A project by the Zambezi Agency and the government will enable families in the buffer zone of the Magoe National Park to produce tons of honey annually and improve community livelihoods.
An economic empowerment initiative will allow 500,000 families in the buffer zone of Magoe National Park, in Mozambique’s Tete province, to produce 100 tons of honey annually while helping to deter elephants from crop fields, it was announced on Monday.
According to a source from the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), the project is the result of a partnership with the Zambezi Agency and the Mozambican government, aimed at ensuring that biodiversity conservation increasingly contributes to community development through the promotion of livelihood initiatives.
With a modest budget of around 20 million meticais (approximately €265,000), the funds will go toward acquiring 4,000 beehives, training local communities, and setting up a honey processing unit. An estimated 100 tons of honey per year will be produced in the area surrounding Magoe Park, which borders the Cahora Bassa dam reservoir — one of the largest in Africa, located in central Mozambique.
According to ANAC, the newly launched project will help mitigate human–wildlife conflict, reduce pressure on natural and fishing resources, and improve the quality of life for communities living in the buffer zone.
It notes that bees are feared by elephants, and studies show that these animals — often responsible for destroying local crop fields (machambas) in search of food — avoid areas with beehives to prevent being stung.
“Hanging beehives on fences around the fields creates a natural barrier. If an elephant touches the fence, the bees are disturbed and the animal moves away, which helps reduce crop destruction — one of the main causes of conflict between humans and elephants,” the agency explained.
Additionally, ANAC highlights that beekeeping produces honey and other products with market value:
“By providing sustainable income, it reduces direct dependence on park resources, such as hunting, firewood collection, or farming in protected areas. With sustainable economic opportunities, there is less incentive for illegal wildlife poaching.”
Located in the Magoe and Cahora Bassa districts, along the Cahora Bassa reservoir, the Magoe National Park spans approximately 3,558 square kilometers of plateau territory, known for its abundant wildlife, including elephants, buffaloes, monkeys, crocodiles, and hippos, especially along the Zambezi River.
Source: Lusa
