Performance And Contribution Of Beekeeping Enterprises To Livelihood In Songea District

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to determine the economic performance of beekeeping enterprises and their contribution to livelihood focused on level of income that a household earn from beekeeping in Songea district of Ruvuma region in Tanzania. Specifically the study was sought to (i)Determine the income generated from beekeeping enterprises in the study area, (ii) Determine the viability of a beekeeping enterprise in the study area, (iii) Determine the contribution of beekeeping on the smallholder farmer household income. Data were obtained using structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informants. Villages for the study were purposively selected to reflect where beekeeping is predominantly found within Songea district. A total of 120 respondents representing households, stratified into beekeeping participant and nonbeekeeping participant households were randomly selected proportionately from the five (5) villages and used for the study. Descriptive statistics, Net Present Value and a two sample for means Z-test were used as analytical tools. The results indicate that,44.3% of beekeeping participant household had income generated from sales of honey and beeswax of between TZS.101 000-500 000 per household per year and 27.9% had an income between TZS. 26 000-100 000 while the average income was TZS 342 474. The net present value was positive (Tzs.272 828.03) implying that it is worth investing in beekeeping venture and the contribution of beekeeping to total household income was only 11% which was also reflected to the results for z-Test of a two sample for means which showed that, z-calculated value (0.181) was less than z-critical value (1.645) and pvalue was (0.428) i.e. insignificant that led to a failure to reject the null hypothesis implying that the contribution of beekeeping to household income in the study area is insignificant. Bush fire burning, inadequate improved technologies exacerbated by lack of extension services and poor markets were some of the major problems militating against beekeeping in the study area. This study recommends that, facilitation by government and other development stakeholders is required to link rural based beekeepers to formal national and international markets in order to create incentives for beekeepers to seek for improved beekeeping technologies that will boost up their production levels. Areas to be addressed are; (i) Increased use of improved box beehives and thus increased productivity (ii) Reduced bush fire incidences (iii) Increased market outlets and (iv) strengthened extension services.