The Jardineiras da Floresta Project implants hives of Jataí bees(Tetragonisca angustula) in the Café com Floresta woods – IPÊ’s Agroforestry Systems project. The goal is to increase the pollination of crops, enabling another income opportunity for the settled producer, by inserting him in the production of swarms and beekeeping products.

Keeping bees makes it possible to produce various products – in addition to honey and propolis – which have great properties and are widely used in folk medicine.

In 2016, 80 hives were set up for 20 producers working with Coffee and Forest SAFs. In addition, IPÊ promoted two Meliponiculture courses for settlers in Pontal do Paranapanema.

With the project, the properties where jataí bees are implemented will be compared to properties with traditional systems, in order to measure the evolution of the plantations. In addition, the units with stingless bees will serve as tools for technical training and energizing producers and other technical professionals.