ABSTRACT

Beekeeping is commonly adopted as an additional livelihood activity that can help smallholder farmers diversify and enhance their livelihoods. However, it is unclear whether it is resilient to environmental shocks and stresses. This article investigates beekeepers’ experiences and perceptions about challenges to beekeeping in the Taita Hills Mountains, Kenya. Key findings demonstrated that beekeeping has the capacity to substantially increase household income, but there are several challenges which affect beekeeping’s sustainability considering predictions around climate and land use change. Bee population decline due to pesticide use was seen as a major challenge across the altitudinal range. In the highland areas deforestation, land use conflicts and cold weather were key issues; whereas in the lowlands water availability and the associated impacts on floral availability were the primary concerns of beekeepers.

摘要

养蜂业通常被当作一种额外的生计活动，可以帮助小农户实现多样化并改善其生计。但是，尚不清楚它是否能抵抗环境冲击和压力。本文调查了养蜂人对肯尼亚塔塔山山脉养蜂业面临的挑战的经验和看法。主要调查结果表明，养蜂业有能力大幅增加家庭收入，但考虑到围绕气候和土地利用变化的预测，存在一些挑战会影响养蜂业的可持续性。在整个海拔范围内，由于使用农药而导致的蜜蜂种群减少是一个重大挑战。在高地地区，森林砍伐，土地使用冲突和寒冷天气是关键问题；