HIVE MONITORING PRACTICES AND COLONY PERFORMANCE IN MAKUENI COUNTY, KENYA

Beekeeping is one of the significant livelihood activities in the semi-arid areas of Kenya, contributing to household income, food security, and environmental conservation. However, productivity remains constrained for many beekeepers by low honey production, weak colonies, and colony losses. Drawing on monitoring and control theory from project management, this study assessed hive monitoring practices, namely hive inspection frequency, record keeping, and hive cleaning, and their relationship with colony performance among beekeepers in Makueni County, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, involving 120 active beekeepers selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and apiary observations. Honey yield, colony strength, and apiary survival were used as measures of colony performance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression. The results showed that more frequent hive inspections were associated with higher honey yield, stronger colonies, and higher apiary survival rates. Consistent record keeping was associated with higher honey yield, while regular hive cleaning was associated with stronger colonies and greater apiary survival. Hive inspection frequency emerged as the most significant predictor of colony performance outcomes among the monitoring practices examined. Beekeepers using Lang troth hives recorded better colony performance outcomes than those using traditional hives. The findings demonstrate that consistent hive monitoring practices can meaningfully improve honey production and colony survival in semi-arid beekeeping systems, offering preliminary evidence that project monitoring and control concepts extend to informal, household-managed livelihood activities, and underscoring the need for beekeeper training and extension support to strengthen the adoption of these practices.