Best practices for colony management: a neglected aspect for improving honey bee colony health and productivity in Africa

Abstract

Apiculture has a well-recognized role in enhancing food security by pollination services around the globe. Besides, apiculture is an extremely valuable income-generating and job-creating activity for millions of men, women, and youths across Africa through trade of hive products, especially honey. However, the yields of honey and other hive products are apparently below the optimum in most African countries. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of the local honey bee subspecies and current apicultural practices in relation to the factors that can potentially influence colony productivity. We highlight some potential factors affecting colony management and productivity and discuss research gaps that need to be addressed in order to improve the profitability and the sustainability of apiculture on a large scale in Africa.

Graphical abstract

Keywords:

• African honey bees
• genetics
• hive types
• landscape
• colony management

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the European Union DG International Partnerships under the DeSIRA (Development of Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture) program (FOOD/2020/418-132) through the ESSA (Earth observation and environmental sensing for climate-smart sustainable agropastoral ecosystem transformation in East Africa) project; Mastercard Foundation through the MOre Young Entrepreneurs in Silk and Honey (MOYESH) Programme; the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA); the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR); the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD); the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; and the Government of the Republic of Kenya. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the donors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).