Main technical-productive characteristics of meliponiculture in two locations of the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche

Objective: to identify the main technical-productive characteristics of two production systems (traditional and technified) dedicated to meliponiculture in two locations in the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche. Design/methodology/approach: From August to December 2021, applications of semi-structured interviews of 60 reagents were carried out to the meliponiculturists of Pucnanchen and Santa Cruz. Where by means of the snowball method the population of meliponiculturists was found. Results: A total of 43 colonies of bees of the species M. beecheii (39 hobones and 14 technified boxes) were found. The meliponiculturists interviewed are over 49 years old and have an average of 10.75 colonies per meliponary. Likewise, the modern meli-ponarios have replaced the roofing with huano, by the use of galvanized sheet and the hobones have been replaced by the use of technified boxes for the breeding of native bees. Limitations of the study/implications: this study describes the technical-productive characteristics of the two production systems used in meliponiculture (traditional and technical) in two locations in the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche. Findings/conclusions: there is a reduction in the number of people who practice meliponiculture, which is an activity that is still rooted in rural communities and that still retains importance from the economic, cultural and cultural point of view. Social. The uses of melipona honey in the health of people belonging to rural communities, is an activity that still persists, as well as the customs associated with the religious context.Objective: To identify the main technical-productive characteristics of two meliponiculture production systems—traditional and technical—in two locations of the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche. Design/Methodology/Approach: Semi-structured interviews of 60 items were applied to bee growers from Pucnanchen and Santa Cruz between August and December 2021. The population of meliponiculturists was established by using the snowball method. Results: We found a total of 43 bee colonies of the M. beecheii species (39 hobones and 14 technified boxes). The interviewed meliponiculturists are over 49 years old and have an average of 10.75 colonies per meliponary. In modern meliponaries, galvanized metal sheets have replaced huano (Sabal yapa) leaf roofing. Likewise, some hobones have been replaced by technified boxes to breed native bees. Study limitations/Implications: This study describes the technical-productive characteristics of the two production systems (traditional and technical) used in meliponiculture in two locations of the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche. Findings/Conclusions: There is a decline in the number of people practicing meliponiculture, an activity still rooted in rural communities and that retains its economic, cultural, and social importance. In rural communities, the use of melipona honey for health purposes persists, as well as the religious customs associated with this type of honey

Socioeconomic diagnosis of a group of meliponiculturists in the local-ity of San Antonio Cayal, Campeche, Mexico

Objective: To identify the economic, technical, and social characteristics of a group of meliponiculturists established in the locality of San Antonio Cayal, Campeche, Mexico. Design/methodology/approach: An interview card was applied to ten members of a group of meliponiculturists, and each card consisted of 20 open and closed questions distributed in the following sections: general data, technical aspects, characteristics of the meliponary, production, market, and perspectives of meliponiculture. An observation guide was also applied. Results: It was found that in the locality of San Antonio Cayal, meliponiculture is a recent activity (four years); the activity started with a total of ten people, with ages between 47 and 64, using modernized boxes and the honey extraction technique using syringes. However, currently the activity is only practiced by two people. Limitations on the study/implications: Meliponiculture is a scarcely practiced activity in the locality, and therefore, there are few records of this activity. Findings/conclusions: The study allowed us to understand the limitations of the group of meliponiculturists that caused the dispersion of the group, and allowed finding different areas of opportunity (management, production) to strengthen the activity