Beekeeping promotes the traditional home-garden conservation in Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, agrobiodiversity is managed through indigenous knowledge of rural communities, where the selection of plant species varies depending on the sociocultural practices and local economic needs. Traditional beekeeping has been practiced by millions of households in rural Ethiopia over a long historical period. However, the contribution of beekeeping in maintaining agrobiodiversity has not been systematically assessed in the country. This study was conducted in Central and Western Ethiopia to assess and compare traditional conservation practices, as well as the diversity and abundance of vegetation found within home-garden maintained by beekeepers and non-beekeepers. The results of the study showed that beekeepers raditionally retain more remnants of trees and shrubs in their home-garden to favor sustainable beekeeping, compared to non-beekeepers who instead are more likely to expand crop production. The mean number of floral species in beekeeper and non-beekeeper home-gardens was 22.8 ±3.2 and 14.2 ± 2.1, respectively. The higher species richness of bee visited plants in beekeepers’ home-gardens may be associated with traditional ecological knowledge accumulated by beekeepers over the years to maximize harvests of bee products. We therefore recommend the integration of ekeeping to other conservation interventions, such as community forestry, watersheds and protected areas as sustainable conservation practices. We suggest that necessary financial, technological, and extensional support should be enhanced to align improved v to any conservation efforts.

Trend and Current Status of Forest Resources in the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia: A Review

“…Most of the woodland in the ANRS is found in lowland areas (500 and 1900 masl) with diverse ecological distribution ranging from semiarid to humid areas (Eshete et al, 2011;Melesse & Abtew, 2016) and cover about 740,808 ha (Melesse & Abtew, 2016). These forest systems harbour economically important tree species such as B. papyrifera (Eshete et al, 2011;Friis et al, 2010;Lemenih & Teketay, 2003;Tolera et al, 2021;Worku & Bantihun, 2018) which are known for their commercial products such as frankincense or gum olibanum. In the Metema district alone, B. papyrifera accounts for 51% of the woody plant density and has a production potential of about 253.5 kg ha -1 year -1 .…”

“…The productivity and quality of traditional and modern beehives are influenced by the type, composition, density, and canopy of vegetation (Tolera et al, 2021). NTFPs contribute to food security and maintain rural livelihoods for millions of households (Sheppard et al, 2020).…”

“…The region is endowed with gum and resin-bearing species such as Acacia senegal, B. papyrifera and Commiphora africana, and Sterculia africana. However, these resources are poorly managed, underutilized and face huge devastation (Eshete et al, 2011;Friis et al, 2010;Mulugeta Lemenih & Teketay, 2003;Tebkew et al, 2018;Tolera et al, 2021;Worku & Bantihun, 2018).…”