Stingless bee farming boosts açaí production in the Amazon

The integration of stingless bee farming, known as meliponiculture, with native açaí palm management is enhancing sustainable production and increasing income for riverine communities in the Amazon.

A training course held in the Serraria Pequena community in Afuá, Pará, supported by the Institute of Environmental Research of the Amazon (IPAM), focused on these techniques. Research indicates that intensified pollination by native bees can increase açaí fruit production by up to 40%. Additionally, meliponiculture provides high-value secondary products such as açaí honey, propolis, and wax.

The initiative included practical activities and the installation of a Technological Reference Unit (URT). Participants included producers from the Cajari Extractive Reserve forest replacement project in Amapá. This program is executed by IPAM and funded by Grupo Energisa, aiming to promote biodiversity conservation alongside agroextractive economic development.