Demonstration and participatory evaluation of apiculture technologies in Sidama national regional state, Ethiopia

Demonstration and Participatory evaluations of improved beekeeping technologies were conducted in Loka Abaya and Hawassa Zuriya woredas of Sidama National Regional state with the objective of demonstrating improved beekeeping technologies & strengthen research extension farmer’s linkage in beekeeping technology generation and transfer. Demonstration and evaluations of frame and transitional hive was conducted by forming farmers research groups (FRGs) at 4 peasant association (PAs) of selected district; from the demonstration an average of 25.5kg semi-extracted and 10.5 kg crude honey per hive/annum was harvested using after and before using improved technologies respectively and bees wax purification was also demonstrated on farmers field. Partial budget analyses implied that adoption of improved beekeeping technologies make small holder beekeepers more profitable than traditional practice. Therefore, all the demonstrated and evaluated technologies have been recommended for the mandate area to further promote the technologies in to the areas where there is a gap in utilizing and disseminating the technologies.