Peruvian Women Beekeepers Determined To Save Bees Die From Impact Of Climate Change

Cajamarca (Peru): In the mountains of Cajamarca, in Northeastern Peru, an unseasonal rainy season is preventing bees from leaving the hives to sustain themselves. 

The apiaries are failing, but a group of women beekeepers find a lifeline for the bees through a small forest nursery. "We are organised like a beehive, because if the queen is present, she gives the strength. 

"We are all in," says Karina Villalobos, spokeswoman for the Hojuelas de Miel women's group. Hojuelas de Miel spokesperson, Karina Villalobos said, "There was a lot of rain, and we reached a point where the bees were dying. When we checked the hives, we found the boxes full of dead bees. This has been a tremendous difficulty for us." 

"For us, it was very difficult (to obtain a financial credit) because we didn’t have any documentation stating that we owned the land. At that time, everything belonged to him, as the man was the head of the land documentation." "Now we feel like stronger women, empowered women who respond to challenges," she added.

Chief of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (FIDA), Juan Diego Ruiz said, "Access to financing is one of the key factors. While it is not the only one, it is highly significant. According to international climate finance flows, this is an important fact, less than 2% is directly dedicated to working with rural communities."

"The financial inclusion instruments we discussed at the community level, those that work best, with significant differences and comparative evidence, are the ones led and managed by women," he added.