Bridging traditional knowledge with mainstream technology to sustain cultural and biological diversity in the product development of wild honey: Focus on the indigenous peoples of the Palawan Biosphere Reserve, Philippines

Abstract

Declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1991, the Palawan Biosphere Reserve in the Philippines is a biologically diverse province and home to a number of Indigenous Peoples particularly the Pala’wan, Tagbanua and Batak tribes. These IPs are dependent on their traditional wildlife hunting and gathering practices for food. The province-wide federation of the Indigenous Peoples, the Nagkakaisang Mga Tribung Palawan (NATRIPAL) or the United Tribes of Palawan, is undertaking projects in the area of education, health, organizing, advocacy and livelihood programs towards building a better future for the tribal peoples. A key initiative is the development for the mainstream market of specialty products such as the wild honey traditionally gathered for household consumption and at a limited scale for the local market. The opportunities, challenges and strategies in the development of this specialty product based on customary knowledge and practices of gathering enhanced by mainstream technology and enterprise management scheme(s) is discussed in the context of sustaining cultural and biological diversity of the indigenous peoples of Palawan Biosphere Reserve.