11/05/2026
Happy Monday!
Did you know that the Ogiek people, one of Kenya’s Indigenous forest communities, have practiced traditional honey harvesting for generations deep within the Mau Forest?
For the Ogiek community, honey is more than food. It is culture, identity, medicine, and a sacred connection to the forest. Using Indigenous knowledge passed down through generations, they carefully make traditional log hives from selected indigenous trees and place them high up in the forest where bees naturally thrive. Harvesting is done sustainably and respectfully, ensuring both the bees and the forest ecosystem are protected.
Recognizing the importance of preserving this unique heritage, the Ogiek Honey Slow Food Presidium was launched in 2015 by Slow Food to support the Ogiek community in protecting the Mau Forest ecosystem, safeguarding Indigenous knowledge, and improving livelihoods through sustainable honey production.
The Presidium is not just about honey. It is about protecting culture, forests, pollinators, and Indigenous food systems that hold important lessons for climate resilience and agroecology. Every drop of Ogiek honey tells a story of heritage, resilience, and harmony with nature.
Have you ever tasted authentic forest honey before?
Slow Food International Agroecology Fund Biovision Foundation