Zambian Honey Producers Use PDAs to Better Sell Their Products Abroad

The PDAs will be used to collect, store and analyse key data about Zambia's honey sector. This will make it easier for honey producers to get their products certified which, in turn, will allow them to sell their honey on the international market. 

Community extension workers stationed in each of the locations visit the honey producers. They use their PDAs to collect and send information on honey production to a central database and website, making Zambian volumes accessible for potential buyers and other actors in the honey value chain. Information about regional and international market demands will be shared with the bee keepers, including information about the desired quality, quantities, timing, packaging and labeling requirements.

The honey production project is part of a larger programme of the Organic Producers and Processors Association of Zambia (OPPAZ), supported by IICD. In this project, a database is being built and extension workers are being trained to use PDAs for data collection. These training courses are not only for collecting honey producers' data, but also for other farming commodities such as: rice, cotton, vegetables, and dairy products.

The honey and PDA project is currently being presented at a Dutch festival called 'The Parade' which is being held at different locations in the Netherlands during the summer months. At this festival, visitors who visit the toilet can choose to donate money for the project. It is also possible to donate online at:http://www.akvo.org/rsr/project/278/

A photo gallery of the project can be found on IICD Flickr page.