TİKA’s Support for Qualified Beekeeping for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities in Tunisia

A project aimed at promoting qualified beekeeping was launched in Tunisia to provide a sustainable source of income for women, persons with disabilities, and unemployed youth.

Within the scope of the project, 20 members of a local cooperative—composed predominantly of women—received donations of modern beekeeping equipment, including beehives, production and extraction tools, and packaging materials. In addition, both theoretical and practical training sessions on honey production were provided to strengthen the members’ technical capacity.

In Tunisia, the lack of knowledge regarding the nutritional value and authenticity of locally produced honey limits its market potential and increases demand for imported alternatives. In response to this, the cooperative has been implementing a model project in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries of Tunisia and the National Institute for Research and Physico-Chemical Analysis (INRAP), aiming to analyze and certify the nutritional content and authenticity of the honey produced. This analysis and certification process not only enhances consumer confidence in local honey but also sets an example for other local producers.

Through the establishment of a packaging and sales unit within the cooperative, the project aims to bring certified and nutritionally analyzed honey to market with greater added value. In addition to strengthening the economic participation of women, youth, and persons with special needs, the project is also expected to contribute to the wider adoption of qualified and professional honey production in the country.

TİKA continues to support the active participation of vulnerable groups in economic life through projects that prioritize local development and promote sustainable production.