Mekelle, Ethiopia - Millennium Cities Initiative - Columbia University

38 Mekelle, Ethiopia: Potential Opportunities for Investment
Case study: Millennium Villages Honey Project
Opportunity
• The Millennium Villages Project (MVP) is implementing a large scale honey and
beeswax production system across its 11 villages in Tigray State. The major goal
of the project is to support beekeepers by establishing cooperatives, providing
inputs and hives and facilitating distribution of raw honey to customers.
• Ten cooperatives have been established consisting of 1,500 households. Planned
investments amount to USD450 thousand. 2
• The project is aimed at developing a collection and management system for 4,000
hives capable of producing 240 tonnes of honey annually, for revenue of over
USD1.5 million 1 . 2,600 modern beehives are expected to be introduced by 2011.
320 hives have already been distributed to 200 farmers 2 . From 2005 to 2008 the
MVP provided free inputs for households producing honey. Starting from 2009
inputs have been provided on a credit basis.
• The introduction of modern hives by the MVP will lead to an increase in productivity
from the current 8 kg per hive: in the first year — to 10 kg per hive; in the second
year — to 30 kg per hive; in the fourth year — 45 kg per hive. 2
Source: 1. Columbia University – Investment Promotion in Mekelle, Ethiopia, October 2009
2,3. KPMG in Ethiopia interview programme, 2009
Number of beehives to be introduced
within the Millennium Villages Project
No. of beehives
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
320
0
2009
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2,600
2011F