Assessing the influence of the honey bee management practices used by model farmers on honey production in Tororo district.

Abstract

Much as there are signs of the role played by beekeeping management practices on productivity, very little information is currently available. The purpose of this study is to assess how the bee farmers manage their colonies for honey production within Tororo district and to determine the relationship between beekeeping management practices and honey bee colony productivities. The study was carried out in the in 9 farms located in the Seven sub-counties of Paya, Kirewa, Nabiyoga, Soni, Sop Sop, Nabiyoga Town council, Mukhwana in West Budama constituency in Tororo District in Eastern Uganda. The researcher used the Questionnaire, Observation and Direct interview methods to gather Data. The results of the study showed that males are more involved in Bee keeping than females in the ratio of 7:2. Only two model farmers were knowledgeable about the honey bee diseases like American foulbrood disease, 07 model farmers were able to name a few common honey bee pests like which included the, wax moth (most common), black ants, spiders, Geckos, red ants, beetles, lizards, monitor lizards, squirrels, snakes, honey bee molds, wasps. The most Common pest was the Black ants with 5 cases and the least reported pest was the Red ant with only 2 cases. Conclusively, the study shows that, Model bee farmers of Tororo district used cultural practices of disease and pest management. Most bee Farmers were not well informed about the pests and diseases and could not identify the diseases confronting their colonies. Model farmers of the study areas owned both Langsroth and modern bee hives. The major management challenge reported was limited knowledge on pest and disease identification and management and the least reported challenge was laziness amongst the Model farmers to inspect their colonies. The Model Farmers interviewed were not knowledgeable in pests and disease identification by name or characteristics so, a well detailed study should be carried out to identify and classify the different pests and their species and diseases within Tororo District. The government through the ministry of Agriculture should organise more trainings on honey bee pests and diseases to equip Model farmers with this knowledge of pest and disease identification and modern management of these pests and diseases and Women should as well be encouraged to engage in bee keeping so as to ensure increased honey production.