Seeing the Trigona Bee Cultivation in Semen Baturaja's Post-Mining Land

The 30.14-hectare post-mining land owned by PT Semen Baturaja Tbk, a subsidiary of SIG, in Baturaja Barat District, Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Regency, South Sumatra, which has undergone reclamation, has now become a home for trigona bee colonies since their cultivation began in July 2021.

Trigona bees are one of the best stingless bee genera known for producing the highest bee pollen content. Trigona honey is slightly dark and not transparent, with a unique taste combining sweetness, acidity, and bitterness. Apart from being renowned as the top honey producer, trigona bees are also the world's best propolis producers. Trigona bee cultivation is relatively easy, making them widely kept by rural communities around forest areas.

The reclamation and reforestation program carried out by Semen Baturaja using silviculture methods has successfully transformed the post-mining land into a lush area rich in various plant species, especially flowering ornamental plants favored by the bee colonies. Currently, there are at least 30 plant species with a total of 11,344 trees planted, including kaliandra, cemara, flamboyan, durian, mango, longan, rukam, jackfruit, trembesi, mahogany, and matoa.

Vita Mahreyni, the Corporate Secretary of SIG, stated that trigona bee cultivation is an innovation by Semen Baturaja to aid the pollination process of plants in the post-mining reclamation area while also serving as a honey producer. Furthermore, it is an effort to enhance biodiversity in the post-mining reclamation area of Baturaja Factory, which is expected to provide both economic and ecological value.

"Bees are not only beneficial to human health through the honey they produce but also to the survival of humans and other biodiversity. Bees play a crucial role as the main pollinators of plants for food production while supporting the growth of plants that serve as food and shelter for other creatures," said Vita Mahreyni.

Vita Mahreyni added that the post-mining reclamation area of Baturaja Factory, which is planted with various plant species, is a potential site for trigona bee cultivation, particularly flowering ornamental plants that contain abundant nectar and pollen and are highly favored by the bee colonies. Currently, there are 45 bee colonies distributed across 3 locations, including 18 colonies in the nursery area (greenhouse), 19 colonies in disposal reclamation area 1, and 8 colonies in disposal reclamation area 2.

The honey harvesting process is carried out every 2-3 months, and each colony can produce 0.5 to 1 liter of honey. From July 2021 to May 2023, harvesting has been conducted 10 times, consistently showing increasing yields.

"The May 2023 harvest resulted in 12.5 liters of honey, marking an increase from the initial harvest in September 2021, which yielded 2.3 liters. We hope that trigona bee cultivation continues to thrive, creating economic value not only for the company but also for various stakeholders," said Vita Mahreyni.

Trigona bee cultivation in the post-mining land of Baturaja Factory is an innovation by Semen Baturaja's employees that has received recognition both nationally and internationally. Awards include an Excellent rank at the International Quality & Productivity Convention (IQPC) held in Bali on October 22–27, 2022, and a Platinum rank at the National Quality & Productivity Workshop (TKMPN) XXV in 2021.