Mapping Apiculture in Lebanon: A National Survey of Practices, Challenges, and Management Strategies

Yammouni, Dany; Tannouri, Abdo; Rizk, Ziad; Snini, Selma P.; Mathieu, Florence; Julien, Sofi G.; El Rayess, Youssef

doi:10.3390/su18147152

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Mapping Apiculture in Lebanon: A National Survey of Practices, Challenges, and Management Strategies

by

Dany Yammouni

^1,2,*,

Abdo Tannouri

^3,4,

Ziad Rizk

^1,3

,

Selma P. Snini

²

,

Florence Mathieu

²

,

Sofi G. Julien

⁵

and

Youssef El Rayess

^3,4,*

¹

Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI), Fanar Station, Jdeidet El-Metn, Fanar P.O. Box 90-1965, Lebanon

²

Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, 31326 Toulouse, France

³

Department of Agriculture and Food Engineering, School of Engineering, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon

⁴

Processing and Biosystems (ProBio) Multidisciplinary Research Group, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon

⁵

Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Sustainability 2026, 18(14), 7152; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18147152 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 22 April 2026 / Revised: 25 May 2026 / Accepted: 2 June 2026 / Published: 13 July 2026

(This article belongs to the Section Social Ecology and Sustainability)

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Abstract

This study provides the first nationwide assessment of the apiculture sector in Lebanon. It integrates socio-economic characteristics, technical practices, and disease and pest prevalence and management. A structured questionnaire was administered to 5775 beekeepers representing 91.1% of the registered population across all Lebanese governorates. The sector is predominantly small-scale, male-dominated, with low cooperative participation, limited product diversification and heterogeneous management practices. Honey is the main product, while other hive products remain marginal. Queen replacement practices are inconsistent, and most beekeepers reported limited awareness of pests and diseases. The most recognized threat is Varroa; however, multiple stressors such as pesticides, poor nutrition, and climate variability contribute to colony health constraints. Chi-square analyses revealed statistically significant associations between disease occurrence and geographic and socio-economic variables (χ² = 129.99–2251.78, df 12–30, p < 0.001), with small to moderate effect sizes (Cramer’s V = 0.08–0.37), reflecting the multifactorial nature of colony health determinants. Overall, Lebanese apiculture demonstrates strong ecological potential but limited technical and organizational optimization. Strengthening extension services, improving disease diagnostics, and promoting diversification are critical to enhance sector sustainability.

Keywords: apiculture; Lebanon; queen replacement; pests and diseases prevalence; nationwide survey; beekeeping management

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yammouni, D.; Tannouri, A.; Rizk, Z.; Snini, S.P.; Mathieu, F.; Julien, S.G.; El Rayess, Y. Mapping Apiculture in Lebanon: A National Survey of Practices, Challenges, and Management Strategies. Sustainability 2026, 18, 7152. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18147152

AMA Style

Yammouni D, Tannouri A, Rizk Z, Snini SP, Mathieu F, Julien SG, El Rayess Y. Mapping Apiculture in Lebanon: A National Survey of Practices, Challenges, and Management Strategies. Sustainability. 2026; 18(14):7152. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18147152

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yammouni, Dany, Abdo Tannouri, Ziad Rizk, Selma P. Snini, Florence Mathieu, Sofi G. Julien, and Youssef El Rayess. 2026. "Mapping Apiculture in Lebanon: A National Survey of Practices, Challenges, and Management Strategies" Sustainability 18, no. 14: 7152. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18147152

APA Style

Yammouni, D., Tannouri, A., Rizk, Z., Snini, S. P., Mathieu, F., Julien, S. G., & El Rayess, Y. (2026). Mapping Apiculture in Lebanon: A National Survey of Practices, Challenges, and Management Strategies. Sustainability, 18(14), 7152. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18147152

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Mapping Apiculture in Lebanon: A National Survey of Practices, Challenges, and Management Strategies

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