The study was carried out in selected districts of Gedeo zones of southern Nation nationality and people’s regional state: such as Wonago, Kochere and DillaZuria/chichu/ districts. The objective of the study was to asses production systems, opportunities and constraints of apiculture farming in Gedeo zones of SNNPRs. Beekeeping is a long-standing practice in the study districts and appears as ancient history of the country as a whole. A cross sectional study, in which 90 households were purposively included and conducted in selected district to assess the current beekeeping practices, production potentials and production constraints. Most (72%) of the beekeepers in the study area have owned only traditional hives and produce honey for home consumption. The beekeeping practice was dominated by male.  Despite the area have  production constraints, the area opportunities like existence of large sized natural forest and artificial forest, due attention provision from regional, federal and local government and nongovernmental organizations, yearly flowering and variety floral availability, some small scale farmers highly experienced in apiculture farming, market access and high demand of apicultural products at nationally and international level. Therefore, Designing effective honeybee pests and predators controlling methods, Introduction of full package improved beekeeping technologies with adequate practical skill training on all bee keeping trends and queen rearing practices promoting beekeepers important indigenous knowledge, Producing areal major honeybee plants in large scale, Avoiding discarding of bee colonies after honey harvest, Availing the strategies to support farmers with beekeeping business support services, Improving pre- and post-harvest handling of bee products and Improving the utilization of stingless bee’s resources, without damaging the colony is important to make the honey production system in the area more economical, so as to enhance bee products for national and international need.

The study was intended to assess honey production system, constraints and opportunities in selected kebeles of Hawassa city administration, sidama zone in 2018/19. Production limitation has resulted with a significant complain among the beekeepers and all concerned bodies regarding the possible threat for decreasing honey production in the area. Cross-sectional types of studies were used to collect data. 20 beekeepers were selected from each kebeles using purposive sampling method to conduct formal survey with semi-structured questionnaire making a total of 100 interviewed bee keepers. The main purpose of keeping honey bees were for both income generation and home consumption. The main sources of the foundation colony were catching swarm (80%) and gift from parents (20%). Most (40%) of the beekeepers in the study area have owned only traditional hives and all the three types of hive owned (32%). Beekeepers in the study area prevent the incidence of swarming by return back to the colony (56%), removal of queen cell (16%) and cutting of combs (28%). The average amount of honey harvested per hive per year from traditional hive, transitional and frame hive was 5.6±1.49kg, 11.9±3.15kg and 10.8±2.91kg, respectively. There was (p<0.05) no variations in the five representing kebeles in honey yield/hive/year in traditional, transitional and frame hives. Beekeepers of the study area sold the honey at the nearby market (92%) and major marketing place (8%). According to the respondents, they mostly sold the honey to consumer (64%) and tej house (28%). The most important constraints of beekeeping in the study kebels were lack of Absconding (1st), Lack of training (2nd), Pests and predators (3rd), Lack of extension services (4th), Agro-chemicals (5th), Lack of cooperative (6th), Swarming (7 th) and Lack of beekeeping equipment (8th) Lack of bee colonies (9th), Lack of good market (10th), Drought (11th) and Shortages of bee forages (12th). In order to address the skill gap on honey production system and post-harvest handling of hive products practical training on bee and bee products management should be given.

In Ethiopia, despite the potential of apicultural resource, production and productivity are relatively low. This could be due to many factors like management, environmental factors and races of honeybees. The aim of this study was to evaluate productive potentiality trait of local honeybee colonies for further colonies multiplication purpose. We obtained 20 selected strong honeybee colonies from local beekeepers within traditional hives and transferred into movable frame hive at Dilla site. All the transferred colonies were managed properly to establish themselves and acquire uniform strength. These colonies were evaluated for different parameters such as hygienic behavior, brood, pollen and nectar area, swarming and absconding tendency at different season. The result indicated that the mean percent removal per colony varied from 86.57 (February) to 99.62 (August). The highest brood rearing activity was observed in September and March that covered up to 148.9±14.16 unit areas while the least was observed during November (1.19±0.43) unit area. Maximum pollen and nectar area was found in October (97.5±12.40) unit area and April (81.88±9.47) unit area. While minimum pollen area (5.25±7.13) unit area and nectar (1.10±0.1) area was occupied in November. In general, the study showed that A. m. scutellata honeybees are good in hygienic behavior and brood rearing performance under optimum management practices in the study area. On average 25% of absconding was observed at study site over the last two years of the study period at the time of pollen and nectar shortage mainly November and May Therefore, it is recommended to investigate its detail behavioral aspects whether it is due to environmental or genetically factor for future selection and improvement.

Demonstration and Participatory evaluations of improved beekeeping technologies were conducted in Loka Abaya and Hawassa Zuriya woredas of Sidama National Regional state with the objective of demonstrating improved beekeeping technologies & strengthen research extension farmer's linkage in beekeeping technology generation and transfer. Demonstration and evaluations of frame and transitional hive was conducted by forming farmers research groups (FRGs) at 4 peasant association (PAs) of selected district; from the demonstration an average of 25.5 kg semi-extracted and 10.5 kg crude honey per hive/annum was harvested using after and before using improved technologies respectively and bees wax purification was also demonstrated on farmers field. Partial budget analyses implied that adoption of improved beekeeping technologies make small holder beekeepers more profitable than traditional practice. Therefore, all the demonstrated and evaluated technologies have been recommended for the mandate area to further promote the technologies in to the areas where there is a gap in utilizing and disseminating the technologies.

The study was conducted with the objective of to evaluate the potential effects of widely used agro-chemicals on the health status of Apis mellifera scutllata in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia. Seven different agro-chemicals (2, 4-D, Agrothoate 40% Malathion 50%, pyriban48%, Diazinon 60%, Macozeb 80% and Pallas 45 OD) were commonly applied on various crops in the study area. The acute toxicity of these agro-chemicals to honeybees was tested via feeding, contact and fumigation. The mortalities caused by individual agro-chemical were compared with positive control Agro-thoate40% (Diamethoate) and negative control (honey solution and water). Acute toxicity analysis in the laboratory indicated that all tested agro-chemicals were found significantly toxic to A.m. scuttlata compared to negative control via feeding. Agrothoate 40%, Malathion50% EC and Dianznon 60% were highly toxic with 100% of experimental bee mortality, less than an hour. All agro-chemicals were statically significant toxic to honeybee when compared (P<0.01) standard insecticides and control group through all exposure rout. Therefore, proper utilization agro-chemicals are important to minimize poisoning of honeybee.