MELCA-Ethiopia Beekeeping Support

Adaba district is located in West Arsi zone of Oromia national regional state, and adjacent to Bale Mountains National Park. MELCA-Ethiopia implemented the “Sustainable improvement of the living conditions of small scale famer families in Ethiopia.” project starting from 01-12-2017. Adaba project Project funded by Karl Kubel Stiftung Foundation (KKS).

Youth Musa Hussein Nure is one of beneficiary of “Sustainable improvement of the living conditions of small scale famer families in Ethiopia.” project and resident at Bucha Kebele, Adaba District, West Arsi Zone, Oromiya Regional state, Ethiopia.

Youth Musa specking about the selection process and the benefit he get from the project “I am one among the farmers who were selected to benefit from the MELCA-Ethiopia supported project implemented in Adaba District. The village level committee established by the project selected me to engage in backyard beekeeping activities. I was selected because of my previous experiences in beekeeping, having bee colonies, and interest to adopt new technologies in regard to beekeeping undertakings which were the key selection criteria at time. I received training on beekeeping. Then, I constructed four beehives from locally available materials as trained and oriented to do so before receiving extra support from the project. As I constructed my own beehives the project gave me four Kenyan Top Bar beehives with accessories.”

“Before the project I usually produce honey only in the forest. However, the management of beehives makes forest beekeeping a little bit a daunting task. I have to travel long distance into the forest to hang the beehives, inspect the bee colonies and harvest the yields. And also I have to climb big trees to hang the beehives. Such experience often time has a risk of falling from a tree. As a result of this women cannot engage in forest beekeeping activities. Incidence of fire, theft and attack by predators are also important challenges to forest beekeeping practices. And also the harvest from the traditional beehives in the forest is minimal. I used to harvest 3 to 4 Kgs of honey per hive each harvest season from the traditional beehives hanged in the forest. But, the average harvest from a single hive of chefeka beehive or Kenyan Top Bar hive is 11Kg per harvest season. As a result, my income from honey has increased by more than three-fold. With backyard beekeeping, management of beehives can be done at ease. Currently I do have a total of 15 beehives- five traditional beehives in the forest, and six stick (chefeka) beehives and four Kenyan Top Bar at homestead. Out of the 10 beehives in the apiary site at my homestead, nine of them have active bee colonies from which I regularly harvest. Women and every family member can easily do the beekeeping activities at the backyard.”

Youth Musa speaking about his family “My family means a lot to me. They support me in a day to day routine works. Their support gives me the physical and mental strength to work hard. In regard to beekeeping, they were supporting me in providing the local materials I needed to construct the hives. Because of the backyard beekeeping, they have been doing the necessary beehive inspections and related apiary site management. As a result, I can have time to involve in other productive activities.”