(Bee)Coming Revolution an Environmental Study with Local Beekeepers in Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
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Sara Elisabeth Onsten (Bee)coming Revolution An environmental study with local beekeepers in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Master’s thesis in Global Environmental History 2 Abstract Onsten, S. 2019. (Bee)coming Revolution: an environmental study with local beekeepers in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Uppsala, Dep. of Archaeology and Ancient History. In this thesis I study how the relationships between beekeepers and bees have evolved over time in the region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and how the beekeepers have experienced the environmental changes in this region over time. Bees and beekeeping practices generate important incomes for rural communities in Rio Grande do Sul, but also, they support agricultural systems through pollinating crops and increasing plants nutritional value. Inspired by historical ecology and multispecies narratives I explore how the human-bee relationships have been developed throughout history. Based on interviews and using the narrative tool of storytelling we meet the different beekeeper’s thoughts and perceptions when it comes to their relations and motivations in keeping bees. Furthermore, this thesis also explores the challenges and opportunities described by the interviewed beekeepers, by comparing past historical changes and present-day debates around the bees. Landscape changes, loss of biodiversity and overuse of pesticides in agricultural crops have affected the wellbeing of the bees. The obstacles and organisations of beekeeper’s are also considered. Beekeeping is discussed as a way to create ecological awareness and is promoted as a way to increase not just bee’s wellbeing living in Rio Grande do Sul, but also create better dialogues among different actors. Keywords: Bees, Beekeeping, Biodiversity, Human-Bee Relations, Rio Grande do Sul, Environmental Changes, Ecological Awareness. Master’s thesis in Global Environmental History (45 credits), supervisor: Anneli Ekblom, Defended and approved Spring Term 2019 © Sara Onsten Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University, Box 626, 75126 Uppsala, Sweden 3 For Ingvar & Gerd, Ary & Ilse Thank you. 4 Acknowledgements I would like to thank everyone who has contributed and supported me in the process of writing my thesis. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisor, Anneli Ekblom, who has truly guided me throughout this bee expedition. I also want to thank all the interviewees, who have shared their stories, challenges and valuable experiences in this study. In particular, I would like to thank both my mom and my cousin Raquel for being by my side during the interviews taking pictures, improving discussions and giving me all support. In this case, I would like to sincerely thank my parents, Tor and Miriam, who have always supported and inspired me to pursue my dreams and goals. Another person who has helped and encouraged me during this period, is my dear aunt Anna, thank you for everything. Without them I would not be where I am today. Of course I am also thankful to my family, beloved one, friends and classmates, who have been so kind and supportive throughout this entire process of writing my master thesis. Finally, I would like to say thanks to the main characters of this thesis, the bees. Thank you for keeping with the buzz around. 5 Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... 5 List of Figures ................................................................................................................. 7 List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... 8 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 9 1.1 Why bees? ............................................................................................................. 10 1.2 Aims and Questions .............................................................................................. 11 1.3 Locating the Research Area .................................................................................. 12 1.4 A Brief History of Bees Worldwide ..................................................................... 13 1.4.1 Honeybees (Apis Mellifera) ........................................................................... 15 1.4.2 Stingless bees (Melipona and Trigona) ......................................................... 17 2. Conceptual Framework and Methodology ............................................................. 19 2.1 Historical Ecology and Landscape Theory ........................................................... 19 2.2 Humans and Animals Relations ........................................................................... 20 2.2.1 Busy as a bee ................................................................................................. 22 2.3 Research Design and Interviews ........................................................................... 23 3. Background ............................................................................................................... 25 3.1 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services ................................................................... 25 3.2 Pollination and Agricultural Practices .................................................................. 27 3.2.1 Pollinator Paradise Concept ........................................................................... 29 3.3 Conservation, Sustainability and Biocultural Values ........................................... 30 4. Brazil: the history of beekeeping ............................................................................. 33 4.1 Nature, Crops and Bees: an overview .................................................................. 33 4.2 The historical background of the Brazilian Beekeeping ...................................... 34 4.3 Beekeeping at a regional level .............................................................................. 38 5. Bee-ing There ............................................................................................................ 42 5.1 Being with Stingless bees ..................................................................................... 42 5.2 Being with Honeybees .......................................................................................... 48 5.2.1 Honey House ................................................................................................. 51 6. Beekeepers Analysis ................................................................................................. 55 6.1 To (bee) or not to (bee) ......................................................................................... 55 6.1.1 Motivations and relations with bees .............................................................. 55 6.1.2 Landscape changes and challenges ................................................................ 57 6.2 Beyond the buzz ................................................................................................... 60 7. Concluding Discussion ............................................................................................. 63 7.1 (Bee) present and (Bee) positive .......................................................................... 63 7.2 The Bee Revolution .............................................................................................. 65 References ...................................................................................................................... 66 6 List of Figures Figure 1. Political Map of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. 13 Figure 2. European honeybee (Apis mellifera). 16 Figure 3. Jataí Stingless bee species (Tetragonisca angustula). 18 Figure 4. The Abellina Farm in Rio Pardo, Rio Grande do Sul. 36 Figure 5. Photo montage (from the newspaper Zero Hora). 40 Figure 6. Meliponaries in Bento Gonçalves. 43 Figure 7. Soft wax pots for pollen and for honey. 44 Figure 8. Two different types of propolis. 45 Figure 9. Stingless bee hive and wild stingless bee nest. 47 Figure 10. The nest’s internal structure in a stingless bee hive. 48 Figure 11. Apiary in Rio Pardo, Rio Grande do Sul. 51 Figure 12. Equipment to extract and bottle honey. 53 Figure 13. Inside of a Honey House. 54 7 List of Abbreviations AHB – Africanized Honey Bee BPBES – Brazilian Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services CBD – Convention on Biological Diversity CCD – Colony Collapse Disorder FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Ibama – Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources IBGE – Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics IPBES – Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services IPI – International Pollinator Initiative IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature Rebipp – Brazilian Network of Plant-Pollinator Interactions SDGs – Sustainable Development Goals SiBBr – Brazilian Biodiversity Information System UN – United Nations UNDP – United Nations Development Programme UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme WCED – The World Commission on Environment and Development WWF – World Wildlife Fund 8 1. Introduction ‘I always remember a phrase which I heard from a researcher during an International Beekeeping Conference in Santiago (Chile): “In the time that all world’s bees disappear, our planet Earth and humankind will also die off”. This is directly connected to bee’s pollination services, their responsibilities