Author(s)

Tamrat Gebiso

Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Asella Research Center, Asella, Ethiopia.

Arsi zone is one of the Oromia regional state’s zones with high potential of honey and bees wax production and where there was dissemination of modern beehives. This research was initiated with objectives of quantifying adoption rate of modern beehives and its determinant factors and drawing policy implication for further extension of the technology. The study was conducted in seven districts of Arsi zone and 251 rural beekeepers were interviewed. The average productivity of the modern beehives and local beehives was found to be 19.77 kg/hive and 5.13 kg/hive. The total number of local bee hives possessed by interviewed beekeepers was found to be 1201 while that of modern beehives was found to be 279 hives which shows that the adoption rate is low and if we increase the adoption rate by 50%, the amount of honey harvest will increases by 11,862 kg which is about 5700 kg more than the total honey beekeepers can get from keeping the whole 1201 local hives. Chemical application (herbicides and pesticides), bee predators, lack of knowledge and skill on modern beehives, lack of modern beehive accessories, lack of bee forage and lack of capital were major beekeeping bottlenecks. The result of binary Logit model revealed that the main determinants of adoption are farmyard size, number of local hives beekeepers possessed, training provided, participation on demonstration, wealth status of beekeepers, and participation of beekeepers on nonfarm income sources. Provision of different information towards increasing or improving the saving capacity or culture of beekeepers, provision of adequate and relevant agricultural extension services (such as training on modern beekeeping technologies and experience sharing among beekeepers), provision of credit services to widen the financial bases of poor beekeepers and facilitating access to modern beehives and its accessories especially honey extractor and wax stumper which can increase beehives productivity were the recommendation that was drawn from the output of this research.

Adoption, Modern Beehives, Logit Model, Adopters, Non-Adopters, Beekeepers

Gebiso, T. (2015) Adoption of Modern Bee Hive in Arsi Zone of Oromia Region: Determinants and Financial Benefits. Agricultural Sciences, 6, 382-296. doi: 10.4236/as.2015.63038.