Enhancing the Viability of the Modified Taungya System through Bee Keeping

Abstract

ABSTRACT Beekeeping as a Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) under the Modified Taungya System (MTS) is under exploited. Information on the types of tree plantation and wood hives suitable for its productivity is scarce. This study addressed this knowledge gap by setting up different bee wood hives under three monoculture plantation stands of Tectona grandis Linn, Cedrela odorata L. and Terminalia superba Engl. in the Tano Offin Forest Reserve of Ghana. The experiment was laid using factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated 3 times. The study revealed that plantations of Tectona grandis, Cedrela odorata and Terminalia superba were all suitable for honey production even though Cedrela odorata produced the lowest honey yield. The most significant factor that affected honey production was the type of wood used to construct the bee hive. Cedrela odorata wood hives were not suitable for beekeeping since none was colonized. However, Tectona grandis wood hives yielded the highest honey, bee wax and propolis of 57.81 kg/harvest, 6.44 kg/harvest, 2.30 kg/harvest respectively. Also, Tectona grandis wood hives generated a profit of US$ 443.48/harvest compared to US$ 201.17/harvest for Terminalia superba wood hives. Tree plantations under MTS can be added value through bee keeping. Incorporating beekeeping in plantations could bring other unintended benefits such as farmer's preparedness to protect the plantations from fires which is a major threat to plantation establishment.