Opportunities and Challenges of apiculture development in Dambi Dollo Town, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

The study aimed to assess beekeeping prospects and problems in Dembi Dollo town, using interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires. Four villages were selected based on beekeeping practices, and a cross-sectional research design was used to characterize beekeeper traits. Sixty-nine respondents were chosen proportionately from the four villages and Microsoft Office 2010 was used for data organization and analysis, with a one-way analysis of variance employed. Urban beekeeping is predominantly practiced by younger people, with 91.3% of 69 beekeepers being male and 8.7% female. 40.6% completed higher education, and 46.38% have been in the business for six to ten years. Advantages for urban beekeeping include suitable climate, availability of bee feed plants, adequate rainfall, water supply, and density of honey bees. Urban beekeeping faces challenges like beeswax, inappropriate agrochemical use, and high costs of modern hive equipment. Despite these, local communities and governments are promoting it. Governments should assist beekeepers, raise public awareness, and encourage hive provision. Further research is needed on urban honey bee productivity in western Oromia and the town.