Environmental perception of beekeepers: challenges of the current beekeeping scene in the interior of São Paulo

Abstract

Mortality and the disappearance of bees have been increasingly frequent in the world, consequently affecting the beekeeping activity that has significant importance in the environmental, social and economic spheres in Brazil. The objective of this research was to understand the main challenges that beekeeping currently faces from the perspective of beekeepers in the region of Matão, in the interior of São Paulo. The beekeepers were selected through the "snowball" technique and participated in a semi-structured interview that addressed the social, economic and environmental spheres of beekeeping. The perception of beekeepers was analyzed through Discursive Textual Analysis and indicated the current system of agricultural production, based on extensive areas of monocultures and intensive use of pesticides, as the main problem faced to maintain the beekeeping activity. The beekeepers perceived the environment considering the human being as an integral part of nature, being affected by their own actions. They were aware of the important role of bees in the balance of the ecosystem and in the production of food. The reports presented demonstrate the real concern with environmental health, emphasizing the government's lack of commitment to the preservation of natural resources in favor of a self-destructive agricultural and industrial production system.