Challenges and Prospects of Honey Bee Production in Ethiopia: A Review

Abstract

In the present review an attempt has been made to briefly the major constraints and prospects of honey bee in the country so as to help the researchers to develop well-organized strategies to improve productivity and honey bee population in Ethiopia. Some important local honeybee plants (trees, shrubs, herbs and cultivated crops are known as a source of nectar and pollen in Ethiopia, namely Becium grandiflorum, Hypoestes forskaolii, Leucas abyssinica, Euclea schimperi, Cordia Africana, Eucalptus spp, Vernonia amygdalina, Cordia africaca, Olea Africana, Guizotia scabra, Syzygium guineese, Croton machrostachyus and Opuntia ficus-indica identified as the major bee forage in different parts of the country. honey badger, ants, wax moth, spider, birds, lizard and snake are identified as pests and predator to the bees in Ethiopia. From the above ants causes severe economic loss in honey production by killing bees, rob their products, lead to absconding and destroying the entire colony of honey bees. Pests and predators, beekeeping equipments, absconding, pesticides and herbicides, death of colony and swarming are the most important constraints present in Ethiopia. The present review indicated that beekeeping could be a great source of employment creation for the rural people to reduce poverty. Beekeeping plays an important role in income generation for beekeepers of Ethiopia. Basically, the country’s policy for agriculture and rural development can be the first prospect to improve any agricultural sub sectors. This is general prospect to develop beekeeping sector all over the country but there is specific opportunities from the region to region.

Keywords: Challenges, Ethiopia, Honey bee, Prospects