Even though coffee is the primary source of income in the Andean area of Lambayeque the price volatility in the market causes producers’ living condition to worse substantially when prices are low. It becomes even more important for them to focus on projects that can provide additional income for their families.
The beekeeping projects consisting of the breeding and exploitation of the worker bee (apismelliferal), has great potential for the production of honey, pollen, wax, royal jelly, propolis also for nutritional purposes. Honey is a carbohydrate food with a very pleasant taste whose sugars are easily digestible, it also contains small amounts of proteins and vitamins. Royal jelly and pollen are very nutritious foods rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. It is a food highly demanded by the population that likes a healthy and nutritious diet.
The project was installed in the community of Hierba Buena in the District of Kañaris. The location of apiaries are 200m away from houses and roads to avoid attacks (bee stings) on people or animals. It was agreed to distribute one apiary per family, benefiting a total of 10 families instead of the nine originally planned.
The materials distributed to each family were a bee hive. Bees include a queen, gloves, masks, smoker, brushes, wax, wax inlays, stamped wax as well as a series of beekeeping training workshops.
This project was deemed a success because it will provide an ongoing additional income source for the coffee producers through the sale of the honey. The bees are also contributing to the quality and quantity of the coffee crop through their pollination of the coffee flower. The beekeeping projects are a family business as the women tend to be afraid of the bees and of being stung making the installation and handling of the bees done by the husbands and the wives control the harvested project both for consumption and for sale.
The photos show a variety of activities that took place during the execution of the beekeeping project in Hierba Buena giving the women who started their beekeeping business visibility and demonstrated their leadership abilities within the women’s group as well as within the community.
