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International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture

ISSN Print: 2578-3467 Downloads: 188828 Total View: 2777604
Frequency: quarterly ISSN Online: 2578-3475 CODEN: IJFSJ3
Email: ijfsa@hillpublisher.com
Article Open Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijfsa.2022.03.007

Characterization of Beekeeping System in Horo District, Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Alemayehu Tolera1,*, Desalegn Begna2, Simret Betsha1

1Department of Animal and Range Sciences, School of Animal and Range Sciences, Hawassa College of Agriculture, Hawaasa, Ethiopia.

2Ethiopian Policy study Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author: Alemayehu Tolera

Published: February 18,2022

Abstract

The study was conducted in Horo districts of Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional state, western Ethiopia to assess beekeeping practices. The peasant associations of the districts were stratified into highland and midland. From each agro-ecology, three peasant associations (PA’s) were selected purposively based on beekeeping potentials and accessibility. Furthermore from each PA’s 30 beekeepers and a total of 180 beekeepers were selected using purposive sampling method. The selected beekeepers were interviewed using pre-tested structured questioners and single-visit-multiple formal survey method to collect the data. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20 software. The survey result indicated that 66.3% of the beekeepers started beekeeping by catching bee swarms freely, while the remaining 17.6% 14.4% and 1.7% getting bee colonies through gift from parents and both catching bee swarm and gift from parents and through inheritance respectively. The data revealed that majority about (96.2%) of the respondents follow traditional production system. An average honeybee colony holding size per household head of the study area was about 9.58, 2.18 and 2.62 with mean honey yields of 5.14kg, 15kg and 22.54kg from traditional, transitional and modern beehives respectively. However, as the study result indicated 68.5% respondents replied that decreasing trends in the number of honeybee colony and the honey yields due to pesticide and herbicide application (22.%), Pests (16.6%), absconding (15.5%) and Migration (12.7%). The behaviors of the bees were docile (27.1%), aggressive (49.7%), and very aggressive (23.2%). As the result indicated that indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals (31.4%), honeybee enemies (21%), lack of bee forages (19.3%), lack of protection against bad weather (16%) and poor management of beekeeping (13.3%) were reason of honeybee absconding in the study area. About 99.5% beekeepers responded that the incidences of reproductive swarming of honeybee colony in their apiary while the remaining 0.5% had no awareness about swarming. The current study showed that the beekeepers inspect their hive externally (87.8%), internally (9.4%) and not inspect their honeybee colony (2.8%). The common smoking materials in the study area was Ekebergia capensi (somboo) (49.4%), Olea europaea (ejersa) (22.2%), cow dung (dike) (16.7%), Karabicho (6.10%), Beeswax (gaga) (5%) and Gari (0.6%). In general, the present study showed that the area is very potential for beekeeping and majority of the households keep honeybees. Thus, strong extension, technical intervention and technology adoption is important to improve the beekeeping system of the area so that it can meaningfully contribute to the livelihood of small holder large beekeepers in Horo district.

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How to cite this paper

Characterization of Beekeeping System in Horo District, Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

How to cite this paper: Alemayehu Tolera, Desalegn Begna, Simret Betsha. (2022) Characterization of Beekeeping System in Horo District, Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture6(1), 44-59.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijfsa.2022.03.007