About this module
Level 1 taught you to keep bees. Level 2 teaches you to run bees as a small farm business.
Who it is for. People who have finished Beekeeping and Pollination (Level 1), or who can show the same skills. National Proficiency II covers varied work, mostly routine, under limited supervision.
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. It follows CTVET's format so it can be put forward later. It is not a food-safety licence or a pesticide-handling certificate.
Bridge from Level 1: what you already know
- Suit, smoker, sting removal, anaphylaxis signs, calling 112
- Queen, workers, drones; swarming and absconding
- Top-bar hives (32 mm bars); siting; baiting; ant guards
- Quiet inspections; ants, small hive beetle, wax moth
- Harvesting capped honey; moisture at or below 20%; FDA basics
- Pollination, safe spraying, wax and income ideas
Level 1 did not cover running many hives, splitting, feeding, varroa, honey quality, wax products, FDA labelling, pollination as a service, or cash-flow. Level 2 does.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme split of 30% school and 70% workplace.
Unit 1 · Run an apiary of 20 or more hives
Twenty hives need a routine, a calendar and a record book.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Plan the apiary | sets hive numbers, spacing and stands for 20 or more hives |
| 1.2 Control swarming | spots swarm signs and adds space or divides a strong colony |
| 1.3 Split a colony | splits a strong top-bar colony correctly |
| 1.4 Check the queen | confirms a laying queen from eggs and young larvae |
| 1.5 Feed and record | feeds a weak colony and keeps a hive record |
Range. Occupied top-bar hives in a working apiary. Evidence. Observation; apiary plan; hive record cards.
Plan the apiary
FAO says an apiary in Africa should hold only about 10 hives per km² of forage. So 20 hives need wide, good forage, or two sites. Not verified for every Ghanaian zone; ask a local beekeeper. Paint a site letter and hive number on each hive (for example A-07). Keep a fire break, water, afternoon shade, a work path from the road and stands with oil or water guards.
Swarming and splitting
In forest areas brood rearing peaks around August to October and April to May, and swarming follows. Reduce it by taking combs near the brood nest and adding empty ones; when queen cells appear, divide the colony yourself.
Divide only strong colonies with nine or more combs. Move one comb of capped brood, one of eggs and young larvae (ideally with a queen cell), and honey and pollen combs into a new box. Carry it at least three kilometres away so the bees stay to rear brood and a queen. Check after a month but do not keep opening and smoking it.
Queen and feeding
Eggs, larvae and sometimes capped brood show a queen. No eggs or young larvae: unite the colony with a strong one. Queen rearing is not covered.
In a dearth, new colonies can be given syrup or honey. Feed late in the day so other bees do not rob. The UK National Bee Unit gives two mixes: a thin syrup of 1 kg white sugar in 1.26 litres of warm water, for emergency feeding of hungry bees and for building up colonies, and a thick syrup of 1 kg white sugar in 630 ml of water, for storing. Do not boil it. Use only white sugar: brown or raw sugar gives bees dysentery. Never feed honey from unknown sources, because it can carry foulbrood disease. Feed in the evening, narrow the entrance and do not spill syrup, to stop robbing. These are UK figures; no Ghana mix was found, so ask your trainer too.
Never sell syrup-fed honey as natural honey. Remove feeders and fed honey before the honey flow. Adding sugar is adulteration and destroys trust.
Hive record card
Write: hive number, date, weather, bars covered with bees, brood, honey, queen signs, swarm cells, pests, temper (calm, nervous, defensive), what you did and the next visit.
How many hives?
A site has 3 km² of good forage. By FAO's rule of about 10 hives per km², how many hives fit? How many km² do 20 hives need?
Run a block of hives
- Number and plan an apiary of at least 10 hives on a map.
- Inspect four hives and fill a record card for each.
- Under supervision, split one strong colony.
- Find eggs or young larvae to confirm a queen.
Calendar
Draw a 12-month calendar: flowers, rains, swarm months, harvest and feeding months.
