Alemayehu, N.

Ballo, S.

Girma, M.

Tegegne, Azage

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 1Tropentag 2008 University of Hohenheim, October 7-9, 2008 Conference on International Research on Food Security, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development   Challenges and opportunities for market-oriented apiculture development: The case of Ada’a-Liben district, Ethiopia  Melaku Girma1, Azage Tegegne2†, Shifa Ballo1, Negatu Alemayehu2  1Sap-Tec, Beneficial Insects, P.O. Box 17319, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) Project, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia   Introduction Beekeeping has been practiced in Ethiopia for centuries and currently the country is a leader in Africa in terms of volume of honey and waxes produced and traded. However, the large majority of beekeepers in the country are still use traditional hives (MOARD, 2003). In Ethiopia, honey is almost exclusively used for local consumption, and to a very large extent (80%) for brewing of mead, locally called ‘Tej’. Ethiopia produces between 24,600 and 43,000 tones of honey per year, and is one of the five biggest wax producers with an average annual export estimated at 3000 tones (EEPD, 2006). From traditional hives, an average of 5–6 kg of honey could be cropped/hive per year. However, in areas where improved technology has been introduced, yields of 15–20 kg/hive per year have been recorded. Low productivity and poor quality of bee products are the major economic impediments for beekeepers (NURU, 1999). The major constraints in Ethiopia are lack of beekeeping knowledge, shortage of trained manpower, shortage of beekeeping equipment, pests and predators and inadequate research and extension services to support apiculture development programmes (SOS–Sahel-Ethiopia, 2006). The Improving Productivity and Marketing Success (IPMS) of Ethiopian Farmers project has included beekeeping as one of the priority marketable commodities in a number of its Pilot Learning districts of which Ada’a-Liben district is one. The objectives of this development study were to develop approaches, methods and processes and improve the existing traditional apiculture production system in Ada’a-Liben district through the introduction of market-oriented beekeeping production.   Materials and Methods The study was conducted from 2005 –2007 in Ada’a-Liben district in East Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State. Systematic and step-wise approaches were employed to assess the existing situation and implement interventions. GIS was used to identify potential locations in the district. A survey was conducted on randomly selected beekeepers in Yerer and Zuquala watersheds to study the current status of beekeeping in the district. For the survey, primary and secondary data were collected. Information was obtained by interviewing farmers, district apiculture experts and development agents, Federal and Zonal governmental organizations (including the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and East Shoa Zone Cooperative Promotion Office).                                                   † Corresponding author. Email: a.tegegne@cgiar.org   2The main activities during the implementation process were identification of pilot intervention sites, capacity building, cooperative formation and establishment of institutional linkages. Pilot intervention site were selected based on the number of beehives owned, the amount of honey produced, availability of bee forage plants and interest of beekeepers to participate in the development program. Capacity building was provided through conducting educational visits, training, demonstration and constant technical back stopping. Interventions were made to improve apiary and hive sanitation, colony handling, harvesting, and handling of hive products. Improved hives (transitional hives, Kenyan top bar) were subsequently introduced to interested farmers for demonstration purposes. Market chain was investigated and price of honey was monitored to establish appropriate market linkage.    Results and Discussion Survey conducted in Yerer and Zuquala watersheds showed that the potential for apiculture development of the study area is enormous. In the district, there are about 1260 beekeepers that mainly use traditional hives. Over 23 different kinds of forage trees which flower at different times of the year that assure adequate supply of bee forage were identified (Table 1). Individual beekeepers in the district own up to 40 traditional hives with strong bee colonies. Average production of honey per hive per season was 4.61 kg and 14.4 kg for traditional and modern hives, respectively.   Table 1. Major bee forage plants and their flowering period in Ada’a-Liben district  Plant type Vernacular name Scientific Name Flowering Period Trees Bahir Zaf Eucalyptus camaldulensis Year round  Tiqur Berbere Schinus molle Year round   Kinchib Euphorbia toritolli Year round   Girar (wacho) Acacia seyal August - February  Girawa Vernonia amygdalina December - May  Besana Crotom macrusachys April - July  Wanza  Cordia africana October - March  Tedecca Acacia negrii August -  September Bushes Sensel Justitia schimperana Year round  Gesho Rhamnus prinoides Year round  Agam  Carissa edulis Year round  Kega Rosa abyssinica Year round  Koshim Dovalis abyssinicus Year round  Kazamier Casimiroa edulis Year round Shrubs Tenjut Otostegia integrifolia Year round  Asta Ericca arborea Year round  Mech Guizatia scabra August - February  Tosegne Satureja spps September - December Crops Bakela Vicia faba September - October   Ater Pisum sativum September - October  Shmbera Cicer Arietinum October - February  Suf Carthamus tinctorius November -  February  Denech  Solanum tuberosum April  3Four pilot intervention sites were selected, i.e. Yerer, Godino, Denkaka, and Adulala (Zuquala) rural Kebeles of the district.  