Technical efficiency of cluster beekeeping participation among smallholder honey producers in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has substantial potential for honey production due to its rich flora, diverse fauna and large bee colonies. However, honey production in the country is characterised by low efficiency. Efficient use of existing resources by farm households improves their productivity and increases their output. Therefore, this study assessed the technical efficiency of cluster beekeeping participation among smallholder honey producers in Ethiopia by comparing CB participants with non-participants. The study utilized cross-sectional data and multistage stratified sampling procedure to select a total of 385 respondents from the three districts. An endogenous switching regression model, and the stochastic frontier model were applied to address the research objective. The estimated stochastic production frontier model, together with the inefficiency parameters, revealed that the age of the household head, access to training, beekeeping experience, and the frequency of extension contact were significant sources of technical inefficiency in the study area. The results from ESR reveal that, if participants had decided not to practise cluster beekeeping, their TE would have decreased by 4.303%. Similarly, had non-participants decided to participate, their TE would have increased by 4.871%. The overall results imply that major improvements in smallholder farmers’ participation in cluster beekeeping and technical efficiency will require attention to the identified significant factors. The study recommends that policymakers and development organisations consider cluster beekeeping as a main strategy to increase smallholder farmers’ productivity.