Comparative Analysis of Honey Production Yield between Modern and Traditional Bee Hives in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Honey production in Nigeria continues to face challenges of low 
yield and inconsistent quality, largely due to the dominance of 
traditional beekeeping practices. In Igabi Local Government Area 
of Kaduna State, both modern and traditional hive technologies 
are in use; however, empirical comparisons of their performance 
remain limited. This study therefore examined differences in 
honey yield and profitability between modern and traditional bee 
hives, with the goal of identifying the more productive and 
economically viable system for enhancing apiculture in the area. A 
three-stage sampling procedure was used to select 120 
beekeepers across five purposively chosen wards. One 
community was selected from each ward, followed by random 
selection of 24 respondents per community. Primary data were 
collected using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using 
descriptive statistics and budgetary techniques. Results indicated 
that beekeeping is predominantly practiced by males (70.83%), 
with most respondents aged 30–50 years (45%) and an average 
age of 41 years. The majority were married (69.17%), had 
household sizes of 5–8 persons (57.50%), and possessed primary 
education (50%). Beekeepers relied mainly on personal savings 
(71.67%) for financing, managed an average of 10 colonies, and 
had 14 years of experience. Modern hives produced higher 
quantities and better-quality honey than traditional hives. 
Budgetary analysis showed that honey production is profitable, 
with an average net income of ₦66,363.06 per respondent per 
colony annually. Major constraints included inadequate credit, 
theft, insecurity, declining forage resources, and bush burning. 
The study recommends cooperative formation, improved access 
to credit, strengthened security, and environmental conservation 
measures to enhance honey production.