Analysing stingless bee garden design for urban farming in Kelantan, Malaysia

Abstract

The benefits of stingless bee honey for health found in various studies increase the demand for these apiculture activities to grow. However, the production of stingless bee honey requires specific garden design considerations according to the species’ nature and behaviour. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the design of a stingless bee garden by three stingless bee honey entrepreneurs in Kelantan, Malaysia for urban farming consideration. Three stingless bee gardens were selected based on their establishment in producing stingless bee honey for business, namely, (i) RTF Kelulut Garden, (ii) Meloris Kelulut Garden, and (iii) Husna Kelulut Garden. This research employed the mapping method, image capture to collect information on spatial arrangement, hive design, and plant identification for the commercial stingless bee garden. Data were analyzed using comparative analysis to define the significant considerations as well as the recommendation for better garden design. The finding suggests that there are three design layouts for the stingless bee garden which are a covered setting, a natural setting, and a mixed setting. Mix setting becomes the recommended setting suitable in tropical countries because of rainy and hot seasons. This study implies that an understanding of stingless bee garden design assists entrepreneurs in increasing the productivity and quality of stingless bee honey.