Honey lovers should know that they have something in common with Ramon Chevugi, a member of the Kuetuvy Indigenous community in one of the most remote corners of Paraguay. Unlike most people however, Ramon doesn’t go to the supermarket to buy honey. He finds it in the forest and takes it directly from nature.

Ramon’s ancestors were hunters and collectors in the fertile lands and abundant forests of Paraguay. Like the other members of the Ache tribe, Ramon used to go deep into the thick forest near his community looking for trees with beehives. After long hours, even days, of searching for this sweet delight, Ramon and the other men in his community would ultimately find a beehive. But they knew this meant a tree had to be sacrificed. The Ache had always harvested honey by bringing down trees to take the honeycomb.

With each machete blow aimed at the ancient trees, Ramon remembered his father’s wisdom. His father had taught Ramon and his brothers that precious honey should be set aside for the youngest children first. “Honey helps them grow strong and healthy,” his father used to say.

Indigenous traditions and even the Guarani language continue to be fundamental pillars of Paraguayan culture. But despite their cultural influence, over three-fourths of Paraguay’s 112,000 Indigenous Peoples live in extreme poverty, with less than $1.50 per day.

Several attempts by government and civil society to improve the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples have failed over time, mostly because the traditions, needs and preferences of local people were not taken into account. USAID/Paraguay is taking a new approach, one that respects ancestral culture and promotes self-determination. We support 10 Indigenous communities, including Kuetuvy (which means Dawn in the ancestral language), to co-create economic development plans that address food security and income generation. One important crop that meets both requirements is honey.

As a result of our mutual collaboration, Ramon no longer needs to throw down trees to obtain honey. USAID has taught men and women, including youth, in his community to use wooden boxes for honey production.

My father was a forest beekeeper; he cut trees and took pure honey to give it to the small children of our community. Now we have boxes where the bees live, and they produce a lot of honey and very tasty, that we can sell at a good price. – Ramon Chevugi

Indigenous woman selling honey at a local market. Credit: Teresa Torres/USAID During its first honey harvest, the Kuetuvy community produced only 10 kilos, but after one year of technical assistance production rose to 300 kilos. Not only have they managed to increase productivity, but they have also improved quality. Honey from Kuetuvy is now so good that it won first prize as “The Best Honey” in Paraguay’s 2017 National Apiculture Contest.

In addition to having more honey for children and for those with a sweet tooth like Ramon, Kuetuvy now sells its surplus at a fair price in local markets.

We believe that our joint collaboration with the 3,000 Indigenous families like Ramon’s will allow Indigenous communities to maintain their traditions and ancestral knowledge, while improving their livelihoods and providing them with a steady source of income for years to come.

For more information, see ABC Color’s article on the Kuetuvy indigenous community’s honey production (in Spanish).