Beekeeping and crop farming integration for sustaining beekeeping cooperative societies: a case study in Amathole District,South Africa

Beekeeping has been used with success in several parts of the world to address pervasive poverty. In the last 15 years, the initiative had been used in South Africa; although no evidence of sustainable projects have been found . This study examined the challenges faced by some of the beekeeping cooperative societies (BKCSs) from Ngqushwa, Mnquma and Raymond Mhlaba in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were collected between September and December 2014 and August and November 2015 from eight BKCSs in three local municipalities, using a random sampling technique. The findings revealed poor farm planning and orientation on the part of the farmers, pilfering from and vandalising of apiaries, poor skills training, poor management techniques, and weak agricultural extension support. The study suggests an integrated beekeeping and crop farming model as a viable option.