World Bee Day: Bolivia honey producers work to meet demand due to COVID-19

@FAO/Boris Fernandez20 May 2021, La Paz, Bolivia – Beekeepers in Bolivia have been working hard to meet an increased demand for honey during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to reports from producer organizations in the country.

Honey has been used for food but also for its medicinal properties in Bolivia since ancient times. "People know formulas using honey mixed with herbs and roots to prepare medicines for helping with colds and flu," said Osvaldo Soruco, legal representative of the Association of Beekeepers of the Department of Santa Cruz (ADAPICRUZ).

According to Soruco, demand for honey and propolis, a bee-hive sealant also used in traditional medicine, has surged in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.

Maria Luisa Añez, Coordinator of the Association of Beekeepers of San Ignacio de Velasco (APROVE), has also noticed an increase in demand.

“We continue to put into practice ancestral knowledge about honey and its health benefits," Añez said.

Marena Rosario Romanazzi, President of APROVE, said they had taken steps to meet the new demand. “Special permits were negotiated with the authorities of our municipality in order to be able to harvest honey in the 18 communities where our beekeeping partners are located,” Romanazzi said.

Honey for indigenous livelihoods

The Forest and Farm Facility has supported both ADAPICRUZ and APROVE to meet demand for honey and propolis sustainably.

ADAPICRUZ works with indigenous communities of Chiquitanía to develop their organizational and production capacities to profit from native Melipon bees, including knowledge training on best practices to improve production, and partnering with carpenters to use discarded wood to make beehives.

“A group of 20 indigenous women supported by APROVE have developed a spirit of entrepreneurship – from working only in the home to becoming part of the local economy,” said Marena Rosario Romanazzi. “There are women working as carpenters to construct the beehives, as well as making syrups, soaps, and other honey products.”

APROVE meanwhile set up a bagging machine that allowed the group to supply honey for school breakfasts across their municipalities of San Ignacio de Velasco. APROVE has also established an apiary school to strengthen producers’ knowledge and capacity.

Healthy bees, healthy forests
Increasing the production of honey from Melipon bees requires dedication and sophisticated technical knowledge from beekeepers. Not only must more boxes and hives be built, but chemical repellents and disinfection must be avoided, and apiaries must have at least 3km of forest around them.

“The forest relies on bees to pollinate different plant species,” said Soruco, underlining the reciprocal relationship between forests and bees. “In turn, the bees are attracted to the flowers of the forest to carry out that pollination and transform nectar into honey."

Representatives of both ADAPICRUZ and APROVE agree that the region has excellent potential to expand the production of honey and propolis from native bees, the health of whose population is linked to forest conservation.

With bee products in high demand, Bolivia's producers are working together to improve knowledge and practices and ensure the sustainable production of honey and thus the protection of native forests, improving livelihoods and protecting biodiversity at the same time.

World Bee Day celebrations
The fourth observance of World Bee Day was celebrated with a virtual event organized by FAO under the theme “Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees".

Learn more about the event and World Bee day here and follow the conversations on social media using the hashtags #WorldBeeDay and #Savethebees.

Forest and Farm Facility

The Forest and Farm Facility is a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Institute for Environment and Development, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and AgriCord.

last updated:  Thursday, May 20, 2021