Challenges to Adoption and Sustained Use of Modern Bee Hives in Kitui County, Kenya

In Kenya, beekeeping is a feasible livelihood diversification economic activity especially in the arid and semi-arid regions facing substantial rainfall variability since beekeeping is not fully depended on rainfall amounts and distribution. However, most of the beekeepers in Kenya use the traditional log hive which is less productive. Therefore, beekeeping is yet to improve the socio-economic welfare of most farmers. Traditional log hives produce honey of low quality and quantity. Failure to adopt the modern bee hives suggests existence of challenges limiting the adoption. The main objective of this study was to determine the challenges to adoption and sustained use of modern bee hives in Kitui county, Kenya. During the study a total of 110 beekeepers (42 adopters and 68 non-adopters) from the five selected locations of Mwingi Central subcounty namely; Waita, Nuu, Kivou, Mwingi and Mui were administered with questionnaires. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 20) was employed in data analysis. Based on Chi-square statistics the study proved the hypothesized challenges; unavailability of modern bee hives, unsuitability to local bees and lack of skills in modern beekeeping as statistically significant challenges to adoption of modern bee hives. On challenges to sustained use of modern bee hives, marketing, absconding of bees and drought were found significant. It was concluded that the challenges were limiting the adoption and sustained use of modern bee hives. The study recommends; establishment of more honey collection centres in rural areas, construction of more earth dams by county government and more modern beekeeping training organized by county government to train beekeepers on modern apiculture.