3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Socio-economic characteristics of beekeepers
The mean ages of the beekeepers were 38.11 years and the majority of them are between 23 and 70 years old. This survey result showed that people in the most productive age are actively engaged in beekeeping activities with an average experience of 12.31years. The mean land holding of per beekeeper household was estimated to be 1.95 ha. Generally, the average land holding in the district showed insignificant difference but is slightly higher than the national average household land holding of 1.0-1.5 ha (ASE AIFSP, 2002). The average livestock and family size in the study area was 1.95, 13.96, and 6.89, respectively. Majority of the beekeepers are male (65.38%) and female accounted for 34.62% (Table 1). Table 1: Socio-economic characteristics of the bee keepers Gender Percentage (%) Male 65.38 Female 34.62 Age of bee keepers 20-25 7.70 26-35 46.15 36-45 17.31 46-55 15.38 >56 13.46 Education of beekeepers No formal education 21.15 Primary school education 38.46 Secondary school education 30.77 Tertiary education 9.62 Beekeeping experience Less than three years 9.61 4-10 50 11-20 26.92 >21 13.47 Types of bee-hives Traditional 81.67 Kenyan-Top-Bar 12.32 Langstroth (modern beehives) 6.01 Apiary sites (where bee hives kept) Backyard 48.5 Under the eaves of the house 9.1 Hanging on trees near homestead 40.3 Hanging on trees in the forest 2.1 3.2 Honey production systems in Arsi-Negelle Three honey production systems (traditional, transitional and modern or moveable frame) were practised in the area but majority of the farmers depend on traditional honey production system (accounted as 81.67%). …show more content…
The amount of bee hives/colony owned by the bee-keepers; traditional, transitional and modern beehives were 81.67%, 12.32% and 6.01% respectively. This result corresponds to other studies conducted in the northern, south-western and central parts of Ethiopia showing that traditional beekeeping is predominantly practiced (Kebede and Lema, 2007; Nuru, 2007; Ejigu et al., 2009). In Central rift valley of Ethiopia only 2% of the beekeepers owned modern hive (Kebede and Lema, 2007). Moreover, the large majority of beekeepers in the country are still producing honey using traditional hives (MoARD, 2003). A similar result was also reported from Tanzania where 99% of the hives owned by the farmers were traditional ones (Match, 2007). Furthermore, JAICAF (2009) briefly described that traditional beekeeping is still today found in many parts of the world. 3.3 Honey and bee wax production and contribution for household income The average honey yield per year/colony was 6.1±0.35, 12.70 ±0.62 and19.7±0.67 kg for traditional, transitional and moveable frame hives, respectively. The result of the study revealed that honey production contributed on average 6.7 % to household income. Majority of the beekeepers sold honey to the local market and the middleman immediately after the harvesting season to cover like family clothes, school fees and others. In the study area there was lack of knowledge and skills in bee wax production. Even if the keepers own transitional and modern beehives the productivity was very low because the majority of farmers have lack of knowledge and skills in managing these beehives. Besides, the farmers explained that lack of training and follow up from the government resulted in less productivity of the beehives. Low productivity and poor quality of bee products are the major economic impediments for rural beekeepers (Nuru, 1999); however, they face another primary economic concern: lack of skill to manage their bees and bee products. Most of the beekeepers cannot afford to invest in inputs, process, pack, and transport their products to market to maximize profit. …show more content…
The survey showed that after the introduction of transitional and modern beehives, the women involvement were increased from year to year. The participations of women were increased from time to time in beekeeping activities as job opportunity and income generation. Mostly women participated in transitional and modern beekeeping activities but their participation in traditional honey production system was less because of the cultural barrier in which women are unable to climb the trees to hang the beehives. The women participated in beekeeping activities like clearing the nearby spaces of the hives, cleaning of the hives with steam and marketing of the harvested honey. The recent approach to beekeeping development in rural areas encourages involvement of women in the process of production and marketing of bee
