Golden nectar: Uncovering Ghana’s blossoming honey industry
Ghana has a long history of beekeeping, dating back to the 16th century. The country is home to a wide variety of bees, including stingless bees, honey bees, and carpenter bees. Honey is a valuable product in Ghana, and it is used for both food and medicinal purposes.
The honey industry in Ghana has been gaining attention in recent years due to its potential to contribute significantly to food security, employment, and income generation (https://lnkd.in/dUqw5gKg; https://lnkd.in/dH_Qzw2s; https://lnkd.in/dhT62M_U).
Honey production has been increasing, but it is still far below its potential, with an estimated 500,000 tonnes of honey per annum worth about $1.5 billion (https://lnkd.in/dhT62M_U). The beekeeping and honey industry in Ghana is predominantly smallholder and is mostly found in the Northern, Brong Ahafo, and Ashanti regions (https://lnkd.in/dH_Qzw2s; https://lnkd.in/dYAuzHMU; https://lnkd.in/dv94Aw8F).
These regions have a favourable environment for beekeeping due to the presence of forests, savannahs, and vegetation, which provide ample forage for bees (https://www.theafricareport.com/184850/ghana-can-bees-be-key-to-sweetening-the-economy/; https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/ghana-entrepreneur-capitalises-on-opportunity-in-honey-and-beekeeping-industry/118267/). Tilaa, a beekeeping and cashew nut business, is headquartered in Tamale and operates in the Mion District, one of the regions with a strong beekeeping industry (https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/ghana-entrepreneur-capitalises-on-opportunity-in-honey-and-beekeeping-industry/118267/).
Current Production and Trade Volume of Honey in Ghana
The honey industry in Ghana is largely untapped, and lack of investment has hindered the industry’s potential (https://www.beeculture.com/catch-buzz-ghana-wants-piece-global-honey-export-business-intends-fund-growth/). The industry’s value globally was estimated at US$2.2 billion in 2016, with an increasing demand for honey as a healthier replacement for sugar (https://www.beeculture.com/catch-buzz-ghana-wants-piece-global-honey-export-business-intends-fund-growth/;https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-increasing-demand-for-honey-time-to-attend-to-beekeeping-industry.html).
However, the beekeepers in Ghana have failed to fully exploit this huge potential, accounting for less than 1% of the global honey market share (https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-increasing-demand-for-honey-time-to-attend-to-beekeeping-industry.html). In 2021, Ghana produced an estimated 1,500 metric tonnes of honey.
The majority of this honey is consumed domestically, but a small amount is exported. The main export markets for Ghanaian honey are the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. The global honey market size was estimated at $ 8.58 billion in 2021 and was expected to reach $9.01 billion in 2022. The top exporters of honey globally are New Zealand, China, Argentina, Brazil, and Germany.
The top importers of honey are the United States, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France. The demand for honey is growing due to its many health benefits. Honey is a natural antibiotic; it can help improve digestion and boost the immune system.
With increasing concerns about the health risks associated with high sugar intake, including heart conditions, obesity, and diabetes, honey offers a healthier alternative, potentially reducing the number of patient-doctor visits related to sugar-related conditions.
According to the Ghana Beekeepers Association (GBA), the cost of one beehive, training, and other necessary inputs was estimated at GH¢750 in 2020. Each hive can produce 21 litres of honey per harvest, with three harvests per year, for a total of 63 litres per annum. This means each beekeeper could produce 3,150 litres or 4,504.5 kg per year. A beehive can last for a minimum of 10 years, which is the average lifespan of a beehive. At the farm gate, a litre of honey was selling for GH¢14 across the country in 2020.
Contribution of Honey Subsector to Food Security, jobs, and Income Generation
The honey subsector plays an important role in food security, employment, and income generation in Ghana. Honey is a valuable source of food and source of income generation for rural households. Beekeeping is a relatively low-cost and labour-intensive activity, and it can be a good source of income for farmers, especially women and youth. The honey industry in Ghana has the potential to provide jobs for thousands of people and improve the income of smallholder farmers (https://www.theafricareport.com/184850/ghana-can-bees-be-key-to-sweetening-the-economy/; https://www.beeculture.com/catch-buzz-ghana-wants-piece-global-honey-export-business-intends-fund-growth/; https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/ghana-entrepreneur-capitalises-on-opportunity-in-honey-and-beekeeping-industry/118267/).
It can contribute to food security by diversifying income sources for rural households and providing nutritious honey as a food product (https://www.theafricareport.com/184850/ghana-can-bees-be-key-to-sweetening-the-economy/; https://www.beeculture.com/catch-buzz-ghana-wants-piece-global-honey-export-business-intends-fund-growth/). Additionally, the honey industry can also play a vital role in supporting the overall agricultural sector in Ghana, as bees contribute to pollination, enhancing crop yields and overall ecosystem health.
