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Business Reporter
ZIMTRADE, in partnership with stakeholders that include the French Development Agency (AFD), has launched a €1,5 million (US$1,6 million) bee-keeping project, ZimBEE, to enhance honey production and competitiveness of Zimbabwe’s apiculture industry.
The project follows direct engagements by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade during a diplomatic visit to France in 2023.
Zimbabwe’s national trade promotion and development body intends to strengthen the country’s honey value chain, fostering economic resilience, particularly among rural populations, and enhancing the sector’s capacity for higher-value exports.
Critically, the programme seeks to attain the whitelisting status for Zimbabwe Honey Export to the European Union market.
The 30-month initiative will be implemented by French research organisation CIRAD, Expertise France (a subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the University of Zimbabwe.
The programme will also incorporate Government authorities, private sector players, research institutions and honey producers. It is targeted at three apicultural clusters, comprising 455 beekeepers in areas that include Matabeleland North, Manicaland and Mashonaland West provinces, which have shown great potential in honey production.
The initiative seeks to structure and professionalise the local honey sector, create sustainable economic opportunities, promote gender inclusivity, and facilitate the production of high-quality honey for both local and export markets.
At the end of the project, the ZimBEE initiative aims to increase productivity and market access for 455 beekeepers and achieve improved honey quality through research, analysis and training, as well as enhance women’s participation in the honey value chain.
Addressing delegates at the launch event this week, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Albert Chimbindi said the strategic plan aligned with the National Development Strategy’s aims to achieve increased earnings from trade in goods and services.
“This project marks the beginning of a journey that will strengthen the competitiveness of Zimbabwe’s honey sector and unlock its export potential. This initiative is not just about enhancing production it is also about positioning Zimbabwe as one of the key players in the global honey market.
“By providing the necessary support and resources, we aim to enhance the quality and quantity of honey produced, ensuring that our honey and related products meet international standards and can compete globally,” said Ambassador Chimbindi.
France’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Paul Barets said the initiative served as a testament to the enduring partnership between the two nations, building on the rich history of collaborative efforts in the agricultural sector.
“This new ZimBEE project is building upon this history of cooperation between both our countries in the agricultural sector,” said Ambassador Barets.
ZimTrade chief executive officer Allan Majuru said the project aims to enrich the country’s portfolio of heritage-based products, and incorporating honey and its various derivatives would help expand and diversify local offerings.
“As a country, our exports of honey have been minimal as they have been hampered by low productivity, non-commercialization, as well as systemic impediments that reduced access into key markets such as the European Union. This is regardless of the potential that our rural communities and small-scale farmers possess.
“Through this project, we are looking forward to adding honey and its derivatives to a basket of heritage-based products,” said Mr Majuru.
ZimTrade is working on a comprehensive commercialisation strategy for value-added indigenous product exports, including marula, mangongo and baobab.
AFD regional director Mrs Audrey Rojkoff said the project extended beyond a traditional trade initiative, as it entailed a holistic approach that prioritised cultivating competitive and sustainable value chains and fortifying productive ecosystems to drive meaningful economic growth and development.
“The ZimBEE project is more than just a trade initiative but a programme that focuses on two main objectives, developing competitive and sustainable value chains and strengthening productive ecosystems that are both inclusive and respectful of our planet.
“With 445 beekeepers benefiting through capacity building; from high-quality equipment, and access to better markets, it is a project designed to improve livelihoods, empower women, and contribute to biodiversity conservation,” said Mrs Rojkoff.
Expertise France deputy manager, economic division, Mrs Helene Buriev said she was convinced that the initiative would serve as a benchmark model, capable of being replicated across various economic value chains in Zimbabwe, contributing to the country’s economic expansion while also enhancing its integration into global markets.
“We strongly believe that this initiative can serve as a model and be replicated in other economic value chains across Zimbabwe, further contributing to the country’s economic growth and integration into international markets.
“This marks an important milestone, not only for our organisation, but also for the broader cooperation between France and Zimbabwe,” said Mrs Buriev.
Global trade in honey is expected to grow by 5,3 percent annually and beyond US$10 billion by 2030.
The growth is expected to be driven by several factors, including increased consumer awareness of honey’s health benefits, rising demand for natural sweeteners, and expanding applications across various industries, such as food and beverages, personal care, and pharmaceuticals.
Zimbabwe’s honey production faces challenges such as low productivity, limited market access, lack of quality control and weak institutional support.
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