Assessment of Honey Production Practices in Toke Kutaye District, West Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine honey production in the Toke-Kutaye district from a practical perspective, looking for both opportunities and significant limitations. From six kebeles in the district, 180 families were chosen at random based on the availability and potential for honey production. We gathered data through questionnaire surveys, focus groups, and field observations, and we analyzed it using a social science statistical software. Almost all of the honey producers in the area under consideration were men (97.8%), with just a small percentage being female (2.2%). In the region under consideration, the conventional honey producing method predominated. Hive to hive, even within the same agroecologies, the honey harvesting frequency varied. The study area had a number of limitations, including the use of insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides; insufficient beekeeping and safety equipment; and limited access to extension services. Rich bee feed, year-round water sources, and trustworthy indigenous knowledge of bee production were some of the key potential for honey production that were discovered in the research area.