Regional Production and Trading Volumes of Honey
The Ashanti Region is the leading producer of honey in Ghana, followed by the Brong Ahafo Region and the Eastern Region. The Ashanti Region produces an estimated 500 metric tonnes of honey per year, while the Brong Ahafo Region produces an estimated 300 metric tonnes per year and the Eastern Region produces an estimated 200 metric tonnes per year. The following table shows the regional production and trading volumes of honey in Ghana in 2020:
Region Production (metric tonnes) Export (metric tonnes)
Ashanti 450 100
Brong Ahafo 200 50
Central 150 25
Eastern 100 25
Greater Accra 50 10
Volta 50 10
Western 50 10
Incentives to Boost Beekeeping and Honey Production
To boost beekeeping and honey production in Ghana, various support systems and initiatives have been implemented. Organisations such as Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ Ghana), Quality Services International GmbH (QSI), and Agrifood Value Chains for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Market Development (AGRIVIMS) have collaborated on projects to improve the quality and marketability of Ghanaian honey (https://agrictoday.com.gh/2022/02/18/make-ghanas-honey-fit-for-local-and-export-project-launched/).
These initiatives aim to make Ghana’s honey fit for local consumption and export by implementing quality standards, providing training, and establishing market linkages for beekeepers (https://agrictoday.com.gh/2022/02/18/make-ghanas-honey-fit-for-local-and-export-project-launched/). This is also intended to prepare and position the honey value chain in Ghana to explore intra-Africa trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA).
Impact of Illegal Mining and Climate Change on Beekeeping and Honey Production in Ghana
Nevertheless, the honey industry in Ghana faces challenges such as illegal mining and climate change, which have a negative impact on beekeeping and honey production. Illegal mining, also known as galamsey, destroys natural habitats of bees and other pollinators, reduces floral resources, and contaminates water bodies, which can have adverse effects on bees and their foraging patterns (https://www.beeculture.com/catch-buzz-ghana-wants-piece-global-honey-export-business-intends-fund-growth/). Climate change, including unpredictable rainfall patterns and extreme weather events, also affect flowering and nectar availability, ultimately impacting honey production in the country (https://www.beeculture.com/catch-buzz-ghana-wants-piece-global-honey-export-business-intends-fund-growth/).
World Bee Day and Ghana Honey Festival, 2023
Globally, the year 2023, marks the sixth year, in which the UN Bee Day is being celebrated. The 20th of May every year, is a special day on the global calendar to reminisce the essential role pollinators especially bees, play in sustaining biodiversity and food security. Bees and other pollinators are known to make important contributions to agriculture and our food system.
Pollinators affect 35% of global agricultural land, supporting the production of 87% of the major economic crops globally. Also, pollination-dependent crops are five times more valuable than those that do not need pollination. Bees and other pollinators around the world have been reported to be endangered evident in population declines in the abundance and diversity of bees over the last decades as a direct consequence of human activities.
In order to take action on these concerns around the world, the World Bee Day is commemorated to create the platform to educate people about the importance of bees and how they can help preserve them for global food security on the 20th of May each year by the UN and other relevant stakeholders.
In the year, 2020, a young Ghanaian Research Scientist, Dr. Courage Komla Besah-Adanu, initiated the UN Bee Day Celebrations in Ghana, while working as an Entomologist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (CSIR-FORIG).
The maiden world bee day and honey festival celebration in Ghana was sponsored largely by the DANIDA Fellowship Centre, Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG), Agri-Food Value Innovations and Marketing Society (AGRIVIMS), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-FORIG), DANIDA Alumni Association, Ghana (DAN-G), Quality Services International (QSI), International Stingless Bee Centre (ISBC), University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana Beekeepers Association (GBA), National Beekeepers Association (NATBA), Volta Regional Association of Beekeepers (VORAB) and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
On Friday, the 19th of May, 2023, Ghana will join other countries in the world made possible by the generous sponsorship of GIZ Ghana and MoFA, to once again, celebrate bees and other pollinators, by spotlighting their critical role in sustaining food security and human existence.
This year’s celebration of World Bee Day and Honey Festival will happen at the CSIR-Food Research Institute, near the Ghana Standards Authority, Shiashie in Accra. The theme for this year is “Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production”. The event will bring together experts and key stakeholders from selected regions in Ghana to delve into several aspects of beekeeping, pollinator and agriculture ecosystem interactions parts activities to commemorate the day. Ghana’s most celebrated Entomologist and Pollination Ecologist, Rev. Professor Peter Kwapong, from the University of Cape Coast (Founder and Director of the International Stingless Bee Centre) will keynote the event.
This year’s event will among other things, have an exhibition session. There will also be an “honey tasting session for quality or bad honey”. This is where, men become children, becareful! Even the most experienced beekeeper may miss out in identifying which is quality honey or a bad one!
The General public is hereby invited to this year’s event and exhibition. Come and educate yourself about all you need to know about Beekeeping, Honey, Honey Production, Pollination and all related issues.
In conclusion, while Ghana’s honey industry has significant untapped potential, as it still faces varied challenges. The current production and trade volume of honey in Ghana are below its estimated potential. The honey subsector has the potential to contribute to food security, employment, and income generation, particularly in regions such as Northern, Brong Ahafo, and Ashanti. Efforts are being made by organisations, stakeholders and initiatives to support and boost beekeeping and honey production in Ghana. However, challenges such as illegal mining and climate change need to be addressed to ensure the sustainable growth of the honey industry in the country.
We hope this blog post has been informative. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
By
Kojo Ahiakpa, Research Desk Consulting Limited and WACAAD
Courage Komla Besa-Adanu, West African Centre for Agribusiness and Apiculture Development
Source: Ghana Business
