Honey from Amazon stingless bees can now be sold
In February, the Peabiru Institute received the first batch of honey produced by stingless bees (known as Melipona). It comes from the only certified value chain with a Federal Inspection Stamp (SIF) and Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) authorization for bee management. This is possible due to Peabiru’s work in improving the honey value chain since 2006. The initiative is part of the Partnership Platform for the Amazon (PPA) Acceleration Program, and received investment during last year’s PPA event.
For over 12 years, the Peabiru Institute has researched stingless beekeeping, together with small farmers in the Amazon. The stingless bees are a subset of Brazilian bees that haven’t previously been properly studied. Besides producing honey, one of the species’ main activities is pollination, ensuring reproduction in several vegetable species, allowing them to fructify and generate seeds. The forest and natural environment rely on these bees for survival, and many commercial species – such as açaí, cacau, cupuaçu, and the Brazil nut – also rely on the bees as pollinators.
Melipona-keeping by farmers can increase family income , especially for indigenous peoples, riverines and other traditional peoples.
“We have the necessary knowledge that would allow every small farmer in the Amazon to have – in addition to their traditional small animals like chickens – stingless beehives. Our goal is to further support the over one million families living in the Brazilian Amazon,” says Peabiru Director João Meirelles Filho.