Tigray War Put Honey Bees in Peril

Abstract

Why Beekeeping? It is well known that honey bees are essential to human existence not only through their direct products such as honey and beeswax, but also through pollination services. Worldwide, the value of this insect species, as the second most economically important livestock, is estimated over US$180 billion annually (Jacobs et al., 2006; Porto et al., 2020). In Ethiopia, small-scale beekeeping has a long history and been practiced in almost all regions of the country. In Tigray, beekeeping is one of the most important income-generating agricultural activities, supporting poverty alleviation efforts and creating employment opportunities for many people in rural and urban areas. According to the regional emergency response plan (BoARD, 2021), there are over 58,000 beekeepers in Tigray, who generate income from the sale of honey, beeswax and bee colonies, which cover various expenses such as school fees for their children. Beehive products such as honey also greatly contribute to food and nutrition security and medical care in the local communities.