Casa Apis - Central de Cooperativas Apicolas do Semi-Arido Brasileiro, was founded on June 2nd 2005, in the city of Picos, state of Piaui. It’s administrative structure and bylaws are in accordance with PROMEL - development program of supply chain involving poor populations, an innovative model of social organization for rural families.
Casa Apis constitutes the foundation for collaboration between five affiliated cooperatives, united to achieve broad and equitable performance in all areas of the production and supply chain, and to ensure sustainable development.
Casa Apis is a supportive, economically viable, socially fair and environmentally correct venture aimed to strengthen family agriculture in the Northeast Brazil. Initially it aims to populations in the states of Piauí and Ceará, but medium-and long-term goals are to involve several other municipalities in the Brazilian semi-arid region. It offers a modern industrial plant and infrastructure for the producing, processing and marketing of organic honey, as well as technical assistance and training to associated cooperatives.
The concept of a central cooperative was the solution found by the group of small farmers from the Northeast region, who have beekeeping as their main or only subsistence activity. They realized the individual commercialization of their productions was the main risk factor to their sustainable growth and as the biggest obstacle to reach new markets, whether because of individual low volume and irregular supply or because low quality standards since the majority of beekeepers don’t have resources or enough motivation to make the required investments.
Therefore, the project devised a model of entrepreneurship, based on the principles of solidarity economy, with a management structure and bylaws defined after extensive discussions among the associated cooperatives. With the ethical principles and fair value, the raw material producers, until then the weakest link in the supply chain of beekeeping, stated having greater participation in the final economic result.
SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Casa Apis uses principles of organic production, establishing as a priority the environmental sustainability and, since the beginning, has been focusing on promoting the care for the environment among its members as a way of life in their organization and production means. Today, beekeepers believe that social development is only complete when associated with the protection and care for the environment.
The honey produced by beekeepers from Casa Apis, as well as most of the honey produced in state of Piaui, comes from native forests, therefore the conservation of those forests is the beekeeper’s responsibility, since their livelihood depends on them.
BENEFITS
Currently, Casa Apis is composed of five beekeeper’s cooperatives from the state of Piaui with over 900 families that have beekeeping as their main source of income and livelihood. Equipped with 28 honey extraction facilities strategically distributed in 34 municipalities covered by Casa Apis project, they receive, centrifuge and filter the honey directly from beekeepers. A 15,000 square feet modern and well-equipped central industrial unit located in the Industrial District of Picos (PI) processes and markets the total production of approximately 1,500 tons per year depending on weather conditions.
GOALS
Strengthen the social organization of Casa Apis and "empowerment" of the project by the associated beekeepers, through the process of learning and understanding bylaws that governs the central cooperative and participation in the decisions. Collective actions and efforts aim to the economic sustainability of the project and each participant individually, as well as to contribute decisively to preservation of the environment and increase the educational level of all the people involved with the project;
Increase in the average income of the families associated with Casa Apis, thought direct participation in the economic results, by adding value to the product (honey) when selling it as retail or bulk, while creating a strong brand and name recognition in the markets. As a result, improve the quality of life of the small beekeepers and their families;
-Reduce the rural exodus in the semi-desert region of Northeast Brazil.
MISSION
Organize, empower and train the beekeepers, enabling them to work throughout the entire supply chain, adding quality and value to their products, providing fair profits to return to the productive base.
VISION
Be a supportive venture recognized for its competitiveness, social inclusion and promotion of sustainable development.