Beekeeping with Indigenous People in the Amazon

We are excited to update you, our supporters, on the growth of our stingless beekeeping initiative in the Amazon. Thanks to your generous support, we are proud to announce that the project has expanded to eight Kichwa Indigenous communities in addition to the four Maijuna communities, significantly enhancing its reach and impact. At the heart of this growth are the Maijuna beekeeping promoters, educators who we continue to empower to share their expertise, spreading sustainable beekeeping practices across the region.

This expansion marks a major milestone in our mission to empower Indigenous communities and protect the vital stingless bees. The success of this effort is largely attributed to the leadership of the eight Maijuna promoters. With years of experience, they serve not only as educators but also as mentors, facilitating knowledge exchange and fostering a deeper alliance between the Indigenous communities.

The collaboration between the Maijuna and Kichwa communities is proving to be a powerful force, combining traditional ecological knowledge with innovative practices that enhance livelihoods, promote Maijuna and Kichwa cultural identities, and strengthen alliances across Indigenous groups.

The expansion to eight Kichwa communities is yielding positive results. Community members are gaining new skills in sustainable beekeeping, which will allow them to diversify their income sources and support their conservation of the local rainforest. 

One of the many inspiring moments has been seeing the transformation in community members' attitudes as they begin their journey in beekeeping. It is especially moving to see people who once showed little interest in stingless bees now handle their colonies with such care and delicacy to ensure not a single bee is harmed. 

As the scope and impact of the project grows, we are focusing on supporting the budding Kichwa beekeepers, promoting cultural education, strengthening the commercial management of the Maijuna beekeepers association Uare Yojuna, and diversifying bee products to further improve sustainable income for these Indigenous communities. 

The progress we’ve made would not be possible without the ongoing support of our donors and partners. Your help is enabling Indigenous communities to protect their rainforest, preserve traditional knowledge, and create sustainable livelihoods. We are deeply grateful for your continued commitment to this important work.

Together, we are making a lasting impact in the Amazon. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Tarkis nimbly separated the delicate brood layers of a colony, expertly narrating her process to the three cameras trained on her every move. Alongside her 15-year-old daughter, together they adeptly demonstrated and patiently explained the crucial steps for multiplying stingless bee colonies in a series of six video tutorials we produced in collaboration with Maijuna beekeepers. In total, 15 Maijuna stingless beekeepers took center stage in these tutorials, created primarily for aspiring rural Amazonian beekeepers to learn directly from their peers. 

We produced nearly 1.5 hours of in-depth instruction to equip beekeepers with the basics of stingless bee husbandry in the Peruvian Amazon. These educational tools guide viewers through the intricacies of stingless beekeeping covering everything from the social structure of a colony to managing and multiplying hives to pest control and, ultimately, the sustainable harvesting of honey.

We are as enthusiastic about the process as we are the product. Together with the Maijuna beekeepers we created the storyboard and validated the educational points. Over three weeks we filmed with the beekeepers from three different communities to carefully document their expertise. We incorporated stunning scenes from daily life that the beekeepers deemed representative. This approach ensures that both the Maijuna and new beekeepers in other communities can visually connect with the screen, seeing themselves alongside their bees and expertise.

The videos are already being used to accelerate learning. Aspiring beekeepers throughout the region are referencing the videos as they practice management techniques. The integration of these videos into theoretical and practical workshops enhances the learning experience, providing additional reinforcement to learning objectives. Now published on YouTube and OnePlanet’s website, the tutorials are widely available and people in rural communities are able to watch the videos thanks to the increasing availability of smart phones and satellite internet. These tools are effectively extending the reach and impact of our community-based stingless beekeeping project and the conservation of native bee diversity.

Thanks to you as well as all of our collaborating institutions for supporting the stingless beekeepers in the Amazon. A special acknowledgement of ACEER, Uare Yojuna, La Restinga, Explorama, Camino Verde, and Troubled Genius Media. Each of your contributions made these videos a reality, ultimately helping to magnify the impact of the Maijuna’s environmentally and economically sustainable work. Please enjoy the videos and share!  

Links:

• Enjoy the videos on our website!
• Find the tutorials on YouTube, too!