The Honey Portal is an initiative through Keystone Foundation in Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu. This website is dedicated to spreading awareness about the honeybees native to India and across Southeast Asia as well as information about honey, local conservation needs and efforts, and the indigenous communities/tribes that are represented in these areas.

The main indigenous groups represented are mainly those who have maintained a traditional practice of collecting honey from the wild for over 2000 years. This tradition has not only been a source of food and recently income, but is also deeply incorporated into the cultural and spiritual aspects of the lives of these various indigenous communities. Alongside the details about honey hunting  there will also be information about beekeeping, as it relates to areas or regions that are practicing it. The honey category will discuss the natural components and common uses of honey. And the conservation category will describe the local ecosystems/reserves and the natural support they give, as well as why it is crucial to support them back.

Ultimately, all of these categories (honey, honeybees, indigenous communities, and conservation) are locally interconnected in their regions. To understand one, it is imperative to understand the others. For now, this honey portal incorporates information from a few parts of India. The goal is to continue to grow the information from other regions of India and South East Asia that are involved with honey, alongside the other aspects previously mentioned – honey hunting practices in conjunction with conservation and local uses of honey. This is the beginning of the honey portal. Let’s see how it grows.

 

 

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