Unit 2 · Defensive bees, safety and fire
With many hives, one angry colony can hurt many people. Plan before it happens.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Read bee temper | records calm or defensive temper for every hive |
| 2.2 Manage a defensive colony | works it safely or isolates it |
| 2.3 Give first aid for stings | treats stings and anaphylaxis correctly |
| 2.4 Protect against fire | sets a fire break and puts out the smoker |
Range. Working apiary; helpers and visitors. Evidence. Observation; emergency plan; oral questions.
Temper
West African honeybees are known for defensive behaviour. In Ghana stinging was worst in the mornings in the rainy season, in the early morning and late evening in the dry season, and about four times higher in the dry-season honey flow. If one colony is far more defensive than the rest, do not split it, and keep it away from paths. Not verified: whether re-queening from calm colonies is practised in Ghana.
- Never fewer than two people; a helper stays outside the hive area.
- Visitors, children and animals stay back; put up a warning sign.
- No hive work in strong wind or at the worst stinging times.
- Wear clean, light, tight-weave clothes.
- Carry a first-aid kit and a phone with credit.
Stings and anaphylaxis
Scrape the sting out sideways; do not pinch. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Difficulty breathing, swollen lips, tongue or throat, a fast or weak pulse, fainting, hives or vomiting are signs of anaphylaxis: get to hospital immediately and use an adrenaline auto-injector if the person has one. Call 112.
Many stings at once can poison anyone. Walk away fast into a building or vehicle, cover the face and go to a clinic. Not verified: how many stings are dangerous; never quote a number.
Fire and neighbours
Bush fires and charcoal burning destroy hives and forest. Keep a cleared fire break, never smoke bees near dry grass, and put out the smoker with earth or a wet cloth. Ask neighbours to warn you before they burn. Not verified: any STMA or national rule on distance between apiaries and homes; ask the Assembly and write down who said what. Meanwhile keep Level 1 distances.
Emergency day
- Mark a fire break and a retreat path.
- Role-play a mass-sting: move away, treat, call 112, record.
- Rate every hive's temper.
Tell the neighbours
Write a short, kind note about the hives, the warning sign and who to call.
Unit 3 · Pests, diseases and pesticides
A strong colony defends itself. Most losses come from weak colonies, poison and neglect.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Control pests | uses the right control for ants, beetles and wax moth |
| 3.2 Explain varroa | states what is known and not known in Ghana |
| 3.3 Protect from poison | plans spraying times and talks to farmers |
Range. Occupied hives and a comb store. Evidence. Observation; pest log; oral questions.
Pests
Ghanaian beekeepers report ants (35%), small hive beetle, lizards, wax moth and termites as main pests. Check a tree for ants before hanging a hive; protect empty combs from wax-moth larvae.
Small hive beetle is native to Africa and mostly harms weak colonies. The best control is a strong colony that covers all its combs; unite weak colonies; process honey within a day or two and do not leave cappings lying around. Not verified: the cloth-trap trick on top bars in Ghana; test it on one hive.
Varroa
Varroa was first found in Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana in 2009. African bees have shown much more tolerance than European bees. A Ghana survey found varroa in 40 of 45 colonies (89%) and small hive beetle in 42%.
Never put a store-bought mite or antibiotic treatment in a hive. Residues reach honey and wax; Ghana's honey was delisted from the EU list over concerns about its residue management plan. If a colony is dying, ask a Ministry of Food and Agriculture extension officer. Not verified: which agency inspects bee disease in Western Region.
Pesticides
Spray when bees are not flying, ideally in the evening. Pesticides must be registered under the Environmental Protection Act 2025 (Act 1124). Not verified: any rule making farmers warn beekeepers; agree it in advance. If bees die in heaps at the entrance, close entrances at night and do not sell honey from that hive until your trainer checks it.
Pest round
- Inspect six hives for pests; fill a pest log.
- Clean ant guards; inspect the comb store; melt moth-damaged comb.
