Honey bee colony losses and causes during the active beekeeping season 2022/2023 in nine sub- Saharan African countries

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cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and developing country institute
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
cg.contributor.affiliationKenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization
cg.contributor.affiliationRongo University
cg.contributor.affiliationRwandan Association of Ecologists
cg.contributor.affiliationNational Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin
cg.contributor.affiliationAgriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, Rwanda
cg.contributor.affiliationMalaika Honey Company, Uganda
cg.contributor.affiliationForestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Nigeria
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Maroua
cg.contributor.affiliationNimba Beekeepers Incorporated, Liberia
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Kinshasa
cg.contributor.affiliationInstitute of Agricultural Research for Development, Cameroon
cg.contributor.affiliationAfrican Union Inter-African Phytosanitary Council
cg.contributor.affiliationAssociation for the Development of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Resources, Cameroon
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Pretoria
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Strathclyde
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Graz
cg.contributor.affiliationInstitute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Israel
cg.contributor.donorEuropean Union
cg.contributor.donorMasterCard Foundation
cg.contributor.donorJRS Biodiversity Foundation
cg.contributor.donorCOLOSS Panuwan Chantawannakul Award 2023
cg.contributor.donorSwedish International Development Cooperation Agency
cg.contributor.donorSwiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
cg.contributor.donorAustralian Centre for International Agricultural Research
cg.contributor.donorGovernment of Norway
cg.contributor.donorGerman Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
cg.contributor.donorGovernment of the Republic of Kenya
cg.coverage.countryBenin
cg.coverage.countryCameroon
cg.coverage.countryCongo, Democratic Republic of
cg.coverage.countryEthiopia
cg.coverage.countryKenya
cg.coverage.countryLiberia
cg.coverage.countryNigeria
cg.coverage.countryRwanda
cg.coverage.countryUganda
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2BJ
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2CM
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2CD
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2ET
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2KE
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2LR
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2NG
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2RW
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2UG
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africa
cg.coverage.regionWest and Central Africa
cg.creator.identifierBeatrice Nganso: 0000-0001-6553-0561
cg.creator.identifierELIE NTIRENGANYA: 0000-0002-4603-5693
cg.creator.identifierSouradji Bachirou Idrissou: 0009-0005-6015-2748
cg.creator.identifierMwiza Kazimbaya: 0009-0001-9342-6603
cg.creator.identifierMawufe Agbodzavu: 0000-0001-5435-1250
cg.creator.identifierKimathi Emily: 0000-0002-1320-2301
cg.creator.identifierAlison Gray: 0000-0002-6273-0637
cg.creator.identifierRobert Brodschneider: 0000-0002-2535-0280
cg.howPublishedFormally Published
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322489
cg.isijournalISI Journal
cg.issn1932-6203
cg.issue5: e0322489
cg.journalPLoS ONE
cg.reviewStatusPeer Review
cg.subject.iitaAGRIBUSINESS
cg.subject.iitaBASELINE SURVEY
cg.subject.iitaLIVELIHOODS
cg.subject.iitaNATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
cg.subject.iitaFORESTRY
cg.volume20
dc.contributor.authorNganso, B.T.
dc.contributor.authorAyalew, W.
dc.contributor.authorWubie, A.J.
dc.contributor.authorAssefa, F.
dc.contributor.authorBelayhun, L.
dc.contributor.authorNdungu, N.N.
dc.contributor.authorToroitich, D.
dc.contributor.authorOtieno-Ayayo, Z.N.
dc.contributor.authorWambua, M.B.
dc.contributor.authorOyieyo, Y.O.
dc.contributor.authorElie, N.
dc.contributor.authorSikirou, R.
dc.contributor.authorIdrissou, S.B.
dc.contributor.authorMwiza, W.
dc.contributor.authorTurner, S.
dc.contributor.authorBobadoye, B.O.
dc.contributor.authorFameni, S.T.
dc.contributor.authorGaboe, S.
dc.contributor.authorAgbodzavu, M.K.
dc.contributor.authorMafwila, P.
dc.contributor.authorTasse Taboue, G.C.
dc.contributor.authorEmily, K.
dc.contributor.authorHenri, T.Z.E.
dc.contributor.authorNiassey, S.
dc.contributor.authorFonkou, S.N.
dc.contributor.authorPirk, C.W.W.
dc.contributor.authorGray, A.
dc.contributor.authorBrodschneider, R.
dc.contributor.authorSoroker, V.
dc.contributor.authorSubramanian, S.
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-23T10:34:00Z
dc.date.available2025-05-23T10:34:00Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/174826
dc.titleHoney bee colony losses and causes during the active beekeeping season 2022/2023 in nine sub- Saharan African countries
dcterms.abstractThis study reports for the first-time managed honey bee colony loss rates and associated risk factors during the active beekeeping season 2022/2023 in nine Sub-Saharan African countries, namely Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Benin, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon and Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sustainability of bee swarm catches as a main honey bee colony source tool for operation expansion by African beekeepers was also evaluated in Kenya and Ethiopia. In this survey, the 1,786 interviewed beekeepers across these countries collectively managing 41,761 colonies registered an overall loss rate of 21.3%, which varied significantly among countries (from 9.7 to 45.3%) and hive types (from 10.6% in hives with movable frames to 17.9% in frameless hives). The perceived causes of losses in order of significance were issues beyond the beekeeper’s control (mainly theft, drought, and bushfire), absconding and pests (mainly wax moth, small and large hive beetles, ants and Varroa destructor mite), but this pattern varied greatly across countries. Among the management practices and characteristics, migratory operations and professional beekeepers experienced lower losses than stationary operations and semi-professionals and hobby beekeepers. Insights into the number of bee swarms caught revealed significant decreases in swarm availability over the past three years in Kenya. The opposite situation was observed in some regions of Ethiopia. These trends require further investigation. Overall, this comprehensive survey sheds light on the complexities and challenges beekeepers faced in Sub-Saharan Africa, pointing to the need for targeted interventions and sustained research to support the resilience and growth of the apicultural sector.
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dcterms.audienceScientists
dcterms.available2025-05-19
dcterms.bibliographicCitationNganzo, B.T., Ayalew, W., Wubie, A.J., Assefa, F., Belayhun, L., Ndungu, N.N., ... & Subramanian, S. (2025). Honey bee colony losses and causes during the active beekeeping season 2022/2023 in nine Sub- Saharan African countries. PLoS ONE, 20(5): e0322489, 1-19.
dcterms.descriptionOpen Access Journal
dcterms.extent1-19
dcterms.issued2025
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-4.0
dcterms.subjecthoney bees
dcterms.subjectbee keeping
dcterms.subjectapiculture
dcterms.subjectsub-saharan africa
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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