In northeastern Peru, women beekeepers have leveraged UN climate funding to rescue their hives from the threats of climate change. Located in the Andes, the beekeepers have tackled severe weather impacts and built a sustainable honey business. Through adaptive strategies and community support, they are transforming environmental challenges into opportunities for empowerment and resilience.
In northeastern Peru, a group of determined women beekeepers has effectively utilized United Nations climate financing to safeguard their beekeeping enterprises amidst the challenges posed by climate change. Situated in Chilal de la Merced, a village located over 2,600 meters above sea level in the Andes, these women have demonstrated resilience and innovation in the face of severe weather patterns resulting from global warming. The village, home to approximately 800 residents, has recently faced detrimental climatic events such as intense rainfall, droughts, frosts, and hailstorms. These extreme conditions have negatively affected the local bee population’s capacity to forage for essential nectar and pollen, leading to significant losses. “When we checked the hives, we found the boxes full of dead bees,” recounted Karina Villalobos, the 28-year-old spokesperson for the Hojuelas de Miel beekeeping association. In response to declining bee populations, Villalobos and 14 fellow beekeepers applied for a grant from Avanzar Rural, a program initiated by the Peruvian government in collaboration with the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This program aims to support small-scale food producers residing in rural regions vulnerable to climate change. After ascertaining $27,000 in climate funding, the beekeepers encountered urgent challenges, as their hives were nearing destruction. To combat these issues, Hojuelas de Miel adopted proactive strategies, including the feeding of their bees with nutritionally enriched syrup to mitigate food shortages. Furthermore, utilizing the grant, they cultivated native vegetation such as arum lilies and coffee plants around the hives, plants that are more resilient to climate fluctuations. With these efforts, they extended the bees’ foraging grounds into nearby forested areas. Amidst the backdrop of global climate policy dialogues, it is noteworthy that less than 2 percent of international climate finance is designated for rural communities, small-scale farmers, and Indigenous groups, a fact highlighted by Juan Diego Ruiz of IFAD. Particularly challenging for women, such as Villalobos, is obtaining funding, as land ownership typically resides with men, discouraging financial lending. In the past four years, the Avanzar Rural initiative has successfully funded 1,031 small businesses across Peru, positively impacting 17,557 individuals. The program has received a total investment of $69 million, combining resources from IFAD and the Peruvian government. For the Chilal de la Merced beekeepers, they were required to provide 10 percent of their business plan’s costs upfront, amounting to $3,800. This investment facilitated the acquisition of essential beekeeping equipment and advisory services. Operating 89 beehives, the association now generates approximately $13,000 annually. Villalobos expressed her pride in their achievements: “Today we are empowered and resilient women.”
This article discusses the transformative impact of climate finance on women beekeepers in Peru, specifically focusing on the challenges posed by climate change and the strategies adopted to overcome these adversities. The initiative highlights the importance of financial support for rural communities in adapting to changing environmental conditions, and it underscores the gender disparities in accessing funding within agricultural sectors.
The successful intervention of climate funding in Peru’s beekeeping sector exemplifies the vital role of financial support in fostering resilience among vulnerable populations facing climate challenges. The collaboration between local communities and organizations such as IFAD underscores the necessity to enhance funding opportunities for women, ultimately leading to improved livelihoods and ecosystem sustainability.
Original Source: www.france24.com
