Stingless Bee Cultivation in Guyana: A new interest in an old value chain

 

Stingless Bee Webinar for Guyana Beekeepers Blog, March 1-15, 2021
Volunteer, Amy Weeks

The subject of stingless bees is extremely fascinating. As a beekeeper in the US familiar with other species of honeybees, I falsely assumed that all bees were similar. Stingless bees, however, are strikingly different from honeybees. These differences include their honey storage and production, lifecycle, biology, and required management. In fact, stingless bees are so different from conventional honeybees that applying common European style beekeeping methods would do more harm than good. My webinar series for this Farmer-to-Farmer assignment covered biology, nest structures, and some beginning management techniques for this unique species. In preparing for the assignments, I was fascinated by how many species were discovered and identified in Guyana in the 1930's. Stingless bees are native to Guyana and make up an important part of their cultural and natural heritage. Also, they are a sustainable natural resource that can be integrated into family farms to produce income.

I have had the privilege of working with Guyana's beekeepers on several assignments. This being my first remote volunteer assignment, I was initially intimidated by the logistics. Learning how to coordinate Zoom presentations is a valuable skill I quickly picked up for this assignment. Despite some internet issues, we were joined by many beekeepers from across Guyana. I appreciated that the webinars were recorded, making the presentations sharable for broader access and future reference for the participants.

I did miss getting to meet with the beekeepers in person, but this platform enabled me to pass along a copious amount of information in less time. However, like in-person assignments, I adapted presentations according to questions from the participants and according to my increasing knowledge of their local context.  

Volunteering for Farmer-to-Farmer, particularly with this unique assignment, challenges me to move outside of my comfort zone. In the process, I learn new things about my own industry, beekeeping, and how much its practices differ throughout the world.  I also learned new computer skills that are required to make progress  despite the obstacles we face during the pandemic. I am so grateful for the opportunities that Farmer-to-Farmer gives me to meet new beekeepers and use my knowledge to help others grow an industry for which we have so much passion!

 

 

Inside a stingless beehive in Guyana. You are seeing the capped brood and open food pots.

 

                            Stingless beehives hanging at a beekeepers home in Guyana.

Harvesting stingless bee honey in Guyana. Stingless bees make considerably less honey that European/ Africanized bees, but it is highly valued for its medicinal properties.