Economic Returns from Beekeeping as an Enterprise Among Farmers in Niger State

Beekeeping presents a low-input, high-value livelihood opportunity for rural farming households in forested and savanna agro-ecologies across Nigeria. In Niger State, Nigeria's largest by land area and located in the North Central geopolitical zone, beekeeping is practiced in rural communities but remains an underdeveloped enterprise with limited market integration. This study assesses the economic returns from beekeeping enterprises among farmers in Niger State using data collected from 90 beekeepers across three local government areas through structured questionnaire interviews. Enterprise budget analysis was used to calculate total costs, gross revenue, gross margin, and return on investment. Results indicate that beekeeping yielded an average gross margin of N72,000 per household per season, with honey sales accounting for 88 percent of gross revenue. Beeswax and propolis, which command premium prices in cosmetic and pharmaceutical markets, were largely discarded due to lack of processing knowledge among 80 percent of respondents. Log hive technology dominated, while only 6 percent of beekeepers used modern Langstroth hives, which produce five times more honey per colony annually. The study demonstrates that beekeeping is economically viable and scalable in Niger State's agroforestry landscapes. Recommendations include training programmes on modern hive management, market linkage support for beeswax and propolis products, and integration of beekeeping into Niger State's rural livelihood diversification strategy. Keywords: beekeeping, enterprise returns, Niger State, honey production, rural livelihood