Analysis Of Honey Value Chain And Honey Value Adding Activities For Traditional Beekeeping: The Case Of Kongwa District, Dodoma

ABSTRACT

This study aimed at analyzing the value chain for traditionally produced honey and

identifying the most profitable value-adding activity practiced by traditional

beekeepers. Specifically, the study intended (i) to analyze the value chain for

traditionally produced honey in Kongwa district, (ii) to determine the contribution of

honey to traditional beekeeper’s household income, (iii) to analyse costs and returns

from honey value-adding activities in order to identify the most profitable valueadding

activity, and (iv) to identify constraints limiting value addition to honey

produced traditionally and recommend strategies to improve the position of

traditional beekeepers in the value chain. Data were collected using a semi-structured

questionnaire administered to 120 beekeepers randomly selected from four villages

in Kongwa district. The results indicate that there is a great potential of honey

production in Dodoma region if constraints such as access to reliable markets, lack of

knowledge on value addition and poor harvesting equipments are removed.

Furthermore, beekeeping was found to contribute about 44% to the income of the

sampled households. Three major value adding activities undertaken by the

traditional beekeepers are filtering, packaging and quality-testing. Profitability

analysis indicates a significant difference in revenue accrued from unprocessed

honey and value-added honey through filtering, packaging and quality-testing.

Filtering without quality testing and packaging was found to be the most profitable

value-adding activity as it yielded higher net revenue than when accompanied by

packaging and quality testing. However, unprocessed honey is mainly demanded

locally for making local beer. Individual beekeepers cannot access urban, regional

ii

and international markets without adding value to their honey. It is recommended

that interventions to promote beekeeping should focus on encouraging formation of

marketing associations, modern beekeeping equipments use, imparting knowledge

and skills on appropriate beekeeping, post harvest technologies and local production

of cheap honey-packaging materials to encourage value addition.