Climate change adaptation barriers among beekeepers across agroecological zones in Gedeo, Ethiopia: evidence from problem confrontation index and multinomial regression

Climate change increasingly threatens apiculture by reducing floral resources, water availability, and colony productivity. Although beekeepers adopt various adaptation measures, barriers to effective adaptation remain poorly understood across different agro ecological settings. This study examined the determinants and severity of climate change adaptation barriers among beekeepers across three agro ecological zones in Gedeo Zone, southern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed using data from 398 beekeeper households, complemented by 15 focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The Problem Confrontation Index (PCI) was used to prioritize adaptation barriers, while the Kruskal–Wallis H test assessed differences across agro ecological zones. Multinomial logistic regression identified socioeconomic and institutional determinants of perceived adaptation barriers. The most severe adaptation barriers were lack of improved beekeeping technology (PCI = 1056), lack of credit (PCI = 1047), water scarcity (PCI = 939), lack of training (PCI = 934), and shortage of bee-forage plants (PCI = 921). Significant agro ecological differences were observed for water scarcity ( p = 0.011), pests and diseases ( p = 0.017), and lack of finance ( p = 0.025), whereas most institutional and technological barriers were common across zones. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that age, sex, education, income, climate information, and particularly beekeeping practices significantly influenced the likelihood of experiencing different adaptation barriers ( p < 0.05). Climate change adaptation barriers in apiculture arise from interacting technological, financial, institutional, and environmental constraints. Strengthening access to improved beekeeping technologies, affordable credit, climate information, extension services, and training, while implementing agro ecology-specific interventions, is essential for enhancing the climate resilience and sustainability of beekeeping livelihoods in Ethiopia.