax prices are reported at about GH¢72–127 per kg.
- Hives on farmers' land: better yields for them, honey for you.
- Comb honey and small gift jars.
- Train others in an outgrower group.
- Combine with snails and mushrooms, as CSIR training does.
Build trust
Fake honey is a real problem in Ghana's market. GHANAP advises buyers to buy from the source. Kitchen "purity tests" are not reliable: use a laboratory Certificate of Analysis, a clear label, and your farm story.
Is a hive worth it?
A top-bar hive and stand cost GH¢500 and last 5 years. A hive gives 15 kg of honey a year, sold at GH¢80 per kg, plus 0.3 kg of wax at GH¢100 per kg. Jars and labels cost GH¢100 a year. (1) Yearly income? (2) Yearly costs (including the hive spread over 5 years)? (3) Profit per hive per year?
Launch kit
- Design a label with your brand, the place the honey comes from, and FDA details.
- Write a one-page plan: hives, sites, costs, buyers, products.
- Present to the class.
First buyer
Ask a shop or pharmacy whether they would stock local, labelled honey.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Absconding | The whole colony leaving the hive |
| Anaphylaxis | A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction |
| Apiary | A place where hives are kept |
| Brood | Bee eggs, larvae and pupae |
| Capped honey | Honey sealed with wax, ready to harvest |
| Competent / Not Yet Competent | The two possible results of a CBT assessment |
| Pollination | Moving pollen between flowers so fruit and seed form |
| Top-bar hive | A hive with wooden bars from which bees hang comb |
Logbook
Copy these pages into an exercise book. Your logbook is part of your assessment evidence.
- Unit 1: suit check; emergency plan
- Unit 2: comb drawing; flower list
- Unit 3: apiary map; baiting record
- Unit 4: inspection records
- Unit 5: harvest weights; label
- Unit 6: bee-friendly plan
- Unit 7: business plan
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- When are Ghanaian bees most likely to sting?
- How do you remove a sting?
- Name four signs of anaphylaxis.
- How wide must top bars be?
- Name three siting rules.
- What is the best bait for a new hive?
- What is absconding, and what causes it?
- What is the maximum moisture for good honey?
- When should farmers spray pesticides?
- Why are kitchen honey tests not enough?
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: FAO's beekeeping guide; Bees for Development's resources; CSIR-FORIG's training.
What this module does not cover: queen rearing, Langstroth hive management, propolis medicine claims, and current Takoradi honey prices (not found; check locally).
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.