Food System

Honey, biodiversity and economy in low- and middle-income countries

July 4, 2024

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Honey production is closely linked to the health of pollinating insects – and thus, ecosystems and their biodiversity – and significantly impacts agriculture and the economy, even in low and middle-income countries (LMIC, Low and Middle-Income Countries) – a brief scientific review to follow.

1) Bees, honey and agriculture

Raw honey is divided into two categories:

Farmed honey is collected in boxes designed to house the hives, including mobile ones, which the beekeepers look after directly.
Wild honey is instead collected from hives that bees form spontaneously in nature.

The growth index of bee populations in the last six decades has been approximately 2/3 lower than that of the human population. It is necessary to reverse this trend and to support the numerous crops that depend on pollinators and, thus, food security. (1)

The value of global bee pollination services is estimated at $215 billion per year. Beekeeping is the primary source of income for millions of people while strengthening the resilience of farmers’ livelihoods and supplementing their incomes. (2)

Figure 1: Share of natural honey production by region, average 2012 – 2022 (5)

2) Family beekeeping and ‘women empowerment’

In many countries, beekeeping has a family dimension within and around the farming community and in forestry contexts. It can empower women and youth, as it requires minimal resources, and manpower is relatively limited.

Women can conduct this activity, which is flexible and does not require external support—unlike caring for livestock and crops—and participate in economic activities. Therefore, it is compatible with other commitments.

The products can be sold to neighbours or local markets without travelling long distances. This activity can, therefore, offer a reliable source of income, even in times of economic difficulty. (6)

3) Honey production in low- and middle-income countries

In 2024, the World Bank defined 82 Countries – predominantly located in Asia, Africa, and South America – as low and middle-income economies (LMICs). (7) According to FAOSTAT, only 42 of them produce natural honey (figure 3, note 5). Three of these – India, Iran, and Ukraine—also appear in the top ten global honey producers (figure 3).

Figure 2: Natural honey production: top 10 producers, average 2012 – 2022 (5)

Figure 3: Amount of natural honey production in low- and middle-income countries, average 2012 -2022 (5)

3.1) Africa

Beekeeping is increasingly recognized as a tool for sustainable growth of the African rural economy. (8) In northwestern Ethiopia, for example, beekeeping allows you to increase family income by about 50%. (2) Nonetheless, Ethiopia, one of the leading producers of natural honey in East Africa, suffered a drastic decline in production, from 45,9 to 17,5 thousand tonnes/year (kt/y) between 2012 and 2022. (5)

Honey production has gradually increased in Kenya, Rwanda, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal, with an important development in Tunisia.

Figure 4: Amount of natural honey production/yield in Africa + (total) 2012-2022 (5)

Africa still has enormous forested areas, yet only accounts for 9.9% of global honey production. There is, therefore, great untapped potential due to frequent and widespread conflicts and the lack of beekeeping know-how, tools, and equipment. Cooperation is, therefore, indispensable and is, in fact, one of the objectives of the non-profit organization GHO, Global Honey Organization, founded in Switzerland at the beginning of 2024.

3.2) Asia

India is the second largest honey producer in low- and middle-income countries. The variety of agro-climatic conditions offers great potential for developing the sector, which already has almost 13 thousand beekeepers and 1,93 million bee colonies at the National Bee Board. Annual honey production is estimated at approximately 133,2 kt/y (2021-2022), with exports exceeding 55% (approximately 74,4 kt/y in 2020-2021, for a value of US$ 164,835 million).

Technological advancement has allowed for increased honey production and control, maintained quality standards for national and international markets, and promoted the production of other hive products, such as bee pollen, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis, and bee venom. This has made it possible to increase both beekeepers’ incomes and the demand for honey and hive products (9,10).

3.3) Central-South America

In Central and South America, natural honey production has increased slightly in the last decade, from 2012 to 2024. (5) The emerging economies of Mexico and Brazil (no longer LMICs) record more robust growth. High-quality bee honey from Mexico is highly appreciated in several EU countries and the USA, among other things, for its nutritional and health qualities, as well as its flavour, colour, and aroma.

Mexico reached fourth place globally (5,7%) in honey exports. At the same time, it is a large consumer since approximately half of the production is sold on the national market. (11) Guyana, among the low—and middle-income countries of Central and South America, has recorded the most significant increase, but its honey production remains marginal compared to other nations.

4) Future prospects for sustainable honey production in the LMICs

Experts’ knowledge is a critical factor in beekeeping management. Researchers and technologists, beekeepers and wild beekeepers, farmers, policymakers, and other stakeholders should promote synergies to promote the sustainable development of honey production in low—and middle-income countries.

A collaborative approach can help operators deal with meteorological factors (i.e. rainfall and relative humidity) and bee diseases, develop networks and markets, and organize packaging and logistics. With shared objectives that combine the production of honey with the creation of sources of income in rural communities and the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity. (12) Below are some areas of intervention.

4.1) Intelligent beekeeping management services

Use of advanced information and communication technologies to meet the needs of producer and end-user communities in low- and middle-income countries. Advanced ICT and remote sensing technologies can guarantee the continuity and resilience of production and promote the fulfilment of mandatory regulations and standards that are increasingly rigorous in international markets. (13)

4.2) Free trade agreements

Honey and bee products are receiving increasing consideration in international free trade agreements. (14) The widespread social need to offer income opportunities to beekeepers in production countries, particularly LMICs, thus meets the growing global demand for a natural product such as honey.

