Contribution of Apiculture in Ethiopia: A Review

Beekeeping is environmentally sustainable activity that can be integrated with agricultural practices like crop production, animal husbandry, horticultural crops and conservation of natural resources. It is not a labor-intensive activity and can therefore easily be combined with the other daily activities. In view of the economic situation, it is unlikely that farmers were not set aside land for beekeeping and or bee flora production. In the watershed area, after intervention of the technology, the total economic contribution proportions were, Maize (24.6%), teff (21%), wheat (15.1%), potato (20%) and beekeeping (19.8%) are the major crops grown in the watershed. The survey results also depicted some contributions of beekeeping sector as getting additional income, access to improved nutritional values (honey consumption by the family members which directly resulted in improved feeding habit), improved access livestock development (purchase of oxen and cows), pay loans and save money, purchase of household goods, building of houses in towns and the likes. These all indicate that beekeeping activities are promoting the livelihood of the farmers. Therefore, to enhance the production of beekeeping to alleviate poverty and job creation the government should be promote policies that support self-employment opportunities in off-farm activities such as beekeeping, value chain development, agricultural service provision and agribusiness activities. However, it is estimated that around one million farm households are involved in beekeeping business using the traditional, intermediate and modern hive production practice.