Analysis of Effects of Apiary Modernization on Honeybee Profit in Northern Haiti

Despite its relevance to environmentally sustaining farmers’ economies in Haiti, beekeeping continues to be traditionally valued. Nowadays, only 1.54% of beekeepers have modernized their apiaries in Northern Haiti. Lack of training makes beekeepers unaware of optimum beehive maintenance, which leads to apiary disturbance and decreases bee production. This study analyzes the effects of modern apiary operation on honeybee income per hive in Northern Haiti and assesses the financial impacts of beehive maintenance in the region. We use proxy, instrumental variables, and robust two-stage least squares (robust 2SLS) methods, followed by heterogeneity effects analysis, to estimate the per-hive profit. The primary analysis underscored that access to the Bahamas market and attendance at training for honey treatment are instrumental in modern apiary use variables. The number of beehives is an instrument for apiary maintenance frequency and is inversely correlated with the maintenance frequency (h/hive/month). The results underscored that operating a modern apiary significantly increases honeybee profit per hive by more than twice as much as improved apiaries. In addition, access to subsidies/grants and environmental improvement significantly increases the honeybee profit per hive in the region. However, routine beehive maintenance even negatively impacts the profit from per-hive beekeeping. Access to high-price markets, training, grants/subsidies, and environmental conservation practices are crucial factors to impel beekeepers to adopt apiary modernization and allow for an increase in honeybee profit per hive in Northern Haiti.