IDE UK is implementing a project in Ethiopia which is working with a cooperatives of 3,415 small farmers who are producing honey and chillies.  Emilie Stephenson (her blog), the marketing and branding specialist from innocent, will be visiting the project for 2 weeks from 25^th October.

The visit is part of the innocent’s ‘scholarship programme’ and costs are totally covered by innocent.   Production of honey and chillies is steadily increasing, but Emilie will be helping with the marketing of the honey.  Emilie will also be visiting the IDE apple project in Ethiopia which the innocent foundation funded from 2006-2009.  The apple project trained farmers to produce the high value fruits for market.

Related Links:

Emilie in Ethiopia: http://innocentdrinks.typepad.com/innocent_drinks/2010/10/ethiopian-honey.html

BNP Paribas Securities Services, Europe’s leading securities services provider, is a new corporate partner for IDE UK in 2010.  They  have supported our programme in Ethiopia to increase the incomes of bee keepers and pepper farmers with a £10,000 donation. On 27th April 2010 IDE UK Chief Executive and Lewis Temple and IDE Ghana Country Director Bob Nanes met BNP Paribas staff at a fair at their offices for all their non-profit and charity partners.

>> More about the project in Ethiopia

 Finote Selam town, Jabitanan Woreda, Amhara province, Ethiopia

Yedget Chora[1] Cooperative was established in 2008 with the support of the IDE UK/SOS Sahel Ethiopioa project. The cooperative has 644 members currently.

2008–09 season results

In the 2008 season the cooperative collected 3.55 metric tons (MT) of honey from their members which resulted in 2.915 MT of processed honey which was all sold at 28 Birr / kg.

2009-10 season results

1.545 MT honey was purchased from the cooperative members in the 2009 season (still ongoing).  So far 950 kg has been processed and 350 kg sold at 36 Birr / kg.   Due to poor rains, an unusual frost and very heavy rain fall in 2009 the honey yield was not so good in 2009.

The net profit made during the 2008-09 season was 3173 Birr.

Their current target is to reach an annual figure of 20MT.

The price they are paying to farmers has increased.  They are currently paying farmers 24-26 Birr/kg for unprocessed honey and selling at 36-38 Birr.

Maru Kemes[1] beekeepers Cooperative, Dembia Woreda, Amhara Province, Ethiopia 25^th February 2010

Mulu and Tsegaw have seven children and started keeping bees in 2006 with 1 hive.  They now have 29 traditional hives and 11 box hives and joined the Mau Kemes cooperative in Dembia in late 2008.   Before they joined the co-op they sold honey to local traders for a between 15 and 18 Birr (£0.75 – £0.90).   They now sell honey to the cooperative for 22 Birr / kg (£1.10).

Last season they sold 510kg of honey to the cooperative for 22 Birr / kg (£1.10) and earned a total of £561 from honey sales, increasing their incomes by £102 since joining the cooperative.

Arma Beekeepers Cooperative,  Armachoho District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia 25^th February 2010

Adane and his mother Tadegu have been keeping bees for five years.  Adane has 3 children aged 12, 8 and 5.  They started with two hives, but since joining the cooperative they have increased the number of hives to 28 in total, with a mixture of box hives, Kenyan top bar hives and traditional hives.

Before they joined the cooperative they would get between 10 and 15 Birr per kilo of honey (£0.50 – £0.75) to traders in the market but they are now selling to the cooperative at a price of 25 Birr per kilo (£1.25).   Before joining the co-op they produced about 50-60kg a year, they are now producing 100kg.    Coming together as a cooperative has enabled Adane and Tadegu to increase their annual income by at least £80 or $120.

With the increased income Adane and Tadegu have constructed a corrugated iron roof on their house and have purchased cattle, including breeds of cattle that produce more milk – up to 5 litres a day which they use mainly for household consumption.

Dangila District, Amhara Province, Ethiopia 24^th February 2010 

Melkan has no husband and four children aged 2,5 7 and 9.   The youngest who is photographed is called Tesebo (aged 2). 

Melkan was trying to raise money for a hand dug well and was offered the opportunity to benefit from the piloting of the new technology of manual well drilling by the SOS Sahel Ethiopia and IDE project team as part of our project in Amhara province of Ethiopia.   IDE has trained a team of local farmer-entrepreneurs in a new technique for manual well drilling, known as the ‘sludge’ technique that has been used for many years in South Asia.  

Melkan has a 40m x 30m (1200m2) plot of land and previous was using buckets to irrigate her crops. 

Now she is growing pepper, onion, cabbage, coffee, potatio and planting seedlings for sale.  She spends 7 hours a day pumping water – 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours at the end of the day. 

Last season before getting the pump and well she earnt 1200 Ethiopian Birr from her land (£60) and this year with the pump and improved irrigation she expects to earn 4000 Birr (£200) – more than 3 times income increase. 

Melkan and honey bee

The local beekeepers cooperative that IDE UK has been supporting as part of the project has a scheme to provide bee hives to vulnerable families.  They have given a new hive to Melkan and in June 2010 the cooperative will transfer a colony to this hive and the honey produced will provide a further additional income for Melkan and her children.   From this one hive Melkan could be producing up to 60kg honey a year – and earning over £100 in cash. 

With her new income she plans to construct a new house with a better roof.