Constraints to the rural bee keeping in selected sub counties of Kitgum district.

Abstract

This study was conducted in randomly selected, sub county of Labongo Amida, Kitgum, Matidi and Omiya Anyirna in Kitgum district to analyse the constraints to rural bee keeping. The focus of the study was to assess challenges market and marketing system, the measures to diseases, pest and predators affecting bee keeping, socio economic, cultural, management and other factors affecting bee keeping in the selected sub counties and 48 bee keepers were interviewed using the pretested individual farmers' interview where by 16 farmers were purposively sample from the selected sub counties in the district. The data collected was fed in the excel sheet and analyzed using statistical package, of social science (SPSS version 16) to find the frequencies, percentage which was presented using tables, graphs, pictures and pie chart. The study indicates that 75% of the respondents were male, 69% of the respondents market their products in the local market and they experience some common challenges like lack of fixed and recognized market for their products and price, fluctuation,69% of the respondents were not affected by' disease, incidence and insects (ants and termites) were contributing up to 74% of pest infestation in the sub counties and other pests were very rare. Also 49% of predators were cattle and 31% was man, 54% of the respondents have some little knowledge and experience-on pee keeping, 52% have got some simple bee keeping equipment and too1s',90% of the respondents were not affected by culture,73% rarely inspect their hives, 54% were affected by bush fire' arid theft and there were no cases of pesticides poisoning. The, common measures were clearing of grasses around the apiary, fencing, regular inspection and treatment. In conclusion, there was poor market and marketing system, disease cases were minimal and many other challenges affecting bee keeping. The research therefore recommends that farmers should join the bee keeping groups for easy marketing adopt improve bee hives and good harvesting technique attend training on bee keeping broaden their knowledge and experience in bee keeping.