Between 2005 and 2007, about 60 beekeepers received practical training on improved beekeeping. Although there is a Cooperatives Promotion Office and four micro-credit institutions in the district, beekeepers were not aware of or have not been organized to receive any services from these offices due to absence of institutional linkages. Information on input suppliers was not available to the beekeepers or the stakeholders in the area. There was also no research–extension–farmers’ linkage for apiculture development in district. The project, in collaboration with the district Cooperatives Promotion Office, legally established four beekeepers cooperatives after conducting a series of meetings and training programmes. Executive members of the cooperatives then received training on administrative and financial management.             Figure 1: Traditional (left) and improved (right) apiary  Problems associated with honey production were reduced due to improvement in the traditional apiary management system and introduction of improved hives (Figure 1). As a result, average yield per traditional hive per season increased (Table 2) by about 40% in 2006 (5.33 kg/hive per season) compared to the average yield in 2005 (3.8 kg/hive per season). During the two years intervention period, 40 transitional hives (Kenyan top-bar, KTB) and 80 wooden framed hives (Langstroth) were introduced into the production system. Following the introduction of these improved hives, more farmers are obtaining these hives on credit basis facilitated by the IPMS project. In general, over the two years of intervention, improvement in apiary management has been observed and the quantity and quality of honey produced has increased. Establishment of beekeepers cooperatives enabled farmers to access input supply, credit, and information on modern beekeeping as well as to easily share knowledge, expertise and other resources.   The marketing study showed that small traders in Dukem town have direct connection and contractual arrangements with the beekeepers in the district. These traders have established a long tradition of selling honey comb to passer-by consumers on the main Addis-Djibouti highway. As a result, 97 percent of the honey is sold to traders at the village level. The average price of honey that beekeepers receive in the village level was Birr‡ 27.50/kg.  In Dukem town, the average price of honey that traders ask for is Birr 45/kg; which is 63.6% higher than the farm gate price. In Addis Ababa, it could be sold for double the farm gate price at 55 Birr/kg. The long tradition of selling honey comb for a higher price on the road side of Dukem town has become an incentive for beekeepers in the area.                                                    ‡ 1 USD = 9.6 Ethiopian Birr  4Table 2. Average honey production in the four pilot areas (from July 2005 to December 2007). Rural Kebele  Average yield in kg/hive/season (2005-07) Traditional Transitional Modern July 2005 Nov.    2006 June 2007 July   2005Nov.    2006 June    2007 July   2005 Nov.    2006 June 2007 Yerer 4.6 5.5 7.5 NA 31.5 35.0 14.4 35.0 37.0 Adulala 3.9 4.4 5.5 NA NA 35.0 15.0 30.0 35.0 Godino 3.2 3.8 5.0 NA NA 25.0 NA NA NA Denkaka 3.5 5.3 7.0 NA 32.5 63.0 NA NA NA NA = Not Available  Conclusion and Outlook Step-by-step approach that integrates apiculture potential, problem identification and intervention processes that recognizes farmer indigenous knowledge, and includes capacity building, improvement of the production system, cooperative formation and market and institutional linkages improved apiculture development in Ada’a-Liben district. Information exchange between beekeepers, potential buyers around the area including local wholesalers, an agro-industry, and honey and wax processors, beekeeping input suppliers, cooperative offices, credit institutions, agriculture extension and research organizations is found to be key factor in the intervention process. Since the district is also known for fruits, horticulture and floriculture production, integration of apiculture development in the agriculture production system has a huge advantage for pollination. This apiculture development experience could be scaling out and up to include other potential areas in the district and other districts with similar agro-ecologies.  References  EEPD (ETHIOPIAN EXPORT PROMOTION DEPARTMENT). 2006. Exports of honey and beeswax. Draft Report. EEPD, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  ITC (INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER). 2003. Trade Report, 2003. ITC, New York, USA.  MOARD (MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT). 2003. Honey and beeswax   production and marketing plan. Amharic Version. MoARD, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  MOARD (MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT). 2006. Annual Reports Series         2005, 2006. MoARD, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY. 1995. Annual External Trade Statistics, 1984–1994.  Ministry of Trade and Industry, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  NURU ADGABA. 1999. Quality state of grading Ethiopian honey. In: Proceedings of the First National Conference of the Ethiopian Beekeepers Association, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  SOS–SAHEL-ETHIOPIA. 2006. Smallholders apiculture development and trade promotion          project terminal report. ANRS Food Security Program Coordination and Disaster Prevention Office), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  

Challenges and opportunities for market-oriented apiculture development: the case of Ada'a-Liben district, Ethiopia

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Challenges and opportunities for market-oriented apiculture development: the case of Ada'a-Liben district, Ethiopia

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