Effects of Coffee Management on Bee Floral Diversity, Honey Yield and Quality: The Case of Gera District, Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia

Shabu Jemal Abakorma

doi:10.7176/jbah/10-16-02

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the effect of forest management for coffee cultivation on bee flora diversity, honey yield and quality as forest crop products in Gera district. Forest coffee (FC) and Semi-forest coffee (SFC) plots were selected for bee flora assessment. Total of 34 plots (FC =17, SFC =17) with plot size 20m X 20m (400m2) were assessed. Sixty bee flora species belonging to trees (30), shrubs (21) and woody lianas (9) were identified and compared across plots. Results show that more bee flora diversity in FC (2.03) than SFC (1.09) system. Honey yield data was collected from 78(FC=52, SFC=26) beekeepers. The honey yield of FC was higher than SFC system in both high and low production years. The honey production on average was 9.58 Kg/hive for FC and 6.44Kg/hive for SFC in high production year while 6.5 kg/hive for FC and 4.24 Kg/hive for SFC in low production year. To assess the honey quality 6kg honey samples (FC=3, SFC=3) were collected. Six honey quality parameters i.e. moisture, ash, pH, free acidity, electrical conductivity (EC) and total soluble solid (TSS) contents. The biochemical variation in the composition is significantly different (P 0.05). The study revealed that; FC conversion to SFC is associated with a decline in bee flora diversity, honey yields and on top of this, it has implications on honey quality deteriorations. Thus, there is an urgent need for control and monitoring on the expansion of SFC cultivation, which needs immediate conservation measures. Therefore, conservationists have to find other means of economic incentives for the community to refrain from further FC conversion and intensifications. Keywords: Forest-coffee, Semi forest coffee, conversion, bee flora diversity, honey yield, honey quality DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-16-02 Publication date:August 31st 2020

Highlights

Ethiopia has huge potentials for beekeeping given the prevailing suitable ecological conditions and floral diversity, making it highly suitable for sustaining large numbers of bee colonies and the long established practices of beekeeping
It clearly indicated that Forest coffee (FC) conversion and intensification to Semi-forest coffee (SFC) has negatively affected bee flora diversities
Honey production of SW part in general and Gera district in particular is decreasing trend. This is shown to be related to FC conversion factors and preference of SFC system for honeybee keeping became diminishing

Summary

Introduction

Ethiopia has huge potentials for beekeeping given the prevailing suitable ecological conditions and floral diversity, making it highly suitable for sustaining large numbers of bee colonies and the long established practices of beekeeping. As of 2015, the country is the top producer of honey in Africa while ranking amongst the top ten in the world. It accounts for 23.6% of the continent’s total honey production (McGill 2016).Forests have a potentials to provide adequate bee-forage in terms of both quality and quantity of nectar and pollen grains. For this reason, beekeeping has the potential to increase opportunities for forest conservation. The human encroachments and modification of natural forests, the bees and the plants they depend on, are constantly under threat (Bahru 2017)

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Results

Conclusion