LOCAL HONEY PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR LOCAL PEOPLE: A CASE OF MOUNTAIN FOREST AREA OF SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This article focuses on honey production taking place in mountain forest area of southwestern Ethiopia and discusses the roles and relevance that local people see in their way of honey production and the honey they harvest. The honey production in Ethiopia has recently been attracting attention of various agencies as a tool for revitalizing Ethiopian economy, reducing poverty, and conserving the forests. As expectations for the honey production rise, many researchers have worked all over Ethiopia to improve the productivity and efficiency of current production process. However, most of previous research emphasize too much on improving productivity and efficiency and disregard the roles and relevance that the local people see in the local method of honey production. This article first illustrates local honey production process in detail and points out local honey production serves a place of exchanging knowledge and technique regarding honey production and strengthens social relationships and honey producers value honey they harvested by the local method.