- Write a one-page spraying note to a farmer.
Varroa facts
In five sentences: what varroa is, what is known in Ghana, what is not.
Unit 4 · Harvest and process quality honey
Clean, dry honey keeps well and earns well. Wet, dirty or doctored honey ruins your name.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Harvest hygienically | takes capped honey, leaves stores and brood |
| 4.2 Check quality | tests or estimates moisture and checks cleanliness |
| 4.3 Pack and record | bottles hygienically and records each batch |
Range. Top-bar hive honey. Evidence. Observation; batch record; samples.
Harvest and quality
Take only mostly capped bars; do not take brood. Training in Northern Ghana stresses selective harvesting, hygiene and protective gear. Quality checks:
- Moisture at or below 20%. In a Ghana study most artisanal samples were Grade B, mean moisture 19 ± 2%. Wetter honey can ferment.
- HMF rises with heat and bad storage; the same study found a mean of 17 ± 6 mg/kg. The international Codex standard sets HMF at not more than 40 mg/kg, or 80 mg/kg for honey of declared origin from tropical countries such as Ghana. Not verified: the HMF limit in Ghana's own standard.
- Sugars. In 20 Tema samples sucrose was over the limit.
- Germs. About 19% of samples had Salmonella; dirty, recycled containers were a main cause.
Standard not verified. The GSA is Ghana's national standards body, and its 2019 catalogue lists a Ghana "Specification for Honey" (2015, edition 2); the number is printed as GS 11064, probably a misprint for GS 1064. Its limits were not read: buy the standard from the GSA, and ask the GSA and FDA before printing any quality claim.
Pack, store, record
Use new or washed glass jars; never reuse oil or chemical bottles. Strain into a lidded food-grade bucket, let it settle and skim. Do not heat honey strongly. Store sealed, cool, dry and dark. Sell by weight, not volume. Give each batch a code (H-2026-03) and record date, weight and hives.
Honey harvest maths
An apiary of 20 hives gives 15 kg per hive (Ghana studies found 16–19 kg). A farm-gate price of GH¢70 per kg was achieved in Northern Ghana in 2026. (1) Total kg? (2) Income? (3) How many 500 g jars?
Harvest to jar
- Harvest capped bars from two hives; weigh them.
- Strain, settle and bottle six jars.
- Test moisture (trainer's meter) or record that you cannot.
- Fill a batch record; wash tools; clear all wax so ants and beetles are not drawn.
Price survey
Find the price per kg in three shops and from two beekeepers; note brand and FDA number.
Unit 5 · Wax, propolis, pollen and the rules for selling
The honey is half the money. Wax and good packaging add the rest, and the paperwork keeps you safe.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Make wax products | melts, cleans and moulds wax safely |
| 5.2 Avoid false claims | states what may and may not be claimed |
| 5.3 Register honey | lists what FDA registration needs |
| 5.4 Label correctly | writes a label that meets FDA's list |
Range. Wax, honey, a sample label. Evidence. Product samples; label; oral questions.
Wax, propolis and pollen
Melt wax in a double boiler, never over a flame. Strain into a mould. Women's groups in Malawi learned hand-dipped candles and propolis tincture, and learned that every extra step, even a label or a bit of fabric, must carry its own profit margin. Retail wax is reported at about GH¢72 to 127 per kg; the date and a Takoradi price were not verified.
Make no health claims unless you can prove them: FDA asks for documents for any health, nutrition or comparative claim. Do not write "cures". Pollen, creams and drinks may need separate registration; ask the FDA (not verified).
FDA registration
FDA Ghana's form for local pre-packaged foods (effective 1 June 2020) asks for: a purchased form; a letter to the Chief Executive Officer, Cantonments, Accra; a business registration certificate; a certificate of analysis for each product (no certificate, no application); proof for any label claim; samples; and the fee, renewed every three years. Cottage industry GH¢150 per product, small-scale GH¢450, medium GH¢600, large GH¢900, each for three years. The form is from 2020: ask the FDA for today's fees.
