Beekeeping with Indigenous People in the Amazon

Looking back on 2019, the Maijuna beekeepers we train and support have made incredible strides and have much to celebrate.

A year ago, there were 50 stingless beehives in the community of Sucusari and 17 hives in the two Maijuna communities along the Yanayacu River where we had recently expanded our work. There are now 105 in Sucusari and 180 hives among the yearling beekeepers along the Yanayacu River!

This impressive growth demonstrates the dedication and buy-in of the Maijuna beekeepers and their growing mastery of management techniques. Perhaps an even clearer indicator that beekeeping will be a sustainable source of income in the long run is the beekeepers’ demonstration of how much they’ve learned. Beyond the number of hives, we have seen progress in their husbandry practices and outcomes; the true demonstration that they are putting our training into practice. During our November home visits with beekeepers along the Yanayacu River, for example, we saw thriving hives successfully divided by beekeepers who just six months earlier were struggling to keep their first stingless bees healthy. Those skills and mastery are now a resource that dozens of beekeepers are putting into practice as a source of sustainable income.

A little over a year ago, the Maijuna began sales of the honey produced by their managed hives. This is a forest-based product with long traditions of use among the Maijuna that now serves as a source of sustainable income. This year of sales has brought in over $2,500 USD in income to the communities. Given that the average Maijuna family earns less than $2 per day, this income is making a substantial difference in their lives. With their increasing mastery of techniques for multiplying hives, the Maijuna are poised to realize substantial growth in their harvest during the upcoming honey season!

Beekeepers putting their knowledge to work and seeing the fruits of their labor is an exciting position for the Maijuna stingless beekeeping project. Increases in hives, new beekeepers, and honey production all mean that the technical support we provide is all the more crucial to ensure the long-term success of this sustainable alternative to extractive economic activities. With your support we can continue to expand and support this sustainable income source for the Maijuna. Thank you for helping make 2019 a year to celebrate!

Since its inauguration several years ago, our stingless beekeeping project has been successful in developing a sustainable source of income that engages all segments of Maijuna society: men, women, and children. Because men are traditionally the recipients of income generated through hunting, fishing, and the sale of agricultural products, women often have few opportunities to earn their own income or take ownership of projects in their communities.

We are incredibly excited to see more and more women embracing stingless beekeeping, demonstrating their mastery of management practices and reaping the rewards of their efforts through honey sales. Already, a number of women in the two Maijuna communities that began stingless beekeeping this year are distinguishing themselves as leading beekeepers. Melba, a female beekeeper in the community of Nueva Vida, impressed her fellow community members during one of our beekeeping workshops last month when she explained to her peers how she successfully managed a problematic hive. Melba taking center-stage and confidently sharing her experience stands out as just one of many moments that highlight how beekeeping engages and empowers women as leaders in community sustainability efforts.

In the past year, we have supported the Maijuna through their first season of honey harvests and sales. Honey sold through our stingless beekeeping project is already acting as a source of women’s economic and personal empowerment in Maijuna lands. In the community of Puerto Huamán, Tarkis and her 12-year-old daughter, Jewerlit, are managing nine hives together. Last month, I watched as Jewerlit independently performed a complex hive division, showing her knowledge and mastery of the craft. The mother and daughter beekeeping duo recently sold their first bottles of honey for a premium price and they are poised to harvest much more this upcoming honey season!

We are energized to see how the beekeeping process and products are developing a platform for Maijuna women to share their experiences, learn about, and take ownership of a craft born from traditional culture and resources in their ancestral lands. Please help us support Maijuna women and their families by continuing to make beekeeping a sustainable and empowering income source for all members of Maijuna society.