The Role of Beekeeping in Strengthening Sustainability and Livelihoods in Rural and Indigenous Communities

In Ixcán, Guatemala, beekeeping is helping rural and Indigenous communities strengthen their livelihoods and care for the land. In places like Santa María Dolores and Santa María Tzejá, families are learning to manage bees to build economic, ecological, and social resilience.

With support from EcoLogic and local partners, community members are combining local knowledge with hands-on training. They’re capturing wild swarms, protecting their hives from pests, and increasing their honey harvests, all while mitigating the high costs that often make beekeeping inaccessible.

The stories below highlight how rural and Indigenous communities, when equipped with the right tools, are able to draw on their deep knowledge of the land to strengthen sustainability, improve their families’ well-being, and build better opportunities for themselves and future generations.

Learning to Strengthen Ecosystems

Between March and May, beekeepers prepare for the natural phenomenon of swarming, when bee colonies divide and queen bees leave to find new homes. This is a critical moment of opportunity. "These months are the ideal time to capture swarms because the bees can gather enough food during the summer to build strength before the colder season," says Antonio Montejo, one of the instructors of the workshops organized by EcoLogic and its local partners, where community members learn to capture swarms and bring them into new hives equipped with fresh frames and wax. 

For many apiculturists, these sessions are especially valuable because they offer practical techniques to increase hive numbers without the financial burden of purchasing new bee colonies, an expense many rural families cannot easily afford, while simultaneously preparing for a stronger honey harvest the following year. "This is knowledge that helps us work with what we already have and improve our production in a smart way," comments beekeeper José Eufemio Gómez. In addition, bees from swarms are better adapted to the local climate, flowering cycles, and disease pressures than imported or commercially bred bees.

The techniques shared in workshops are designed to align with the community's local knowledge, combining contemporary techniques with traditional insights about bee behavior, local flora, and seasonal changes to better care for their hives. 

Building Resilience

Capturing new swarms is just the first step of sustaining healthy and productive hives. In fact, after participating in a workshop on controlling pests and diseases, a crucial aspect of successful beekeeping, beekeeper Timoteo Ortiz Cos has come to understand the importance of ongoing hive maintenance. Timoteo conducted a thorough cleaning of his apiary, removing old wax, cleaning the bases of the hive boxes, discarding old or infested frames, improving air circulation, and reducing excessive shade around the hives to prevent moisture buildup. 

Timoteo's commitment demonstrates the growing expertise and care among local beekeepers, who now view hive management as a year-round responsibility.

"Thanks to these improvements, I've seen stronger, more active colonies and a better honey harvest this year," says Timoteo, adding that he now checks his hives regularly after finishing his day job, sometimes treating for small plagues that appear near his apiary. 

Timoteo's commitment demonstrates the growing expertise and care among local beekeepers, who now view hive management as a year-round responsibility.

Stories That Inspire

In Santa María Tzejá, Bertha Ralios Alonzo has become a leading example of resilience and rural women's leadership. With her husband facing health challenges, Bertha had to take over the family apiary, quickly becoming a champion of sustainable honey production. EcoLogic supported her community by providing a honey harvesting kit, which enabled her to avoid renting equipment, as many are forced to do, and paying additional labor fees, making honey harvesting prohibitively expensive. "Before, we had to rent equipment, and the costs were too high. Beekeeping didn't seem worth it," Bertha explains. "Now that we have our own tools, we're motivated to grow." The honey she now produces not only generates income but also supports her husband's health, as she uses it to treat the wounds caused by diabetes.

Bertha's leadership is drawing attention from other women in the nearby communities who want to learn, now recognizing beekeeping as an opportunity for empowerment and economic participation.

Bertha's story not only showcases the health and economic benefits of community-driven beekeeping but also highlights the importance of challenging traditional gender roles in rural livelihoods, as women can play a vital role in climate resilience and local economies when given the opportunity.

Bertha's leadership is drawing attention from other women in the nearby communities who want to learn, now recognizing beekeeping as an opportunity for empowerment and economic participation.

A Pathway to Individual Self-Determination

In addition to preserving and reviving traditional knowledge that has long recognized the delicate balance between humans, pollinators, and the soil, beekeeping in Ixcán is bolstering livelihoods and ecosystems.

For rural and Indigenous communities, beekeeping means fostering a future where communities are not just surviving but thriving on their own terms, empowering women like Bertha to assume leadership roles and creating dignified livelihoods rooted in ecological care.