Developing Stingless Bee Honey Farming in Penampi

After receiving stingless bee honey farming training from Yayasan Gambut in October, Samrizal, aged 31, and 11 Penampi residents continued developing their enterprise. With 30 colonies already under management, they were learning husbandry techniques while looking for additional colonies.

The village, in Bengkalis District, has stingless bee colonies in its wooded areas. The group searches regularly and had recently found colonies in decaying rubber and coconut wood. Their activities attracted a visit from Penampi’s village economic facilitator to this village also known for pineapple production.

Searching for bee colonies in Temeran Village, 20/11/2020. Photo: Samrizal, Penampi

On Friday (11/20), 3 Penampi residents visited the boundary between Kelebuk and Bantan, examining hollow wood. They also found timber cut by honey collectors using older methods, which can destroy nests when collectors are unfamiliar with stingless bee husbandry.

They found 2 colonies in meranti kelat wood, bringing their total to 32. The colonies would be kept at members’ homes with wooden hive boxes, or topping boxes, made from geronggang timber.

Making topping boxes for stingless bee colonies in Penampi

“We do not yet know how much honey each colony will produce, but we remain enthusiastic. By developing the enterprise gradually and involving more people, we hope Penampi can become a stingless bee honey-producing village. We will manage it carefully to balance beekeeping with the conservation of our peat swamp forests,” Samrizal told Yayasan Gambut by telephone on Friday, 20/11/2020.