PAUAL - Pegueños Apicultores Unidos de América Latina

by Michéle Zufferey, Switzerland

PAUAL is an association of 11 beekeeping organisations from Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Uruguay. Through relationships with alternative trade organisations, these groups were made aware of the existence of each other and with time became curious to know more about each other and to exchange experiences and ideas.

By their own initiative they first met in September 1994 in Mexico. In spite of differences they arrived at the conclusion that they all faced similar problems:

- lack of information or difficult access to information from Europe;

- no cash (and difficulty in obtaining credit);

- structural problems;

- the need to improve their beekeeping know-how;

- a bad price for their honey and no direct contact with conventional honey importers.

The decision was taken to create an association that would allow information to flow between its members. Each group had its own experiences and had developed interesting strategies that would be useful if shared. linked A network also gives strength to the promotion of beekeeping in the countries concerned.

PAUAL is composed of five national networks, each with a representative. This person co-ordinates activities, transmits information to member organisations, and also returns information to the General Secretary of PAUAL.

The activities at the international level are to centralise and distribute information from Latin America, to organise a yearly meeting of PAUAL representatives, to inform groups about European market standards (quality, prices, potential buyers), to put members in contact with interested and interesting organisations (beekeeping experts, bio-certifying organisations, NGOs) and to do fund raising.

PAUAL is not a closed association: on the contrary it is interested to share information with other beekeeping groups. PAUAL functions on voluntary basis. Decisions on financial participation for members or interested organisations will be taken in October 1996.

Groups interested to join PAUAL should write to, PAUAL Europa, Switzerland

Additional information on PAUAL in French and Spanish can be obtained by writing to Bees for Development