Beekeeping Practices, Challenge and Honey Marketing in West Guji Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess beekeeping practices, challenges and honey marketing system in Bule Hora and
Dugda Dawa districts. Study areas were selected purposively. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the
qualitative and quantitative data, generated via semi-structured questioning, focus group discussions, and key
informant interviews. The study result showed that traditional beekeeping was dominant (90.54%). However, the
number of traditional hives owned per household was significantly different (P<0.05), at Bule Hora 58.3% and
Dugda Dawa district 83% of the respondent’s started beekeeping by caching the swarm. In Bule Hora and Dugda
Dawa district 66.7% and 62.5% of the respondents were place traditional hive hanging on a tree near their homestead
respectively. The study result revealed that bee colony management practiced was minimum, only 18.5% at Bule Hora
and 8.3% at Dugda Dawa supplement bee colony during dearth period. Moreover 65% and 88.87% of the
respondent were harvest honey twice per in Bule Hora and Dugda Dawa respectively. Out of 120 beekeepers, majority
(61.68%) of respondent agreed on the productivity of honey production in the study area become decline. Average honey
yield/hive/year at Bule Hora from traditional, transitional and modern hive was 4.28, 5.56 and 8.37kg respectively.
While 8.5kg, 16.2kg and 18kg was harvested at Dugda Dawa district respectively. Bule Hora and Dugda Dawa
town market was the main honey marketing centers used and the price of honey was decided by negotiation. Various
types of plastic containers/cup and sacs were used for honey transportation and honey marketing. The mean price of
crude honey marketed in Eth. birr with maximum 204.05 and minimum 111.65. The index ranked result showed
that honey badger (0.44), ant (0.32) and wax moth (0.11) were the most important economic pest and predators in
the area. Moreover, application of herbicide and pesticide, lack of improved honeybee equipment, pest and predator,
knowledge gaps and honeybee forage availability were the major challenges which hinder beekeeping in the area.
Traditional production system, weak colony management and weak marketing were the other factors results for low productivity of honey in the area. To improve beekeeping productivity, provision of improved hive equipment, improved
marketing system and awareness creation for beekeepers should be considered.