Abelhas indígenas da Amazônia: a importância para a agroecologia na região metropolitana de Santarém, Pará-Brasil

Abstract

Meliponiculture is an important activity with the food and nutritional security in the production of honey, pollen, propolis and other by-products. It is also important in the pollination of plants, in the generation of income and being a great alternative for labor activity and conservation of bees. Human food is a biological, social and cultural act, which produces a variety of food systems, which is strongly influenced by ecological, historical, cultural, social and economic factors, causing violent changes in the ancient way of eating during the last two centuries. These changes are closely linked to the agricultural “development” model currently implemented within a globalized context and post-World War II economic restructuring. With this work, the objective is to characterize the potential insertion of indigenous stingless bees in the Metropolitan Region of Santarém - Pará _ Brazil with the perspective of constructing and promoting the agro-ecological sustainability. As a methodological instrument for data collection, a semi-structured interview was implemented with meliponiculture family farmers, who addressed the production and marketing systems of honey. The region has great potential for the production and commercialization of honey, highlighting the promising land use systems for the economy of low-income populations and family farmers.