Meli Bees Network

Meli Bees Network engages and strengthens communities developing regenerative practices in the Brazilian Amazon.

Through what it calls “relationships of trust”, the network supports communities to maintain and/or further develop regenerative practices. The network aims to create positive impacts on local biodiversity, community resilience, education and cultural heritage protection, food sovereignty and economic security, community science and international visibility. Meli is inspired by the meliponini bees (stingless bee species native to tropical and subtropical regions around the globe) which through the production and gathering of their food provide vital ecosystem services that allow their habitat to thrive.

Currently, Meli engages 30 communities (16 smallholder, 10 Indigenous and 4 Quilombola communities). With these communities, the network has:

• Started regenerative agriculture in 35ha of previously degraded land
• Started three native beekeeping areas with +100 beehives in total
• Supported 10 indigenous villages (+500.000ha) to protect their primary forest
• Developed multiple workshops on traditional storytelling, native beekeeping and regenerative agriculture.

Meli Bees is a growing network and is open to welcome new communities which show an interest in developing regenerative activities. Meli Bees Network gUG is registered in Germany where it focuses on the development of a decolonial form of international cooperation, establishing international partnerships and fundraising. The organisation is also starting a global movement, as community leaders that met through Meli’s activities are now starting an independent Brazilian association that will strengthen their governance and autonomy.