by ROBERT LEO, Keystone Foundation, India
voice from the forest edition no 09 december 05 - www.ntfp.org
Salamat Pagi, Indonesia. The honey hunters; either Anthario in Indonesia or Rengasamy in India – a unique similarity is embedded in these people’s skill. The standout quietness, leaning by watching hours together is absolutely the same. It was a great opportunity to meet indigenous honey gatherers, Zul (artist) and development friends to share and learn during the 2nd National Wild Honey Gatherers Workshop in Banjarmasin, Indonesia.
The Strength of the Partners. The network comprised a collective of partners with different qualities –conservation groups, researchers, marketing experts, community leaders and development groups–is a positive one through which strong initiatives is possible.
The Resource. Tropical honey is the finest blend of nectars of multi-melliferous sources from herbal plants to rainforest trees. The year-round availability and harvest of honey from different provinces is true evidence of the biodiversity of the region and the efficient honey production by the king (or rather queen!) of allbees, the giant honey bee Apis dorsata. The estimated quantum by all partners exceeds to 230 metric tonnes, which is not simple to handle in a tropical climate and under Asiatic conditions.
Though the workshop addressed marketing of honey, it is interesting to note that the interaction gradually paved the importance of quality, handling, recognition to indigenous wisdom, lobbying to habitat protection into the vision and mission of the network partners.
The Challenges for Indonesian Honeys1. Moisture content; the tropical honey has high moisture content at the time of collection itself.
2. Collected in remote areas and in a difficult environment for proper storing. One could understand that every kilo of honey is in transit for a period of two to three weeks before it gets packed into a bottle. Over this period, the honey is exposed to different temperatures and stored in different types of containers, which together is critical to maintaining the quality.
3. Basic awareness of the origin of the honey, better understanding of the bee’s life cycle (which relates to the natural resources) and a change in land use, which currently leads to a reduction of the total forest area.
4. Need to build a local market: the restriction and refusal of the European market for acacia, palm plantation honey enlightens the need for natural forest conservation, to be taken up into positive manner.
The Way Forward- Training on basics of honey processing and handling.
- Better equipment to handle honey.
- Standard laboratory (centralized) support.
- Capacity building to the primary groups: not just to sell, but also to gradually build links from the forest to the consumer.
- Explore high potential for value-added bee products; habitat role has to be generated to sustain the activity.
- If simple units are established locally to pack with strict specifications, then this may help to keep quality up, while also benefiting the local community!
- Exploring and designing solar wax extractors exclusively to melt wax locally.
- A resource inventory focusing on the role of bees in the biodiversity balance and measures to promote forest regeneration as the natural habitat of the bees. This could be a useful exercise with long-term benefits to communities and policymakers alike.
- The Indonesian standard agency BioCert could play an important role in setting export standard and facilitation. At the same time, the agency should understand the ecology of bees and social aspects of the collectors.
The short excursions. The trip included a short visit to an island. The vegetation in the island strikes the original vegetation of the region. The mangroves, ferns, shrubs, trees, fish and monkeys need propaganda from the citizens. If a local partner could take up an awareness camp, for instance, and generate information about the island’s ecology, that would be a great start for others to follow elsewhere in Indonesia.
The lifestyle and social aspects gives almost the native feeling to me. The floating market environment is an amazing experience except the number of logs around the place.
Thanks. I sincerely appreciate the hospitality of the Dian Niaga team members especially: Terimah kasih Mr. Johnny, a wonderful person and all other members of the network. I express my heartful thanks to Pak Heri of Riak Bumi for all his communications and arrangements. I thank Mr. Jenne for the opportunity to learn and share the experiences. My sincere thanks also to Keystone for the privilege given to me. I would like to be in regular interaction with all of you – friends of Indonesia!
Contact:
Keystone Foundation, Groves Hill Road, Kotagiri 643217, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India. Tel: +91 4266 272277. Tel/Fax: (91) 4266 272977. Email: kf@keystone-foundation.org. URL: www.keystone-foundation.org
