UNIDO Launches Practical Guides to Strengthen Honey and Beeswax Quality in Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, 06 October 2025 – UNIDO, together with the Holeta Bee Research Center, Ethiopian regional government institutions, and the Ethiopian Apiculture Development Association (EADA), has launched the first-of-its-kind Practical Guides on Honey and Beeswax Quality Management and Assurance, for Ethiopian beekeepers and honey processors. This milestone initiative, part of UNIDO’s Global Market Access Programme (GMAP), which is set to transform the country’s honey sector by strengthening quality, boosting market access, and improving rural livelihoods.
The new Guides focus on the three critical stages where quality is often lost—pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest—and provide clear, practical steps for beekeepers and processors. They complement the previously developed training manual “Honey and Beeswax Quality Management and Assurance” (December 2024) by translating technical content into actionable field-level practices. To ensure broad accessibility, the Guides have been translated into Amharic and Oromiffa, integrated into extension service training programmes, and will be distributed to more than 500 beekeepers in the Oromia Region. Free online versions will also be made available on the EADA and government institutions' websites, enabling nationwide access.
The impact is already becoming visible, with beekeepers reporting higher productivity and improved honey and beeswax quality as a result of better management practices.
- Beekeepers are enhancing their technical competence, adopting improved colony management and handling techniques.
- Processors are strengthening compliance with national and international standards, opening new pathways to higher-value markets.
- Rural communities are capturing greater value, contributing to sustainable livelihoods, economic growth, and environmental stewardship.
By embedding a culture of quality, Guides are helping to build a more competitive, resilient, and sustainable honey industry that can thrive both domestically and globally.
Ethiopia is one of the world’s top honey producers, with an estimated seven million managed bee colonies and rich agro-ecological diversity. Beekeeping plays a crucial role in food security, income generation, poverty reduction, and environmental protection. However, poor husbandry practices, limited technical skills, and low awareness of quality standards have long constrained productivity and market competitiveness.
This initiative is part of UNIDO’s Global Market Access Programme (GMAP), implemented in Ethiopia with the support of the Government of Norway, to strengthen quality infrastructure, enhance market access, and foster inclusive economic opportunities.
For further information, please contact
Cong Wu
UNIDO Industrial Development Officer
C.WU [at] unido.org (C[dot]WU[at]unido[dot]org)
