The Wasur National Park and FORCLIME facilitated a forest farmers group from the village of Yanggadur, Merauke in an exchange of knowledge with village administrators and the Buana Sari honeybee farmers group from the village of Yeh Sumbul in Jembrana Regency, Bali. The Forest Farmers Group (KTH) from Yanggadur is one of the KTH that is currently being assisted by FORCLIME and Wasur National Park, which operates a bee cultivation business. The visit, which took place on 4 September 2022, was also attended by forest farmer groups from the villages of Tablasupa, Dosai, Maribu, Pasir 6 and Wasur. The group was well received by the village head Yeh Sumbul, Mr. I Putu Gede Diantariksa, S.T. and the event was also attended by the Head of the Jembrana Regency Investment, One-Stop Integrated Service and Manpower Service, Mr. Made Gede Budhiarta, SSTP, M.S., as well as a by facilitator from the Jembrana Regency Agriculture and Food Service.

The Buana Sari group has 34 members who are engaged in the farming of the Apis mellifera and Trigona bee species. Apis mellifera bees are capable of producing large amounts of honey and are also easier to breed. The group produces a number of varieties of honey, including royal jelly and bee pollen. In addition, the group also sells colonies of honey bees. During the meeting, a member of the Bali Branch of the Indonesian Entrepreneurs Association, I Made Dwi Suwardi, offered an explanation of the honeybee cultivation business that included the marketing of products. One interesting fact about this group is its innovative production of a so-called super queen bee. Through the use of easily available and inexpensive materials, the group has conducted several trials aimed at the ultimate production of said super queen bee. After receiving an explanation of how to produce super queen honeybees, the participants visited a marketing gallery that displayed the Buana Sari Group’s products.

"Witnessing what the Buana Sari Group has done, I am motivated to develop and improve our production of Trigona honey, including the production of honey from the Apis melifera bee, which can hopefully be realized in the future," explained Mrs. Rosalina Pinto Ndimar (a representative from the Empi Wai Tetepu group from the village of Yanggandur).

For more information, please contact:
Theodora F. Resubun, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua Province
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces