L e s s o n s a n d c h a l l e n g e s

Interventions and lessonsApiculture value chain development

K n o w l e d g e m a n a g e m e n t / S k i l l d e v e l o p m e n t

K n o w l e d g e m a n a g e m e n t /C a p a c i t y d e v e l o p m e n t

Ta r g e t i n g

Owners of traditional hives •

with sufficient water and forage

resources

Landless youth•

Women for modern hives which •

are easy to manage and inspect

in their backyards

Involve cooperative and private shops in the sale of beekeeping accessories and providing services (wax foundation sheets)

Involve small scale carpenters, bee keepers in construction of top bar hives

Increase supply of bee colonies by splitting techniques

Emphasize practical training including indigenous knowledge with follow up by available experts

Access knowledge through study tours, farmer field days, farmer to farmer exchange programs, and woreda knowledge centers

Additional ICT-supported information /knowledge via Ethiopian Agriculture Portal (EAP) www.eap.gov.et

I n i t i a l d i a g n o s i s Farmers and traders recognized the market potential for honey •production. However, quality-based pricing was in its early stagesInadequate knowledge and skills on commercial apiculture •production systems among value chain actors and service providersTraditional honey production and collection was women unfriendly. •Therefore, women’s role in the apiculture value chain was often limited to the preparation and selling of local drinks (tej)Past development strategies focused mainly on introduction of •frame hives and less emphasis was given to bee management skills and bee forage developmentInput and service supply system for improved apiculture (including •supplyofcolonies)wasinsufficientandwasuneconomicalbecause of limited demandWeak linkages between farmers, other value chain actors and •service providers

Knowledge sharing, training, follow up of interventions, and partner linkages contribute to •improving the skills and knowledge of value chain actors and service providers, including womenRapid market assessments are helpful in identifying potential markets. However, existing channels •and traditional honey products are still important and will continue to be demandedPromotion of types of hives should consider market demand. If crude honey is the market •demand, top bar hives are appropriate for a transition period. Frame hives are appropriate when themarketforclearhoneyissignificantImproved honey production can be operated in small areas and is an attractive endeavor for many •landless youth groups and womenColony transfer technologies and colony splitting services were successfully introduced. Most new •colonies are initially kept by the producers but lucrative colony markets are emergingThe supply of accessories for improved hives is still at an early stage. Private sector and •cooperative involvement is emerging in a few locations. Village or community level honey extraction services are also emerging. Credit availability is often a factor for such developmentsApiculture has a positive effect on crops and thus the environment. However apiculture is usually •negatively affected by the commercialization of agriculture – through land use changes and use of agro chemicals. Positive interactions can be obtained from NRM interventions, through increased supply of bee forage

Honey Producers

MoA, BoA, OoAEARS (Holeta)Private apiculture industrySpecialist farmersConsultantsNGOs (SNV)

MicrofinanceinstitutionsCooperativesNGOsPrivate apiculture industryApiculture shops

Private apiculture industryCooperativesTraders

Apiculture shopsCooperative shopsLocal carpentersColony producers-collec-tors

Credit

Input supply services

Knowledge / Skills

Va l u e c h a i n a c t o r s , s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r s a n d l i n k a g e s

Processing /Marketing

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Va l u e c h a i n i n t e r v e n t i o n sI n p u t s u p p l y i n t e r v e n t i o n s :

Frame hives or modern hives should be considered when honey extraction equipment is available and a market for pure honey has been identified.

Match apiculture development with available bee forage resources including new crops, rehabilitated grazing areas, planted multipupose bee forages.

Often hives are managed in backyards of individual farms.

Top bar hives or transitional hives, should be considered when the main market outlet is for crude honey.

P r o d u c t i o n i n t e r v e n t i o n s :

Honey from improved hives is a new product, which requites a new market, predominantly outside the District. New market channels have to be developed to link Districts with large urban centers and exporters.

Stimulate cooperatives and private sector partners to develop village level honey extracting and/or pressing services once honey volumes from frame or top bar hives are sufficiently increased

P r o c e s s i n g / M a r k e t i n g i n t e r v e n t i o n s