Participatory Rural Appraisal of the Tihama Plain Beekeepers in Yemen PDF

Keywords

Participatory rural appraisal, Tihama plain beekeepers, Yemen.

Abstract

Participatory rural appraisal was carried out for 120 Tihama Plain Beekeepers in Hodeidah governorate during two periods in 2001 and 2007. The results showed that 81.14%, 79.74%, 67.55%, 64.21%, 48.42%, 30.53% and 26.93% of the beekeepers suffered from many pests including Little Green Bee-Eater, Wax Moths, Bee wolf, Ants, Yellow Wasp, Varroa mite and Death’s-head Moth for two periods respectively. In addition, other pests, with varying degrees, such as Bee Lice, Red Date palm Hornet, Acarine disease (tracheal mite) and others were found in their regions. Most honeybee pastures were suffered from neglect or illegal cutting for fuel and / or construction and some of them were infected with many pests, such as Al-Solab weed, Loranthus sp. and termites on Cidir trees (Zizyphus spina Christi) in the valley of the Zabid and Rema. It was found that Cidir, Al- Salam (Acacia ehrenbergiana) and Al-Thobaih (Acacia mellifera) plants were the most important honey bee pastures for the production of honey in the Tihama plain, and sorghum, millet, and Alalqah (Dipterygium glaucum) for brood breading. The results also indicated that the rate of annual knowledge development of beekeepers in Tihama Plain and its valleys in relation to honey bee pests and honey bee pastures was low (0.02 and 0.05), respectively, compared to 0.02 and 0.06 for each beekeepers of the directorate of Malhan in Al-Mahwit governorate and directorates of Abs an Harath in Hajjah governorate. This assessment found no effective agricultural extension in the region. The proportion of beekeepers who did not receive practical recommendations from the Extension Services about the protection and management of Honey bee pastures or honey bees was 94.74% and 93.33% for the first and second periods, respectively. The results showed that there were some incorrect apiculture practices such as throwing wax combs near the bee hives after extracting honey from them (39.39%) or feeding them sheep and cows(42.98%), leaving no sufficient distance between the bee hives and neglecting cleaning bee hives after the mortality of bees at the end of bee season. These factors can increase the chance of infestation with pests directly or indirectly.