FDA label
A label must show: product name; net weight; ingredients; date of manufacture; best-before date where it applies; batch number; country of origin; maker's name and full address with plot number or Ghana Post digital address; directions for use and storage if any. It must be in English, clear, in ink that does not rub off.
Never sell as honey anything with sugar, syrup or water added, and never copy another brand's FDA number. Not verified: whether tiny direct sellers need registration for each jar size.
Make, label, register
- Make three beeswax candles under supervision.
- Write a full label for a 500 g jar, with a batch number.
- List the papers you would take to the FDA and estimate the fee for two products using the 2020 cottage fee, marked "to confirm".
Call the FDA
Find the nearest FDA office and record what they say about fees, certificates of analysis and waiting time.
Unit 6 · Pollination services and bee-friendly planting
A hive on a farm can earn for the farmer and for you. Be honest about which crops need honeybees.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Match crops to bees | says which crops gain from honeybees and which do not |
| 6.2 Plan a service | agrees hives, timing, safety and payment with a farmer |
| 6.3 Plant for bees | plans a bee-friendly planting |
Range. One farm; one crop. Evidence. Written agreement; planting plan.
Which crops?
- Cashew: farms with managed honeybees had far higher yields; in Ghana and Benin two to three times higher.
- Vegetables and fruit such as pumpkin, watermelon and citrus often gain from bees. Hive numbers per hectare in Ghana were not verified. In the USA, Texas A&M suggests about half a hive per acre for watermelon (about 1.2 per hectare) and 1 to 1½ hives per acre for muskmelon and cucumber (about 2.5 to 3.7 per hectare), and says melons and pumpkin need strong colonies. A University of Florida paper says estimates for melons run from one to five colonies per acre, about 4.5 per hectare on average. Use these foreign figures only as a starting point and watch how many bees visit the flowers.
- Mango: many insects visit the flowers and some studies find native flies carry as much pollen as bees, so do not promise a big gain.
- Cocoa is pollinated mainly by tiny midges and oil palm by a weevil. Do not sell bees to them for pollination.
Never promise a yield. Promise healthy hives at agreed times. Start small and compare nut or fruit set with a nearby farm without hives.
The service agreement
Write: farm, crop and flowering dates; number of hives and arrival and leave dates; spraying only in the evening and with warning; who guards against fire, theft and ants; payment (cash, a share of honey, or a free site); where visitors may walk; emergency phone numbers.
Plant for bees
Bees need flowers in both dry season and rains. Cashew, citrus, mango, neem, moringa, pumpkin and cowpea give nectar or pollen at different times (not verified for Ghana; ask CSIR-FORIG). Plant a flowering hedge, but not beside sprayed crops.
Farm visit
- Walk a farm with the farmer; list flowers and months.
- Draw a bee-border planting plan.
- Role-play the service agreement.
One crop
Pick one local crop; find out if bees help it; write a page for a farmer.
Unit 7 · Your location, business and brand
Real honey sells itself once buyers trust you. A written cost sheet tells you when to expand.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Choose a location | picks apiary and selling sites with good returns |
| 7.2 Plan products | plans at least four products or services |
| 7.3 Cost and cash-flow | works out costs, income and cash needed |
| 7.4 Market yourself | sets up a profile, a label and referrals |
Range. The trainee's planned business. Evidence. Business plan; cost sheet; label; profile.
Location settings that give good returns
- Apiaries near forest edges, cashew and citrus farms, water, far from homes, fire and floods
- Pollination sites on farms that want bees and control spraying
- Selling points: Takoradi markets, supermarkets, pharmacies, hotels, church and school events, busy roadside stands
- Processing room: clean, closed, washable, near water
Business ideas and ingenuity
Gift jars and comb honey for weddings and hotels; beeswax candles and balm; pollination hire; hive building and swarm boxes; training days and bee-safe farm advice.