3.1 Socio-economic characteristics of beekeepers
The mean ages of the beekeepers were 38.11 years and the majority of them are between 23 and 70 years old. This survey result showed that people in the most productive age are actively engaged in beekeeping activities with an average experience of 12.31years. The mean land holding of per beekeeper household was estimated to be 1.95 ha. Generally, the average land holding in the district showed insignificant difference but is slightly higher than the national average household land holding of 1.0-1.5 ha (ASE AIFSP, 2002). The average livestock and family size in the study area was 1.95, 13.96, and 6.89, respectively. Majority of the beekeepers are male (65.38%) and female accounted for 34.62% (Table 1). Table 1: Socio-economic characteristics of the bee keepers Gender Percentage (%) Male 65.38 Female 34.62 Age of bee keepers 20-25 7.70 26-35 46.15 36-45 17.31 46-55 15.38 >56 13.46 Education of beekeepers No formal education 21.15 Primary school education 38.46 Secondary school education 30.77 Tertiary education 9.62 Beekeeping experience Less than three years 9.61 4-10 50 11-20 26.92 >21 13.47 Types of bee-hives Traditional 81.67 Kenyan-Top-Bar 12.32 Langstroth (modern beehives) 6.01 Apiary sites (where bee hives kept) Backyard 48.5 Under the eaves of the house 9.1 Hanging on trees near homestead 40.3 Hanging on trees in the forest 2.1 3.2 Honey production systems in Arsi-Negelle Three honey production systems (traditional, transitional and modern or moveable frame) were practised in the area but majority of the farmers depend on traditional honey production system (accounted as 81.67%). …show more content…
The amount of bee hives/colony owned by the bee-keepers; traditional, transitional and modern beehives were 81.67%, 12.32% and 6.01% respectively. This result corresponds to other studies conducted in the northern, south-western and central parts of Ethiopia showing that traditional beekeeping is predominantly practiced (Kebede and Lema, 2007; Nuru, 2007; Ejigu et al., 2009). In Central rift valley of Ethiopia only 2% of the beekeepers owned modern hive (Kebede and Lema, 2007). Moreover, the large majority of beekeepers in the country are still producing honey using traditional hives (MoARD, 2003). A similar result was also reported from Tanzania where 99% of the hives owned by the farmers were traditional ones (Match, 2007). Furthermore, JAICAF (2009) briefly described that traditional beekeeping is still today found in many parts of the world. 3.3 Honey and bee wax production and contribution for household income The average honey yield per year/colony was 6.1±0.35, 12.70 ±0.62 and19.7±0.67 kg for traditional, transitional and moveable frame hives, respectively. The result of the study revealed that honey production contributed on average 6.7 % to household income. Majority of the beekeepers sold honey to the local market and the middleman immediately after the harvesting season to cover like family clothes, school fees and others. In the study area there was lack of knowledge and skills in bee wax production. Even if the keepers own transitional and modern beehives the productivity was very low because the majority of farmers have lack of knowledge and skills in managing these beehives. Besides, the farmers explained that lack of training and follow up from the government resulted in less productivity of the beehives. Low productivity and poor quality of bee products are the major economic impediments for rural beekeepers (Nuru, 1999); however, they face another primary economic concern: lack of skill to manage their bees and bee products. Most of the beekeepers cannot afford to invest in inputs, process, pack, and transport their products to market to maximize profit. …show more content…
The survey showed that after the introduction of transitional and modern beehives, the women involvement were increased from year to year. The participations of women were increased from time to time in beekeeping activities as job opportunity and income generation. Mostly women participated in transitional and modern beekeeping activities but their participation in traditional honey production system was less because of the cultural barrier in which women are unable to climb the trees to hang the beehives. The women participated in beekeeping activities like clearing the nearby spaces of the hives, cleaning of the hives with steam and marketing of the harvested honey. The recent approach to beekeeping development in rural areas encourages involvement of women in the process of production and marketing of bee