Livelihood Resilient Strategies through Beekeeping in Chitanga Village, Mwenezi District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study sought to establish the contribution of beekeeping in rural livelihoods sustainability. Chitanga village had experienced low agricultural productivity due to poor and infertile soils and this has led to food insecurity which had driven them into beekeeping. This opportunity has been driven by the existence of tall trees and wild plants that develop flowers in the village which attracted bees. However, the utility of beekeeping enterprise as a livelihood activity has not been fully realised. This study was carried out in the context of a sustainable rural livelihoods framework. This framework states that at any given time, every community or society falls under a vulnerability context as a result of both natural and human made disasters. In light of the vulnerability, a community mobilises the various forms of its assets at its disposal to earn a living. Applying this framework, the study analysed the strategies the community employed to enhance its livelihoods through the sharing of benefits. The research used questionnaires, structured interviews and observations as sources of gathering data. The study established the benefits which accrued from beekeeping that included honey as food, income in the form of cash, medicines, scenery creation for tourism and income generating projects through making of hives, growing of flowers and citrus fruits which attract bees. A backward and forward linkage of enterprises emerged. Employment creation and increasing in the number of livelihood activities in the area has been witnessed due to beekeeping. This culminated in diversification of livelihood options leading to rural transformation through utilization of local available resources. The study recommends that the sustainability of beekeeping enterprise should be reinforced by backward and forward linkages. The government partnered by NGOs should take the lead and compliment the efforts of beekeepers by providing clear policy and planning.

Economic and ecological implications of geographic bias in pollinator ecology in the light of pollinator declines

“…In less economically developed countries (LEDCs) these latter measures may be more relevant than market value of crops in calculating a region's economic vulnerability to pollinator loss; hunter gatherer communities across Africa and Asia rely on wild honeybee colonies for food (summarised in Venkataraman et al 2013), while small scale apiculture generates vital income and provides food security for farmers in some of the world ' s poorest communities. For example, in Kenya (Sande et al 2009), Zimbabwe (Chazovachii et al 2012) and Nepal (Pokhrel 2009) beekeeping is used as a means of generating income and promoting food security. In communities such as these, bee declines could rapidly and severely impact on local food security.…”

Highlights on the Genetic Relationships Between Some Honey Bee Viruses Using Various Techniques

“…Large numbers of honey bees, Apis mellifera, colonies are being kept worldwide to provide pollination services to plants, and to boost livelihood means at rural areas. [1][2][3][4] Hence, honey bees are the main target to many viral and non-viral diseases. Such diseases can greatly impact beekeeping negatively causing huge losses, and contribute in the colony collapse disorder, a phenomenon of sudden bee disappearance.…”

Anthropogenic and climatic factors affecting honey production: The case of selected villages in Manyoni District, Tanzania

“…The abundance of honey bees influenced by beekeeping activity is significant for the production of food rich in macronutrients and minerals which have implication for improving community health (Chaplin-Kramer et al, 2014). In fact, many rural communities benefit from beekeeping as it strengthens beekeepers' livelihoods by boosting their household income, employment creation, medicine and raw materials for small industries such as local brews (Ahmad et al 2007;Chazovachii et al, 2013). Moreover, the beekeeping sector has become one of the favourite development projects and economic growth for many rural communities in developing countries (FAO, 2013).…”