Women, Bees and Sustainability: The case of a meliponiculture course

• Autor(a) principal: Teixeira, Isabel Ribeiro do Valle
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Silva, Gleycon Velozo da, Leite, Isabela Cristina da Silva, Oliveira, Laura, Marques, Luis Claudio, Barchuk, Angel Roberto
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Research, Society and Development
• Texto Completo: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/31807
• topic: Meio ambiente; Meliponicultura; Sociedade; Manejo de abelhas nativas.; Environment; Meliponiculture; Society; Management of native bees.; Medio ambiente; Meliponicultura; Sociedad; Manejo de abejas nativas.

A meliponiculture course can be an efficient way to encourage the practice of sustainable activities as a source of supplementary income and provide moments of self-knowledge and social reflection for women, especially those in rural areas. We report the experience of a women inclusion project using “native stingless bees” as motto. The project involved the creation of a multidisciplinary group for course planning, production of methodology and didactic material, as well as the identification of the target audience. The course was offered online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with monetary assistance to the most needy. Twenty-two women were enrolled and the 40h course was developed during the first semester of 2021, with presence in synchronous activities ~90%. Material was collected from IFSULDEMINAS-Campus Poços de Caldas (Brazil) or sent via regular mail. The course was divided into 5 modules of 8h. In all topics, it was possible to discuss the biology and management of bees and social aspects of the students and their communities. Seventy-four percent of the students considered beekeeping a viable activity and intend to work with bees in the short or medium term, suggesting the activity is feasible. Furthermore, delving into the biology of social bees, which is based on a predominantly female organization, was an effective instrument for the discussion of various social issues. The development of meliponiculture courses should be encouraged in communities in Brazil and in other countries where the role of women in society and the quality of life and the environment are deteriorated.