How sustainable methods adopted by tribal honey hunters could conserve bee population, improve food security
FirstpostThe Nilgiris are home to over eighteen ethnic groups. Image via Mongabay-India/ Keystone Foundation Keeping the buzz alive We stood there watching in amazement as hundreds of bees buzzed around him and he did not swat even one, “Normally, one or two bees will sting us, but if he hit them, hundreds will swarm us recognizing the smell of the dead bee. Image via Mongabay-India/ Keystone Foundation Justin Raj, a beekeeping expert with conservation NGO Keystone Foundation, tells us that most tribes in Nilgiris traditionally follow a sustainable method of honey harvesting. Lastly, we ask them to wait for over six months to gather mature honey with less water content and less damage to the bees.” Be it apiculture or wild honey harvesting, Keystone Foundation insists that the honey gatherers they work with follow sustainable honey harvesting practices and their products are given a better market price for following sustainable methods. Image via Mongabay-India/ Keystone Foundation Bharath Kumar Merugu, Project Lead, Just Change works with over 175 Kattunayakar honey gatherers through a tribal union called Thenkootam under the umbrella of Adivasi Munetra Sangam.