Recent regulations such as the Honey Directive (EU) 2024/1438, on the other hand, introduce obstacles to the international trade of honey and discriminate against honey produced in some countries (non-EU) compared to others (EU). In addition, it hypothesizes the introduction of requirements that are not compatible with some production traditions or international customs codes. (15)

It is necessary to guarantee the harmonization of the rules and their consistency with the free trade principles defined in the WTO, and this is one of the objectives of the GHO (Global Honey Organization).

4.3) Disease management

The best beekeeping practices include correct management of the apiary to prevent and manage bee diseases, as well as providing safe and high-quality products. (16)

Many high-income countries are carrying out national protection strategies and agri-environmental programs (AES) for the conservation of honey bees.

These programs should be adapted and made available to interested departments and beekeepers also in low- and middle-income countries, according to the ‘One Health Approach‘. (17)

4.4) Awareness campaigns

The populations should be encouraged to engage in beekeeping, including urban beekeeping, as a driver of social innovation, sharing and solidarity, and care for the environment and biodiversity.

Training institutes should encourage knowledge of modern equipment and technology, by-product harvesting, pest and predator control and disease management while assisting beekeepers in remote areas. (18)

Microcredits should be made available to communities, especially in low—and middle-income countries, to stimulate the start-up of new businesses and the growth of existing ones.

Dario Dongo and Srikanth Vuppala

Footnotes

(1) Phiri, B.J.; Fèvre, D.; Hidano, A. Uptrend in Global Managed Honey Bee Colonies and Production Based on a Six-Decade Viewpoint, 1961-2017. Sci. Rep. 2022, 12, 1-10, doi:1038/s41598-022-25290-3

(2) Abro, Z.; Kassie, M.; Tiku, H.A.; Taye, B.; Ayele, Z.A.; Ayalew, W. The impact of beekeeping on household income: Evidence from northwestern Ethiopia. Heliyon 2022, 8, e09492, doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09492

(3) Landaverde, R.; Rodriguez, M.T.; Parrella, JA Honey production and climate change: Beekeepers’ perceptions, corporate adaptation strategies and information needs. Insects 2023, 14

(4) Charles, J. S. Bonbon. Honey Is Creating a Buzz in Haiti. https://www.fao.org/newsroom/story/Bonbon-honey-is-creating-a-buzz-in-Haiti/en

(5) FAOSTAT, Crops and livestock products.
https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL/visualize

(6) Martin Hilmi, NB and DMR Beekeeping and sustainable livelihoods. FAO Diversif. Bookl. number 1 2011

(7) International Continence Society. Low- and middle-income economies. https://www.ics.org/join/developingworld

(8) APHA. Champion of best beekeeping practices in Ghana
https://aphascience.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/20/championing-best-beekeeping-practices-throughout-ghana/

(9) Horo, A.; Singh, J.M. An Economic Analysis of Stationary Beekeeping in the Northern States of India. Indian J. Entomol. 2023, 1-5, doi:10.55446/ije.2023.1136

(10) India. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. World Bee Day. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1925911

(11) Chan Chi, JR; Caamal Cauich, I.; Pat Fernandez, VG; Martínez Luis, D.; Pérez Fernández, A. Social and Economic Characterization of Bee Honey Production in the North of the State of Campeche, Mexico. Textual 2018, 103-124, doi:10.5154/r.textual.2017.72.007

(12) Fotso Kamga, GA; Bouroubi, Y.; Germain, M.; Mbom, A.M.; Chagnon, M. Expert Knowledge-Based Modeling Approach for Mapping Beekeeping Suitability Area. Ecol. Inform. 2024, 80, doi:10.1016/j.ecoinf.2024.102530

(13) Wakjira, K.; Negera, T.; Zacepins, A.; Kviesis, A.; Komasilovs, V.; Fiedler, S.; Kirchner, S.; Hensel, O.; Purnomo, D.; Nawawi, M.; et al. Smart Apiculture Management Services for Developing Countries-the Case of SAMS Project in Ethiopia and Indonesia. PeerJ Computing. Sci. 2021, 7, 1-25, doi:10.7717/PEERJ-CS.484

(14) See, for example, paragraph 2, second paragraph, in the previous article by Dario Dongo. Green light for EU agreements with Chile and Kenya. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade).

(15) Dario Dongo. Breakfast directives, the European Parliament raises the barriers against non-EU honey. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 12.12.23

(16) FAO Main bee diseases: Good beekeeping practices; 2018; ISBN 9789251305447

(17) Christmann, S.; Aw-Hassan, A.; Güler, Y.; Sarisu, H.C.; Bernard, M.; Smaili, M.C.; Tsivelikas, A. Two enablers for pollinator protection by farmers in low- and middle-income countries. Int. J. Agric. Sustain. 2022, 20, 54-67, doi:10.1080/14735903.2021.1916254

(18) Abrol, D. P. Beekeeping for India’s sustainable economic development: Challenges and opportunities. J. Indian Inst. Sci. 2023, 103, 997-1017, doi:10.1007/s41745-023-00374-9