ASSESSMENT ON BEEKEEPING PRACTICES AND DETERMINING QUALITIES OF HONEY IN EBINAT DISTRICT, SOUTH GONDAR ZONE, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess beekeeping practices and determining the qualities of honey in Ebinat district of Amhara region, Ethiopia. The district was stratified into highland, midland and lowland agro-ecological zones, and seven kebeles’ were purposively selected based on their beekeeping potential. Data were collected through semi-structured questioner survey and 254 beekeeping households were proportionally selected using systematic random sampling techniques. Additionally, 24 honey samples were collected from highland, midland, lowland and local markets, categorized by hive types. Semi-structure questioner interviews for respondents, field observations, and key informant interviews were used to collect the required data. For data analysis, SPSS statistical software was used to interpret household survey results, while one way ANOVA was employed to analyze laboratory findings. Physicochemical analysis of honey samples was conducted at Bahir Dar University under national and international standards. Therefore, socio-economic results indicated that; beekeeping is dominantly managed by male headed households (95.7%), with an average age of 43.70±10.56 years and 14.72±8.06 years of average beekeeping experience. About 73.6% of the respondents were literate, whereas, 26.4% of respondents had not received any formal or informal education. Traditional (74.0%), transitional (8.4%), and movable frame hive (17.6%) types were identified in the area. The majority of beekeepers (74.8%) relied on swarm catching as the main source of starter bee colony acquisition. The mean hive ownership per household was 9.73±7.68, with significantly higher (p<0.05) holdings in the midland (9.66) and lowland (10.72) areas compared to highland (7.86) respondents. Similarly, annual honey production was higher in midland (107.3 kg/HH) and lowland respondents (87.91kg/HH) than highland (84.70 kg /year/HH) beekeepers. Productivity varied by hive type, with traditional, transitional, and movable frame hives yielding 8.05 kg, 12.62 kg, and 17.46 kg per hive annually, respectively, averaging 9.64 kg per hive per year. The harvesting frequency across hive types was moderate (1.63 times per year), indicating room for productivity improvements. Honey produced in the District met national, EU, and FAO/WHO quality standards, with measured values for moisture content (17.03%±1.39%), pH (3.93±0.17), free acidity (29.33±2.24meq/kg), ash content (0.29±0.05 g/100 g), HMF (9.48±4.97mg/kg), reducing sugar (67.23±1.67 g/100 g), sucrose content (3.12±0.38 g/100 g), electrical conductivity (0.42±0.08 mS/cm), and diastase activity (9.51±2.20). The sector had been supported by favorable conditions, including diverse agro-ecologies, abundant floral sources, growing market demand, and supportive government initiatives. However, key challenges include pest infestations, pesticide exposure, and limited access to affordable modern hives, and drought-induced shortages of forage and water. Addressing these constraints through targeted training, enhanced extension services, gender inclusive policies, quality control measures, and the formation of beekeeping cooperatives could enhance productivity and income. Although this study was constrained by geographic scope, and seasonal variations in honey quality were not extensively explored, further research was recommended to focus on long-term adoption patterns, socio-economic impacts, and longitudinal quality assessments across seasons to support sectoral-growth, environmental sustainability, and livelihood improvement. Key words: Beekeeping practices, Honey quality, Ebinat District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia