Title: Beekeeping in the face of climate change in Ada Berga District, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Beekeeping contributes to income generation. The honey is also consumed at home and used for medicine. Climate change and environmental degradation threaten beekeeping. Quantitative data on climatic effects and responses collected using semi-structured interviews and qualitative data from focus groups and key informants were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and content analysis, respectively. Respondents reported reduced honey production, colonies absconding, reduced pollen and nectar forage, reduced occupation rate of swarm and reduced comb experienced in their locality. Respondents attributed these to climate change or variability; one-third of respondents experienced all of these. There was a statistically significant difference among agroecologies to the combined effects imposed by rainfall, temperature and drought. Information on the influence of climate variability should help to design and implement intervention to improve productivity and livelihoods.