Tunisia's honey festival celebrates beekeepers in tough times

Beekeepers in Tunisia are having a tough time. The country has over 300,000 hives tended by some 13,000 beekeepers.

However, many of them have seen their honey production drop due to threats including climate change, pollution, and pesticides.

Beekeeper Majid al-Khamari, who inherited the job from his father, says the current three-year drought has made things worse.

"It has forced us to move the bees from one place to another. There are 24 governorates. One governorate has pastures, one has weather. Each governorate has its own qualities," he says.

Hichem Maatoug, also a beekeeper, says that there is not enough medicine or nutritious food for the bees.

“Bees need feeding at certain times, or they will die,” he says.

“The state has not provided us with sugar syrup and other necessities, and that makes the work difficult for the farmers. But we adapt to the situation."

But despite the difficulties, the annual honey festival in the town of Sidi Alouane is celebrating the work of beekeepers from across the region.

More than 20 exhibitors from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Libya are sharing their expertise and offering visitors many delicious honey products to taste.

Fathi al-Buhairi, president of the Arab Beekeepers Union says the festival is a celebration for both producers and “heritage makers”.

“It is an important opportunity for the marketing, introduction, and preservation of the Maghreb heritage in Tunisia. And it is crucial for the festival's development, especially since this is its 34th edition, indicating its long history."

Exhibitors see the festival as an excellent marketing opportunity, allowing them to highlight the variety of flavours and honey products they produce.

Bees, of course, also play a vital role in pollinating fruit trees, greatly benefiting farmers who host the beekeepers in their fields.

The festival in Sidi Alouane runs until 15 August.