The African Development Bank supports Guinea and Rwanda to increase competitiveness in the honey value chain

This financing, authorized in May 2019, enables Guinea's project to support the competitiveness of the honey value chain, currently under implementation, to achieve its objectives.

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has granted a donation of 846,360 Canadian dollars to the Republic of Guinea to help it develop its competitiveness in the chain value of honey. This funding, authorized in May 2019, enables Guinea's project to support the competitiveness of the honey value chain, currently under implementation, to achieve its objectives. The Bank's financing, through the African Trade Fund (AfTra), represents 86.8% of the total project cost, with a counterpart of 122,550 Canadian dollars coming from the beneficiaries, or 13.2% of the total. The funding is intended for the Peanut, Shea and Honey Production Cooperative (COPRAKAM), which has 1,500 members in the honey sector. 

The project, carried out in three prefectures - Dabola, Kouroussa and Faranah - has several objectives: to increase the income of actors in the honey value chain in Guinea, in particular women; strengthen the capacity of actors; improve honey production and processing techniques for better access to existing regional and international markets and to new markets; preserve biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change. In addition to the restructuring of beekeeping groups, members of COPRAKAM, the project will increase the quantity and quality of honey, strengthen the operational and marketing capacity of COPRAKAM, preserve the ecosystem of melliferous areas and reduce the effects of climate change. 

The project intends, through technical support, to increase the number of actors involved in the sector to 2,450 members. The technical support of the project, in the structuring and organization of the sector and the training of beekeepers in the practice of an improved activity, will help the integration of new actors in the sector. By creating economic and commercial activities sensitive to environmental issues, the project can open up vulnerable areas. 

The various trainings under the project will provide women (50% minimum) with the tools and skills necessary to occupy positions of responsibility in the honey value chain. The project can also contribute to a better redistribution of income generated by the sector and allow it to integrate regional and continental value chains. Guinea enjoys a rich and varied honey potential, with a production of 3,171 tons in 2015. 

The honey sector is one of the most important income-generating activities in this West African country, in particularly in the prefectures of Dabola, Kouroussa and Faranah in Upper Guinea, where honey is harvested from March to May, and in August. It contributes significantly to the fight against food insecurity and the improvement of household income. A liter of honey is sold for US $ 1.77 in Guinea, resulting in a potential local income of over US $ 4 million. The potential export earnings are estimated at over $ 16.8 million.

From 2000 to 2013, honey exports across the continent jumped 613%. Growing demand for honey offers enormous business benefits for Africa, and Guinea could integrate the global value chain by improving honey production and processing through compliance with SPS (safety and health) standards. COPRAKAM, created in 2009, has 4,094 members, including 2,537 women and 225 young people, divided between five unions for 131 producer groups in three sectors (groundnuts, shea and honey). Its members are located in the prefectures of Dabola, Dinguiraye and Kouroussa. In honey production, COPRAKAM has five unions with 45 groups for 1,500 members involved in the marketing and extraction of honey and wax. The promotion of group marketing, training on new beekeeping techniques through the extension of Kenyan hives are carried out by COPRAKAM.

The African Trade Fund (AfTF) supports African least developed countries to develop their trade, regulatory and infrastructure capacities to improve their performance and trade competitiveness and take advantage of regional and international market and trade opportunities. In 2017, FdAC also granted assistance of approximately US $ 343,000 to Rwanda for the establishment of a project aimed at the honey value chain and production growth.

 

The general objective of the project, which targets 1,000 beneficiaries in the Rulindo district (80% women), is to increase the honey production capacities of the cooperatives so that they can access structured markets.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor