Investigating the Role of Apiculture in Watershed Management and Income Improvement in Galessa Protected Area, Ethiopia

Beekeeping gives local people economic incentive for the preservation of natural habitats and is an ideal activity in watershed conservation program. The study was designed to assess and demonstrate the contribution of improved beekeeping for income generation and sustainable watershed management in Galessa protected area. For this purpose households were purposively selected based on their interest in beekeeping, experience in traditional beekeeping and proximity of residence to watershed areas. Training on beekeeping and integrations of beekeeping with watershed management were provided. Data of honey yield, bee plants, and annual income obtained from honey and field crops before and after improved beekeeping intervention were collected. Accordingly, the mean annual honey yield, income obtained from honey sales, bee forage planting practice and number of transitional hives owned by the beekeepers are significantly different between the sample households (P<0.05) before and after intermediate beekeeping intervention but the number of traditional hives owned was not significantly different between the household . The total honey yield has increased almost by two fold and the annual revenue increased by 6.5 folds. Therefore integration of intermediate beekeeping technology with conservation of watershed can enhance the income of household and encourages planting of bee forages which directly contributes for sustainable watershed managements. Thus demonstration and scaling up improved beekeeping technology should be promoted for sustainable watershed rehabilitation and to diversify the household income.