SWEET RETURN

How a UNHCR–UNDP partnership in Eastern Afghanistan is turning beekeeping kits into stable incomes, local jobs, and a functioning honey value chain

February 4, 2026

Returning is never a single action.

For many families, coming back to Afghanistan after many years as refugees abroad is a long process of rebuilding: finding shelter, re-entering communities, and, most critically, securing a regular income to ensure survival.

The scale of returns to Afghanistan has intensified that pressure. UNDP has warned that the large influx of returnees — 2.8 million in 2025 alone — is straining recovery efforts and basic services in areas of return, with negative consequences for both returnees and the communities that host them.

In the east of the country, one joint initiative is showing what “durable solutions” can look like when humanitarian reach and development market systems connect.

The informal name of the initiative is “Sweet Return” — an apt title, as it combines the production of high-quality honey with the promotion of long-term resilience for returnees.

Last year, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, supported 150 returnees and vulnerable households with beekeeping livelihood packages. In Afghanistan, beekeeping is widely selected as a livelihood option because it can generate income with relatively modest land and input requirements, and it can quickly link to local markets when value addition exists.

However, keeping bees to produce honey is only part of the equation. The real test lies in selling the honey, particularly during peak harvest periods when informal markets can be flooded with produce, causing prices to drop.

What farmers — both honey producers and others — often lack is the expertise and equipment to properly store their products so they can maintain quality beyond the harvest season and fetch better prices when supply is lower, especially during the winter months. In addition, improved packaging and labeling enable products to access broader markets, including international ones, where customers have specific expectations regarding presentation and standards.

That is where UNDP stepped in.

UNDP built on UNHCR’s work by supporting two honey processing centres in high-return areas of Surkhrod (Nangarhar province) and Mehtarlam (Laghman province).

The centres provide quality processing, packaging, labeling, storage, and reliable routes to market — enabling small producers to access more sophisticated markets beyond roadside stalls.

Both centres now function as processing and sales hubs. They purchase honey directly from beekeepers, including UNHCR-supported producers, offering more predictable demand and clearer pricing. In practice, this shifts beekeeping from a seasonal side activity into a more sustainable household livelihood.

Surkhrod Processing Center

This centre operates a full processing cycle for honey products, including hygienic extraction, filtration, food-grade packaging, labeling, and storage. It sells honey through its retail shop, local markets, and trader networks that reach multiple provinces.

The business employs 10 workers and supports 30 additional incomes indirectly, sourcing honey from an estimated 30–40 beekeepers. Following UNDP grant support for equipment upgrades and packaging materials, the centre reports significantly expanded processing capacity and more consistent market access.

“With the UNDP grant, we upgraded our filtration and packaging systems,” says Allah Nazar Nazari, the owner of the plant. “This increased our capacity and allowed us to purchase more honey from local beekeepers, creating jobs and providing suppliers with a stable market.”

Mehtarlam Processing Center (Abdul Matin)

This centre operates the same end-to-end processing workflow and purchases honey from around 30 beekeepers. It reports 8 direct jobs and annual processing volumes in the 2,500–3,000 kg range, with product differentiation by variety and price point.

Beyond purchasing honey, the centre also provides processing services for producers who prefer to retail independently—offering an additional pathway for smallholders to upgrade quality without losing ownership of their product.

Abdul Matin, the owner, says, “When honey is filtered and packaged well, it sells for more—and that benefit flows back to producers. Our commitment is that UNHCR-supported beekeepers can link to our centre and access fair services and prices.”

All of this is excellent news for honey farmers who are hoping to secure the best price for their product.

One of those farmers is Noor. He returned to Afghanistan in 2023 and now lives in Surkhrod. Before receiving support, Noor relied on irregular farm work on land owned by others, with unstable income for a household of ten.

In late December 2024, he received a complete beekeeping package from UNHCR (hives, basic processing and filtering tools, sugar, protective equipment, and essential supplies). He expanded from 10 hives to 80, producing around 300 kg per season and earning roughly AFN 90,000 per season. Crucially, access to a processor-buyer reduced the risk of being forced to sell at low prices during peak supply periods.

“After returning, I struggled with unstable work,” says Noor. “Beekeeping changed that—I can support my family and plan ahead. Knowing there is a buyer during the season gives us confidence to grow.”

Another honey farmer is Ghulam, also from Surkhrod. For Ghulam, the “before” meant daily wage labor—often unavailable, always unpredictable, and rarely sufficient to consistently meet household needs. With the beekeeping package and the ability to sell locally, honey became a steadier source of income than casual labor, reducing the household’s exposure to lean periods.

“Before, many days I could not find work,” he says. “With beekeeping, I have a livelihood that depends on effort and planning, not luck.”

The Sweet Return initiative is part of a broader suite of projects in which UN agencies work together, leveraging their comparative advantages. For UNHCR, this draws on its long-standing experience in supporting refugees and returnees. For UNDP, it reflects its capacity to strengthen sustainable livelihoods by linking producers to markets and providing the resources needed to grow and succeed.

And for farmers like Noor and Ghulam, who are now reaping the benefits, it is indeed sweet success.