In the heart of Angola’s Huambo province, a quiet revolution is taking place, one that has the potential to transform the livelihoods of women and rural communities alike. At the forefront of this change is Mavilde de Assunção Alves, a dedicated beekeeper who has devoted almost 15 years to the art of beekeeping. Each week, she sets up her humble table along the main road or at the local market in Bailundo, selling her honey to a growing clientele. Her story is emblematic of a broader initiative led by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), aimed at harnessing the power of bees to empower women and create sustainable economic opportunities in Angola’s rural landscape.
The Challenge of Beekeeping in Angola
Alves, like many of her fellow beekeepers, faces significant challenges in her pursuit of honey production. Her 45-hectare farm is not only home to her hives but also to crops like corn, beans, and potatoes. Managing the hives requires her to walk many kilometers across hilly terrain, where each hive, typically made by hollowing out tree trunks, yields around six to eight kilograms of honey. The process is labor-intensive and fraught with risks; working without protective gear, Alves often bears the brunt of bee stings, resulting in joint inflammation and pain.
Despite these challenges, Alves maintains a positive outlook. “I have many customers,” she smiles, but acknowledges the strenuous nature of her work. She uses smoke to calm the bees while collecting honey in bowls, some of which she saves for her family, and the rest is sold to help make ends meet in one of the country’s poorest provinces.
Over the years, Alves has seen her number of hives dwindle from 15 to just eight, a trend that raises concerns about sustainability and income generation. Yet, a recent training workshop organized by UNCTAD, in collaboration with the Universidade José Eduardo dos Santos, has instilled a renewed sense of hope and confidence in her approach to beekeeping.
A Green Sector for Empowerment
The UNCTAD project represents a concerted effort to empower women like Alves and tap into the untapped potential of honey production in Angola. Funded by the European Union, this initiative is part of a larger program aimed at diversifying Angola’s economy, which is heavily reliant on oil—accounting for over 90% of the country’s exports.
According to recent assessments, Angola produces only about 90 tons of honey annually, but with improved production methods and modern techniques, this figure could double to 200 tons. The diverse flora of Angola, including numerous flowering plants that provide abundant nectar, combined with its warm and humid climate, creates ideal conditions for beekeeping. However, to fully realize this potential, the country needs to modernize the equipment and techniques used by local beekeepers.
UNCTAD’s project emphasizes the importance of improving honey quality to meet international standards, enhancing access to markets, and providing infrastructure for processing and transporting honey. By focusing on these areas, the initiative aims to uplift rural communities economically while minimizing environmental impacts.
Shifting Gender Norms in Beekeeping
Historically, beekeeping in Angola has been viewed as a male-dominated profession. However, the UNCTAD project is actively working to change this perception by empowering women through training and education. “In Angola, beekeeping has traditionally been seen as an activity for men,” says Marisa Rodrigues, one of UNCTAD’s lead trainers. “Training women as beekeepers helps to uplift their skills while diversifying and renewing the industry.”
This empowerment not only benefits the individual women involved but also strengthens their communities. By gaining skills in beekeeping, women can take on leadership roles, fostering a sense of independence and confidence that transcends the boundaries of their profession. “Beekeeping can give women a sense of empowerment and independence as they take on leadership roles in their communities,” Rodrigues adds.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
The training provided by UNCTAD has significant implications for both environmental sustainability and economic stability. By learning to care for bees, women farmers are contributing to the protection of pollinators—an essential component of global food production. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, about one-third of the world’s food production depends on pollinators such as bees. Healthier bees not only produce more honey but also enhance the overall ecosystem, leading to improved food security.
For women like Júlia Nangueve, another participant in the training, the workshop has opened her eyes to how small changes can lead to significant improvements. “We learned not to sell our honey on the street,” she explains. “It’s better to sell it at the farm or in a covered area so that the honey doesn’t spoil. Also, if smoke is used during collection, there is a smell that can diminish the honey’s value.”
The workshop also helped Alves understand the timing of honey production in her region. Previously, she had only harvested honey between October and February, missing out on the secondary production season from April to June. Although the secondary season may yield less honey, it can still provide a crucial boost to her income.
Building Community Through Cooperation
One of the most significant outcomes of the training is the formation of the Katiavala Agricultural Cooperative, of which Alves and Nangueve are the president and vice-president, respectively. The cooperative comprises 45 women and six men, some of whom are also beekeepers. However, the duo is determined to bring more people into the fold following their training. As trained trainers, they are committed to transmitting their newfound knowledge and skills to other community members, fostering a collaborative environment where everyone can benefit.
“My dream is to spread the knowledge and increase honey production,” Alves says passionately, her vision reflecting the spirit of cooperation and community building that the project seeks to promote.
A Roadmap for the Future
The UNCTAD initiative will work alongside national stakeholders to develop a guide of best practices based on the experiences of project participants. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive resource for beekeepers throughout Angola, helping them adopt sustainable practices and improve honey quality.
As Alves and her colleagues embark on this journey, they are not merely producing honey; they are cultivating a legacy of empowerment, sustainability, and economic resilience in their communities. Through beekeeping, these women are redefining their roles, challenging traditional gender norms, and laying the groundwork for a brighter, more sustainable future in Angola. Their stories serve as a testament to the power of education and community support in driving meaningful change, illustrating how a small hive of bees can lead to a flourishing economy and empowered women.
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