Improved Apiary Practices in Mozambique Improve Quality, Increase Yields and Result in Greater Profits

ACDI/VOCA worked with beekeepers in the Gorongosa District of Mozambique from 1997-2000. Despite the high cost of transportation to major towns, communities were heavily dependent upon the sale of agricultural produce, predominantly maize, resulting in low annual levels of income (approximately $28 per capita). The majority of the population in the district experienced on average two to three months of hunger each year. Bee keeping is a common traditional activity in Gorongosa, and is an important food supplement. However, until recently both the quantity and quality of honey produced was low, and the activity was not seen as significant in terms of income generation.

A group of beekeepers approached ACDI/VOCA in 1997 for volunteer technical assistance in apiculture, training in association development and help with establishing marketing contacts. Through a series of assignments carried out by volunteers Martin Hardison from Colorado and Timothy Haarmann from New Mexico, ACDI/VOCA helped the communities to transition from traditional tree bark hives to Kenyan top bar hives. This change enabled the beekeepers to manage the hives, resulting in a better quality product and an increase in production from 2 liters to 10-15 liters per hive. Workshops were held in topics such as raising new colonies and queens, efficient harvesting and hygiene, and the manufacture of protective clothing. To well-established keepers, attention was given to bee health and biology.

ACDI/VOCA staff and volunteers have also provided training in association development, allowing the group to restructure towards more transparent management, leading to a higher level of trust and a subsequent willingness to market collectively. ACDI/VOCA facilitated the development of relationships between the beekeepers and reputable intermediary buyers. Previously sold in old wine and coke bottles at the local market, today attractive pots of Gorongosa honey can be seen on the shelves of supermarkets and stores, rivaling the market share of imported brands.

As a result, yields increased by 425 percent. As the honey quality improved, the price also rose. Collective marketing allowed beekeepers to reduce transportation costs, and average profits per liter of honey sold increased by 250 percent. As production volumes continue to rise, apiculture will become a substantial source of income for the communities, and hopefully, for many in Gorongosa, hunger will become a thing of the past.