Bee biofactory: alternative for income generation in Amazon

The conservation of part of the Amazon Rainforest has been reinforced by native stingless bees. A project led by Vale Technology Institute (ITV) has enabled the multiplication of native bee nests, increasing the availability of colonies for breeding. Carajás Indigenous Bee Biofactory is located in the state of Pará, home to 110 native bee species out of 244 cataloged in Brazil.

Native bees play a fundamental role in food production in the Amazon region, by pollinating important plants such as açaí, guaraná, and Brazil nut. They also collaborate in the pollination of various agricultural crops.

Local species are selected mainly for pollination and the production of honey and other products with the potential for income generation, such as propolis. The colonies are housed in meliponaries in Vale Amazônia BioPark and in Vale’s seedling nursery, covering an area of over 30 hectares of native forest.

Meliponiculture and income generation

Meliponary is a collection of beehives and a place for the rational breeding of stingless species commonly called native or indigenous bees. One of the purposes of meliponiculture is the production of honey, propolis, pollen, resins, and the production and multiplication of hives for the sale of swarms. It improves the pollination of plants, preserves species, and conserves biodiversity.

According to Vale Technological Institute (ITV) researcher Luciano Costa, a guide has been prepared to help locate and identify the colonies. “It contains photographs of the beginning of colonies and workers of 41 species found in the region. And the institute offers online courses on rescue and management of native bees,” he explained.

The honey produced by native bees has a market value that can be up to ten times higher than traditional honey, depending on the variety of the species. Honey extraction is an economic activity that generates local income for small producers in Parauapebas, Canaã, Curionópolis, and other municipalities in southeast Pará.

According to studies carried out by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), in partnership with the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) and the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (UFRA), native bees are the main pollinators of açaí (Euterpe oleracea). The research indicates that they perform about 60 percent of the pollination work on the palm flowers and are more efficient in transporting pollen than other insects, which directly impacts the açaí productive chain.

The studies were conducted in natural areas where açaí grows—floodplain and dry land—and in areas with different levels of management up to large-scale monoculture plantations. Palm flowers attract more than 200 species of insects, including beetles, flies, ants, and other groups, making them crucial for pollination.