At 57 years old, most people would start to slow down. But for Eventir Cal, life has taken on a whole new rhythm thanks to some very tiny, very busy partners: bees.
For years, Eventir relied on traditional milpa farming, using ancient Mayan techniques to grow maize, beans, squash, and vegetables to feed his family of nine. Farming in the lush, forested lands of southern Belize was more than a livelihood; it was a way of life deeply rooted in Indigenous knowledge and connection to the land.
Then came the accident.
Eventir suffered a serious injury that left his mobility impaired, making it nearly impossible to reach the communal fields where he once farmed. Facing the unthinkable, he knew he had to adapt, not just for himself but for his family.
That’s when the bees entered his life, as shared in an FAO feature story.
With support from the Ya’axché Conservation Trust, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Eventir began learning about agroforestry and beekeeping, forest-friendly ways of farming that could be done closer to home and in harmony with the environment.
He took part in beekeeping workshops alongside 35 other producers in the Maya Golden Landscape, learning how to select hive sites, care for bees, and harvest honey. With a spark of determination, he set up his own apiaries just steps from his home.
Within two years, Eventir’s bees were thriving, and so was he.
“I watch over them, and they watch over me,” he says with a smile. “They’ve helped me continue providing for my family without harming the forest I love.”
And it’s not just honey. With the increased pollination from his buzzing friends, Eventir’s fruit and vegetable crops are growing better than ever. He even keeps stingless bees, a native species highly prized by the Maya for their medicinal honey. Though they produce less, their golden nectar is so sought-after, “new jars fly off the shelf within a day,” he says proudly.
But the journey hasn’t been without challenges. In 2024, wildfires swept through southern Belize, burning for six devastating weeks and destroying over 20,000 hectares of land. Eventir lost an entire harvest, and two bee colonies fled the smoke.
Did he give up? Not even close.
With help from the FAO-GEF project, Eventir rebuilt his apiaries and is now rebuilding his bee colonies. What’s more, he’s become a community educator, teaching neighbours to safely relocate wild bees instead of destroying them.
“Before, people would burn the bees because they didn’t know what else to do,” he explains. “Now they call me, and I take them to a safe place.”
Today, Eventir Cal is more than a farmer. He’s a conservationist, a teacher, and a local hero.
