Abstract:
The importance of apiculture to the improvement of rural livelihoods and the condition of
ecosystems cannot be overemphasized. However, globally, the level of beekeeping is still low.
Therefore, it is important to examine the potential to develop apiculture, the extent of
beekeeping, and the factors for practicing it in various places. This study explores these themes,
focusing on Same District in Tanzania. Two wards with apparently great potential to engage in
beekeeping were purposefully selected, and one village was selected from each ward. Structured
and in-depth interviews were conducted and remote sensing and geographic information system
were deployed to obtain the land cover map indicating the potential to develop apiculture. It was
found that Same District has enormous potential to develop apiculture, including, forests, which
cover 17,430 hectares, equivalent to 2.8% of the district’s total area, woodland, which covers
65,358 hectares (10.5% of the total area) as well as extensive agricultural land and water bodies.
Further, a good road network makes the district more potential to apicultural development.
Despite this state of affairs, only 9.5% of the respondents were beekeepers. Low practicing of
beekeeping is attributed to limited knowledge, bees’ aggressiveness, lack of capital and lack of
access to suitable areas to situate beehives. Moreover, lack of modern beekeeping skills,
conflicts, deforestation, bees’ absconding behaviour, and drought hinder the apiculture
development. Therefore, it is recommended that farmers be educated on modern beekeeping and
environmental management practices to improve bee forage. |
