Transição digital na apicultura angolana: roadmap do Bhive-AO

Abstract

Digital transition is a process through which companies adopt digital technologies to solve traditional challenges related to productivity, effectiveness, performance, and agility across various productive sectors. Precision beekeeping is an innovative approach that integrates beekeeping practices with advanced information and communication technologies for the continuous and detailed monitoring of individual hives. In Angola, beekeeping can be a form of economic diversification, being practiced in 15 out of 21 provinces. This work aims to study the digital transition in the Angolan beekeeping sector, developing a roadmap and apiary management software. To this end, the current state of Angolan beekeeping was assessed, identifying technological gaps that limit productivity and sector development. The study also examined how a properly implemented digital transition can revolutionize this sector, fostering improvements in efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. As practical contributions, two artifacts were developed: (i) a digital transition roadmap to guide the gradual modernization of the sector; and (ii) BHive-AO, a digital apiary monitoring system that combines sensors, GSM connectivity, and a responsive web application. The validation of BHive-AO, through technical tests and expert feedback, evidenced its importance and feasibility to support beekeeping in Angola.