Standards applied to the development of meliponiculture in São Bentinho, Paraiba, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, bee breeding can be divided into two distinct practices, Apiculture and Meliponiculture. It is understood by meliponiculture the art of handling the indigenous bees without sting, being the obtaining of honey one of the objectives of this activity. The development of meliponiculture is formally attributed to the Mesoamerican civilization of the Mayas and in Brazil the creation of native bees belonging to the gender Melipona was practiced by the natives since before the arrival of the Portuguese. In the Northeast this practice has been increasing and it is in the city of São Bentinho, the study site of the present work, which aims to standardize the meliponicultura in order to subsidize the new producers. The work consists of a qualitative research with documentary analysis, visits to associations and unstructured interviews in order to carry out a socioeconomic survey of honey producers. The city of São Bentinho has 20 honey producers that together produce between two and three tons of Apis honey. This research was carried out in partnership with the City Hall of São Bentinho, which in turn offered 20 boxes of meliponine production, as well as the Federal University of Campina Grande for subsidizing the present work. From the visits made, one can understand the reality of the producers and, thus, a draft law was prepared, already voted and sanctioned, that is, it is already a reality. Thus, the honey producers of the city are supported by the law and will have capacities offered by the university itself for the production and management of honey from stingless bees. It is concluded that the city has enormous potential for the production of honey from stingless bees, as well as more studies are suggested from the beginning of the activity of meliponicultura in the municipality.