Stakeholders in Ghana’s apiculture (beekeeping) industry have called for the urgent completion and implementation of a comprehensive national policy to professionalize the sector, improve product quality, and position Ghanaian honey for competitive international markets.
The call was made at the close of the Ghana Forum for Beekeeping and Biodiversity Initiatives (GhaFBBI 2026), where government agencies, researchers, beekeepers, development partners, and industry players outlined key reforms needed to unlock the sector’s economic and environmental potential.
Participants identified training, research, quality assurance, environmental protection, institutional coordination, and gender inclusion as critical areas requiring immediate policy attention.
They urged government to develop a standardized national training framework covering the entire apiculture value chain, including extension services, queen bee breeding, and targeted capacity-building programmes for women and young people.
Stakeholders also advocated stronger collaboration between research institutions and industry to ensure scientific findings directly support production and innovation.
To improve competitiveness, participants called for standardized packaging, labeling, and certification of bee products to meet both local and international market requirements.
They also recommended establishing a national digital database for the apiculture sector to support evidence-based planning and policy formulation.
Environmental sustainability emerged as another major concern, with stakeholders warning that illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, continue to destroy vital bee habitats. They appealed for stronger measures to protect forest reserves, facilitate land acquisition for apiaries, and promote biodiversity conservation in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The forum further noted that the fragmented nature of beekeeping associations weakens the industry’s bargaining power. Participants proposed establishing a dedicated national market centre for beekeepers and increasing government support to harmonize regulations and integrate apiculture into Ghana’s broader agricultural and economic development agenda.
Stakeholders also emphasized the need for gender-responsive policies that remove barriers facing women and marginalized groups, ensuring inclusive participation throughout the apiculture value chain.
Dr. Courage Besah-Adanu, Project Lead of WACAAD, said the main aim of the forum was to share ideas on how to enhance the credibility of Ghanaian honey in international markets, develop standardized labeling, and establish guidelines for stakeholders to ensure compliance with quality standards.
Presenting the roadmap for the sector, Dr. Kojo Ahiakpa outlined seven priority actions to guide Ghana’s apiculture development.
These include assigning a single government institution to oversee the sector, promoting the Ghana Hive Honey Collective Mark through the West Africa Centre for Apiculture and Agroforestry Development (WACAAD), revising national honey standards, developing a centralized production database, simplifying quality testing for exports, strengthening producer cooperatives, protecting bee habitats, and mobilizing stakeholders and resources to finalize the national apiculture policy.
Dr. Ahiakpa said implementing these measures would strengthen quality assurance, improve market access, increase exports, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities, particularly for rural communities.
Delivering the closing remarks, Board Chair of WACAAD, Rev. Prof. Peter Kofi Kwapong, commended participants for their commitment throughout the two-day forum.
He described the discussions as productive and solution-oriented, expressing confidence that the recommendations would form the foundation of a stronger and more resilient apiculture industry.
He assured participants that WACAAD would continue working closely with government, development partners, and industry stakeholders to translate the forum’s recommendations into concrete actions.
The Ghana Forum for Beekeeping and Biodiversity Initiatives concluded with a renewed commitment to transforming beekeeping into a modern, sustainable, and high-value agricultural enterprise capable of contributing significantly to Ghana’s economic growth, biodiversity conservation, food security, and export diversification.
By Kingsley Adusei Amakye
