Abstract            Volume:10  Issue-7  Year-2022         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

The study was conducted in Darolabu and Oda Bultum from west Hararghe and Metta and Kersa districts East Hararghe zones; With the objective of assessing and identifying the impacts of commonly used pesticides on honeybee health and bee products. From each Districts three PA were selected purposively based on potentiality of beekeeping and two beekeeping technician or experts and twenty farmers from each P A were selected using purposive and random sampling design respectively. A total of 240 farmers were interviewed on sim structured questionnaires for their attitudes and knowledge’s of chemicals used in the area and the possible effects of chemicals on honeybee colonies and their products. The agro-chemicals mostly used in the study areas were 2,4D, DDT, malathioin, roundup and mancozeb. From the survey results majority of the respondent farmers use agrochemicals (92.9%) for the purpose of weeds control, produce quality of products, fruit and seed color change, insect control, fungi and disease control. From the study area 74.9% of the respondent buy the agrochemical from the local agro-chemical suppliers that donot give any advices on the way of handling and safe uses of the chemicals. Moreover, the majority of the respondents (51.6%) declared that they do not understand the instructions enclosed with the agro-chemicals and 88% of the farmers assisted by others to apply agrochemicals to their agricultural fields. Farmers use different application methods to apply agrochemicals on their crops. The study indicated that, majority of the farmers (89.2%) were use spray different application methods and they apply at different seasons. Most farmers (78%) apply the chemicals as they observe insects, herbs as well as weeds in their crops. Thus the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals has major threats to transform honey bees production. Therefore, taking urgent solution by concerned and responsible stakeholder on the impact of agrochemicals on honey bees. Generally, training farmers on negative effect of agrochemical on honey bee, select appropriate method and time of agrochemical application, using less toxic chemicals for honey bees and properly following instruction is recommended for the study area.

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