Beekeeping in Tunisia is divided into two sectors. The “traditional”
sector, centered in Ajbah, is widespread across rural areas,
particularly in the mountains and forests. Due to outdated
techniques, limited veterinary care, and low annual productivity,
the number of hives has fluctuated between 2014 and 2023,
occasionally declining, and at other times increasing only
marginally.
The second, “modern” sector is easier to manage and involves
migratory beekeeping in wooden hives, though it requires substantial
financial investment. The number of hives in this sector has also
fluctuated between 2014 and 2023 due to a range of factors.
Beekeeping in Tunisia is mainly concentrated in the northwest,
particularly in the Bizerte Governorate’s Eucalyptus forests of
Sejnane. It also thrives in the northeast—in Nabeul, known for its
spice farms and citrus groves; in Zaghouan, among its thyme-covered
hills; and in central Tunisia, notably in Kasserine’s rosemary
forests and in El Oueslatia in the Kairouan Governorate.
Overall honey production in Tunisia has fallen by about 15 percent
in recent years, dropping from 2,500 tonnes in 2020 to around 2,135
tonnes in 2023. During this period, beekeepers have faced a range of
challenges — particularly in hive migration and product marketing.
This led many to to focus on breeding new colonies rather than
producing honey.
With deep anguish, Noura Trabelsi speaks of losing many of her bees
— a pain shared by countless other beekeepers. “Everyone is
suffering from bee loss. When a bee finds no pasture or food for her
larvae, she kills them and leaves. Last year, I lost many plants in
the thyme fields due to the heat. So many died.”
Noura Trabelsi goes on to describe the distinctive qualities of
Tunisian honey — the fruit of her tireless labor — yet she struggles
to find a market for it.
Bees are acutely sensitive to their environment. Their behaviour —
both inside and outside the hive — is shaped by climatic conditions,
which in turn influence the vital processes of plants, from
photosynthesis and nutrient absorption to growth and flowering.
As part of the Mediterranean basin — one of the regions most
vulnerable to climate change — Tunisia has experienced a series of
unusual weather patterns, including a sharp decline in rainfall.
According to the World Bank’s Climate and Development Report for
Tunisia, the effects of these shifts are already visible in the
agricultural sector, which has suffered heavy losses after years of
severe drought and sharply reduced yields between 2022 and 2023.
In a report published in January 2024, The National Agricultural
Observatory (ONAGRI) noted that rainfall deficits between September
2023 and January 2024 ranged from 19 to 58 percent. The shortfall
has taken a toll on dam reserves, which have already lost around 45
percent of their water capacity between 2019 and early 2022.
Beekeeping expert Abbas Zarli says that hives have suffered severely
from soaring temperatures, which have reached as high as 45°C. The
drought has damaged pollen quality and disrupted bee behaviour,
forcing the insects to spend more time collecting water to cool
their hives instead of gathering nectar to feed their larvae and the
colony. According to Zarli, honey production has fallen by around 20
to 30 percent.
Research presented at the Ninth Conference of the Union of Arab
Beekeepers in Damascus in 2016 found that high temperatures directly
affect bee activity. Bees work to maintain a steady hive temperature
between 35°C and 37°C, which is the optimal range for egg-laying and
larval growth. When outside temperatures exceed 38°C, they seldom
venture out to forage, leaving the hive only to collect water.
Rachad Al-Khamir, a beekeeper from Nabeul, confirms that honey
yields per hive decline under rising temperatures. He explains that
they have had to reduce the size of the wooden hives, as the climate
is unfavorable and nectar is scarce. This method aims at easing the
bees’ workload and preventing stress.
The city of Bizerte has experienced record-breaking temperatures,
reaching 48.9°C in August 2021 and 48.6°C in July 2023. This extreme
heat helps explain the steep drop in honey production in the
governorate, which fell by around 59 percent between 2018 and 2022.
Beekeeping expert Abbas Zarli considers forests to be the bees’
natural habitat, but, in his words, “there is hardly any left,”
especially over the past decade. Wildfires have ultimately
contributed to the decline in honey production.
Meanwhile, Tunisia’s forested areas have been steadily shrinking due
to recurring wildfires. In 2021 alone, the country lost
approximately 25,808 hectares of forest—the largest loss since
2002—representing a staggering 2,308 percent increase compared to
previous years.
Bizerte governorate is a key destination for beekeepers, attracted
by the abundant forage provided by the eucalyptus forests of
Sejnane. In 2022, Sejnane led the governorate in honey production,
yielding 32 tonnes. However, repeated wildfires have made it the
hardest-hit area in terms of burned forest land, with 5,920 hectares
of tree cover lost between 2001 and 2023 — the largest loss in the
governorate.
The widespread use of pesticides and agricultural chemicals has also
taken a toll on bee colonies and their honey production. These
chemicals can enter hives either through wind drift or when bees
collect contaminated nectar.Bees may be poisoned and die before
returning to the hive, or they may bring the contaminated nectar
back, storing it, and causing widespread contamination.
Rachad Al-Khamir, a beekeeper from Nabeul, describes modern—or
drip—irrigation as “a disaster and a catastrophe,” arguing that it
directly causes the death of many bees by carrying water
contaminated with pesticides and other agricultural chemicals.
He adds that bees need large amounts of water throughout the day.
With rivers and marshes drying up due to drought, they are often
forced to turn to irrigation pipes carrying water contaminated with
pesticides and other agricultural chemicals used by farmers. As a
result, the bees die almost immediately upon drinking this polluted
water.
Bizerte is not the only governorate grappling with the effects of
climate change. During the spice season, beekeepers also converge on
Nabeul, where more than 20,000 modern hives are brought in annually.
The governorate provides abundant forage, including citrus and vine
groves, spice fields, and forested areas which are all vital
resources for beekeeping.
However, rising temperatures and intermittent cold spells over the
past two decades have caused the average honey yield per modern hive
to fall to between five and six kilograms in 2023.
According to agricultural engineer Abbas Zarli, climate change has
fueled the spread of diseases, parasites, and pests, including the
Varroa mite. The annual report from Nabeul’s Regional Agricultural
Development Delegation highlighted that the lack of anti-Varroa
treatments has forced beekeepers to rely on agricultural pesticides
harmful to their hives. Furthermore, the cultivation of genetically
modified crops in some fields has weakened the immune systems of
bees foraging on their flowers.
In May 2024, Hassene Ben Salem, Senior Engineer at the Office of
Livestock and Pasture (OEP), told the media that the decline in the
genetic potential of Tunisian bee strains is one of the main factors
behind the country’s falling honey production.
The beekeeping sector plays a crucial role in ecosystems. According
to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), whereby 90 percent
of flowering plants and over 75 percent of food crops depend on
pollination. Pollination is a process carried out by bees and other
pollinators.
High-Quality Honey and Rising Prices Amid an Influx of Imported
Products
Murad Shammakhi, a member of the National Beekeepers’ Association,
told national radio that the cost of a kilogram of honey has reached
around 100 dinars, driving up retail prices for consumers.
Tunisia imports large quantities of honey from several countries,
mostly from Egypt, followed by France and Spain. In 2023, the import
bill exceeded three million dinars, a 32 percent increase over 2022.
