Beekeeping Practices, Opportunities and Constraints in Three Different Land use patterns in Sheko Woreda, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess beekeeping management practice and its constraints and opportunity in three lands use pattern in Sheko Woreda from December 2013-october 2014. Stratified sampling was employed to select study sites and Sample size was determined using a standards formula and study participants were selected randomly .Data were collected using semi structured questionnaire; focus group discussion, and observation. Data were analyzed by using SPSS soft ware package version 20.0.The majority (97%) of the currently existing beehives were traditional while modern beehives account only 3% of the available hives. Sixty seven percent of the respondents had traditional bee hives, 15% had both transitional and traditional, 9% had both modern and traditional and 9% had all three types of beehives. Almost all respondents reported that they got beekeeping skills from their family through traditional method. Majority (90%) of the respondents in the area had no planned time for colony inspection and 90% of the respondents had no the idea of post and pre honey harvesting colony management practice and 80% of the respondents did not practice supplementary feed for their colony .The study also showed that 79% of the respondents had no training on the general principle of beekeeping and the modern technologies and 21 % of them were engaged in some training and all the respondents mentioned that training had significant contribution for the adoption of the modern technologies and seasonal colony management practice. Common beekeeping constraints cited by respondents included: honey bee diseases, migration and swarming, marketing problem, lack of skilled man power, shortage of training, lack of equipment, absence of agricultural extension service ,and poor attention to the sector Therefore, for sustainable beekeeping practice and to get maximum ecological significance of honey bees, beekeepers and agricultural workers need training on the modern technologies and general principle of beekeeping. Government and nongovernmental organization should give attention in the adoption of modern technologies equipment along with good market linkage for honey and its products. Besides beekeepers consider pre and post colony managements skills for better yield and quality of honey and for the safe life of bees The issue of honey bee enemies and diseases need to be investigated further for developing effective prevention and control measures.