Determinants of apiship acceptability as a primary and male dominance occupation in India

Abstract

Apiship is conceptualized as a way of earning where one produces honey for sale by rearing bees to earn livelihood. Honey is the primary commercial output of apiship. Because of its expanding and ever-increasing market demand, apiship has become an essential source of self-employment and income, ultimately leading to poverty alleviation. This study examines factors influencing apientrepreneurs to choose apiship as a primary occupation and men’s dominant status in apiship. This study adopts a positivist approach to philosophy that undertakes quantitative examination of findings. Data were collected from 800 apientrepreneurs using a survey with closed-ended questionnaires. The study revealed that the pull factors of amount of investment, risk in investment, demand for the produce, amount of work, income stability, and flexibility in working time and the push factor of unemployment all have significant positive impacts on apientrepreneurs’ decision to pursue apiship as a primary occupation. The study further found that age, education, and desire for independence are independent of the choice of apiship as a primary occupation. The study also found that the driving factors of reluctance of woman, stinging nature, cultivating related crops, tendency of awareness among women, and work as a helper of man significantly influence men’s dominant status in apiship. The study’s identification of driving factors influencing the choice of apiship as a primary occupation highlights the need for policymakers to create favorable policies for leveraging these motivating factors to attract unemployed individuals to take up apiship. The study’s findings on the driving factors of men’s dominant status in apiship could also help policymakers to make proper policies to make women aware of apiship.