Mozambique plans to mobilize about $10 million to develop its beekeeping industry with support from the World Bank, according to Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Minister Roberto Albino.
Speaking May 20 during World Bee Day celebrations in Maputo, Albino said the funding would support both honey production and downstream processing activities.
According to local outlet Club of Mozambique, the investment program will focus on two main areas.
The first involves direct support for producing communities through subsidies aimed at helping beekeepers acquire hives, protective equipment, and technical training.
The second will target the development of the honey-processing industry through concessional financing for processing, packaging, certification, and transport activities.
Through the initiative, the government hopes to increase national honey production while improving local value addition across the sector.
Data compiled by the FAO show that Mozambique produced an average of 592 tons of honey annually between 2020 and 2024, despite having an estimated production potential of about 3,600 tons per year.
Beyond the lack of modern infrastructure, authorities also view weak data collection as one of the sector's main constraints.
“The absence of reliable statistics is one of the biggest obstacles to the sector’s growth… We do not have consolidated data on what is happening across the beekeeping value chain,” Albino said.
According to the minister, the lack of reliable information complicates trade policy planning and makes it difficult to assess the country’s real honey import needs.
In response, the government also plans to strengthen the organization and registration of actors across the value chain.
