SCU Bee Research and Extension Lab

17/09/2026

Strong partnerships are at the heart of protecting bees, strengthening food systems and supporting resilient farming communities.

Dr Anneliese Austin from Southern Cross University’s Bee Research and Extension Lab spoke at the Fiji National Agriculture Show 2026 for the launch of Fiji’s bee pests and diseases awareness drive, alongside the Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, Hon. Tomasi Tunabuna.

The event highlighted the importance of collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, the Biosecurity Authority Fiji and the Fiji Beekeepers Association in preventing the incursion of new bee pests and diseases.

By investing in awareness, surveillance, early detection and practical biosecurity planning, Fiji is taking important steps to protect its beekeeping industry before serious exotic threats become established.

This work is supported in partnership with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and Southern Cross University.

Together, these partnerships are helping to build shared knowledge, practical capacity and locally led action to strengthen bee biosecurity across Fiji.
Vinaka vakalevu to all partners, beekeepers, farmers and stakeholders contributing to this important work for Fiji’s bees, agriculture and communities.

08/09/2026

What makes Fijian honey taste like Fijian honey, and how can those distinctive flavours create more value for local beekeepers? 🇫🇯🐝🍯

SCU Bee Research and Extension Lab and the Fiji Beekeepers Association invited Jessica Locarnini (International Honey Judge, Australian Honey Sommelier and member of the Italian Register of Honey Sensory Experts) to Nadi, Fiji to facilitate a two day workshop with the Fiji Beekeepers Association and participants from across the country.

Day one got everyone’s noses and tastebuds working. Participants learned how to assess and describe the aroma, flavour and texture of honey using internationally recognised sensory methods. They then explored how a better understanding of these qualities could strengthen marketing, inspire new products and create opportunities for Fijian honey in local markets and beyond 👃🍯.

On day two, the focus turned to Fiji’s honey competition. Working with the Fiji Beekeepers Association Executive Committee, the group examined what was working with the current format, what made competitions in Fiji special, compared this with competitions overseas and voted on what should be retained, strengthened or trialled in the future 🐝.

The result was a practical, locally led set of priorities to help Fiji’s beekeepers showcase the diversity and quality of their honey while supporting future product and market development across the industry.

A big thank you to everyone who travelled to take part and brought their experience, ideas and enthusiasm to the table.

This activity was delivered through our Research in Agribusiness Partnerships for Innovation and Development (RAPID) project, supported by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and Southern Cross University

14/08/2026

Earlier this week, Dr Anneliese Austin attended The Crawford Fund Conference, representing the Southern Cross University Harvest to Health Cluster and SCU Bee Research and Extension Lab 🐝🍃💧

This years conference covered diverse topics including the importance of transdisciplinary research that amplifies the voices of Pacific people, organisations and communities and the role of women and youth in supporting food security and resilience in our region.

A big thank you to Researchers in Agriculture for International Development - RAID Network and The Crawford Fund Scholar Program for supporting our PhD student Jessica Deurinck as she starts her journey in agricultural research for development.

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

02/07/2026

Our team have been busy bees this week, attending the Papua New Guinea Food and Nutrition Conference in Lae. Our cadet researchers Koi and Arneth will be presenting on the five pillars of beekeeping development: Lessons from PNG and the socio-economic empowerment potential in value-added bee products from our project ‘Strengthening beekeeping industries for improved production and livelihoods in PNG and Solomon Islands 🇸🇧🇵🇬🐝.’

Thank you to the PNG University of Technology, NDAL, NARI and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research for supporting this opportunity for our team to present on their research and lessons learned to enhance the beekeeping industry in Papua New Guinea 🍯.

Want to learn more:

https://www.scu.edu.au/research/research-impact/impact-case-studies/beekeeping-for-sustainable-livelihoods-in-the-indo-pacific-region/ .en.510186

19/06/2026

What’s better than one beekeeper?
Fifteen beekeepers of course!! 🐝

The last two weeks has taken our SCU bee team on a capacity building ‘Tour de Bee’ with colleagues from Fiji 🇫🇯 , Morocco 🇲🇦 and Ghana 🇬🇭 .
We covered topics from bee biosecurity, to varroa management, bee business diversification and pollination 🍯.

We travelled from Lismore to Grafton, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns and Mareeba, fostering new networks and opportunities for co-learning and beekeeping industry development.

We would like to thank everyone who let us drop in, share and learn with you 🙏

Our beekeepers returned home today with a headful of new knowledge, having experienced a true taste of the diverse, innovative and resilient Australian beekeeping industry!

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research / Southern Cross University / International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas - ICARDA / Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) / Fiji Beekeepers Association / Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry Fiji

28/05/2026

Such a pleasure to bee working with an amazing bee team in 🇬🇭🇲🇦🇦🇺🌻🐝 recent scoping study revealed a lot of opportunities for improving honey bee health, production and livelihoods with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Michael Kodwo Adjaloo Lovenger Ahpiah Youssef Bencharki International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas - ICARDA

20/05/2026

Happy World Bee Day!!!! 🐝🇫🇯🇵🇬🇸🇧🇲🇦🇬🇭
Today we celebrate the contributions of beekeeping to livelihoods, rural development, pollination and conservation. From Australia to the Pacific and Africa we want to shout out to all the beekeepers, bee researchers, trainers and bee lovers working hard for that honey money 🍯!
Our BREL queen bees spent the day watching waggle dances and shaking their tails off checking for varroa in the apiary.

How did you celebrate World Bee Day this year?? 🐝🐝

14/05/2026

Meet our newest PhD candidate Jess who is attending the NSW Apiarists' Association Inc. conference in Bathurst this week. Thanks to AgriFutures Australia for their support of early-career researchers and the next generation of industry leaders 🍯🐝

🥳 AHBIC is so excited to be able to introduce these 4 fabulous industry participants, thanks to an AgriFutures Australia supported Industry Development Grant! Today we have the pleasure of attending the NSW Apiarists' Association Inc. 2026 Conference right on Pit Straight Mount Panorama in lovely Bathurst, NSW.
📸From left to right beekeeper 🐝Blake Williams, researcher's🔎 Jessica Deurinck and 🔎Sara Bryant and beekeeper 🐝Oliver Holloway.

Our other successful participants will be making tracks to our other members conferences in the coming weeks.

11/05/2026

05/05/2026

What do honey 🍯 and fish 🐟 have in common? Well other than being tasty 🤤.
It’s that they both feature in our latest research project ‘Evaluating an alternative approach to sector development in Pacific island countries’
Want to learn more, check out the link below 👇

🇫🇯 Smallholder beekeepers and tilapia farmers in Fiji are building stronger links to markets through -supported research.

Led by Southern Cross University and delivered with government, industry and research partners, the 4‑year A$1.67 million project is supporting beekeeping and tilapia associations to strengthen production systems, improve product quality, expand market access and build organisational capability.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/e6xI50YUqRV

Ministry of Fisheries, Fiji | Tilapia FIJI | The University of Adelaide | Talanoa Consulting | Australian High Commission, Fiji