Cost and cash-flow
The Ghana Beekeepers Association asked government for GH¢1.96 billion to expand beekeeping to every district. Not verified: that it was approved, or the report date. Do not plan on money you do not have.
Is a 20-hive apiary worth it?
Hives and stands GH¢500 each, 5 years. Honey 15 kg per hive per year at GH¢70 per kg. Wax 0.3 kg per hive at GH¢100 per kg. Jars and labels GH¢6 per kg of honey. Helpers GH¢1,200 a year. Transport GH¢1,500 a year. FDA fee for one product GH¢150 for 3 years (2020 cottage fee, to confirm). Find (1) yearly income; (2) yearly costs, spreading hives over 5 years and the FDA fee over 3; (3) yearly profit; (4) cash to start (hives plus first FDA fee).
Money goes out before it comes in. Keep a monthly list of cash in, cash out and cash left, and keep three months of costs in reserve if you can. Never mix household and bee money.
Market yourself
- A WhatsApp Business profile with your farm story, photos, FDA number and price list; it has automatic greeting and away messages.
- A free Google Business Profile so people near Takoradi find you; verify by phone, email, video call or a postcard that usually arrives in 14 days.
- A bold roadside sign with your phone number; referrals with a small thank-you; a portfolio of farm photos, labels and lab reports.
- Sell the truth. Buyers worry about fake honey.
Working in a group
A 2026 forum called for standards, certification and traceability, and a HiveHoney Certification Mark was launched. Not verified: how to join it, or any Western Region group; ask a beekeepers' association. A group can share a processing room, a lab test and a bigger market; guard against one member adding sugar to a shared batch with batch numbers and written rules.
Accessibility
The Persons with Disability Act 2006 covers access and bans job discrimination. The Assemblies' disability share of the District Assemblies Common Fund rose from 3% to 5% in 2026, with a Disability Desk at each Assembly; ask the STMA about help with equipment or training. People with limited sight or movement can do processing, packing, labelling, records and marketing; keep paths flat, use large-print and picture checklists, and never place anyone at the hives without full protection and the allergy check.
Launch pack
- Complete the 20-hive cost sheet with your own prices.
- Write a label and draft your WhatsApp Business and Google profiles.
- List three farms or markets near you and why each is good.
- Give a two-minute pitch: product, price, buyers, biggest risk.
First order
Ask a shop, hotel or pharmacy what they need to stock your honey: jar size, price, FDA number, delivery.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Absconding | The whole colony leaving the hive |
| Anaphylaxis | A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction |
| Batch number | A code for one lot of honey, so you can trace it |
| Competent / Not Yet Competent | The two possible results of a CBT assessment |
| HMF | A chemical that rises in honey when it is heated or stored badly |
| Pollination service | Hives placed on a farm to help crops form fruit and seed |
| Small hive beetle | A beetle that damages weak colonies |
| Varroa | A mite that lives on bees and brood |
Logbook
Copy these pages into an exercise book. Your logbook is part of your assessment evidence.
- Unit 1: apiary plan; record cards; calendar
- Unit 2: temper record; neighbour note
- Unit 3: pest log; spraying note
- Unit 4: harvest weights; batch record; price survey
- Unit 5: label; FDA enquiry notes
- Unit 6: service agreement; planting plan
- Unit 7: cost sheet; business plan; profile drafts
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- About how many hives does FAO say an apiary in Africa should hold per square kilometre?
- How many combs should a colony have before it is split?
- How far should the new nucleus be moved?
- How do you know a hive has a queen?
- Why should you never sell syrup-fed honey as natural honey?
- Name two ways to control small hive beetle.
- What is the maximum moisture for good honey?
- Name five things an FDA label for honey must show.
- Why must you not make health claims on a honey or propolis label without proof?
- Which crop is mainly pollinated by midges, not bees?
- What should be in a pollination service agreement? Name four things.
- Why does a bee business need a cash-flow plan?
Further reading and sources
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.