A holistic approach that includes social cohesion, accessibility to means of production, policies and nutritional education is widely recognized as needed to fight food insecurity in the world. By investigating the surprising achievements of the Heifer International projects in the rural areas of Mexican states such as Veracruz and Chiapas, this article advances the theory of a multiplier effect given by beekeeping if inserted in a wider food and economic security project. Beekeeping is not only functional as integrator of family income in rural families, but it also provides a healthy sugar source, environmental sensitisation, women empowerment, social cohesion and lots of sub-products for healthcare and cosmetics. Such a huge impact on families has, in fact, to be added to the general positive impact of beekeeping on biodiversity and climate change. The introduction gives a review of the concept of food and economic security for rural families. The second part portraits the complexity and inequality of Mexico in both its economic and nutritional environment. In the last part the Heifer International project structure and goals are explained, followed by an analysis of the data collected as well as an illustration of the impact of this project over the economy, the society and the environment.
by Giuliana Vinci, Mattia Rapa, Federico Roscioli