Terik siang yang menyengat, Melyasie berdiri di antara deretan stup kelulut di Kabun Paung Himba Lewu (KAPHIL). Dengan perlahan ia membuka satu per satu tutup stup, memastikan koloni kelulut tetap aktif dan madu tersimpan rapi pada log atau kotak kayu. KAPHIL merupakan kawasan restorasi gambut yang dikelola bersama oleh KpSHK dan Lembaga Pengelola Hutan Desa (LPHD) Buntoi. Kawasan ini dikembangkan sebagai lahan percontohan pengelolaan gambut berbasis masyarakat, tempat budidaya madu kelulut dijalankan berdampingan dengan upaya pemulihan ekosistem.
Kotak-kotak kayu berukuran 40 x 20 x 15 cm berjejer rapi, lebah-lebah kelulut hilir-mudik melalui lubang sarang. Dengungan yang dihasilkan dari kepak sayap mereka, menambah keriuhan petak-petak setup. “Dulu tempat ini sepi, stup sering hilang, lebahnya pun pergi,” kenang Melyasie, anggota KUPS Madu Buntoi.
Bertahun-tahun lalu, budidaya kelulut di Buntoi berjalan tanpa arah. Peralatan seadanya, kelompok belum solid, pemasaran hanya mengandalkan pameran dan titipan ke kerabat. Kadar air madu bisa mencapai 90 persen terlalu encer untuk diterima pasar. Bantuan memang pernah datang, tetapi karena tanpa pelatihan, peralatan hanya teronggok berdebu.
Perubahan baru terasa setelah Program Inisiatif Kahayan Hilir (IKH). Bukan bantuan barang yang datang lebih dulu, melainkan pengetahuan dan pendampingan. Antara 2022 hingga 2024, pelatihan digelar bertahap, mulai dari penyusunan rencana usaha, pemasaran, pengelolaan keuangan, teknik budidaya, identifikasi pakan, hingga pengolahan produk. Pertemuan bulanan menjadi ruang evaluasi bersama. “Dulu pegang alat saja bingung. Sekarang bisa budidaya, panen, menyaring, mengemas, bahkan menjual madu sendiri,” ujar Melyasie bangga.
Melyasih dan Marteti, Perempuan Penggiat KUPS Madu Buntoi. Sumber foto: KPSHK.
Tahun 2025 menjadi titik penguatan sarana. Setelah bekal pengetahuan dianggap cukup, satu per satu sarang baru bermunculan di pekarangan anggota dan sudut-sudut KAPHIL. KPSHK menambah amunisi produksi dengan menyalurkan 19 stup baru untuk KUPS Madu Buntoi, 15 untuk Kelurahan Kalawa, dan 16 untuk KAPHIL di Desa Mantaren 1. Tak hanya kotak sarang yang dikirim, juga perlengkapan pendukung, seperti puluhan tutup stup, tiang penyangga dari kayu ulin agar tidak mudah roboh, hingga papan alas agar struktur tetap kokoh saat hujan mengguyur.
Restorasi hutan gambut juga berarti menghidupkan kembali sumber pangan lebah. Di sekitar demplot, bibit kaliandra ditanam mengitari lahan menjadi kebun bunga masa depan yang akan menyediakan nektar sepanjang tahun dan menstabilkan kelembapan gambut.
Perlahan, udidaya kelulut bukan lagi sekadar upaya ekonomi, melainkan bentuk ekonomi lokal berbasis restorasi gambut, sebuah model yang tumbuh dari prinsip menjaga agar dapat hidup layak. Kelulut memang hidup di stup, tetapi keberlangsungannya bergantung pada lanskap gambut yang lembap, rimbun, dan bebas api. Kelulut menjadi penghubung antara kelestarian dan kesejahteraan. Kesabaran dalam merawat sarang menghadirkan penghasilan, komitmen menjaga gambut memastikan keberlanjutan.
Setiap tetes madu memberi pesan sederhana, masa depan gambut tidak hanya tentang kebakaran atau konflik lahan tetapi tentang harapan manis yang tumbuh dari tangan warga desa yang memilih memulihkan, bukan merusak.
In the scorching midday heat, Melyasie stood among rows of stingless bee hives in Kabun Paung Himba Lewu (KAPHIL). She slowly opened each hive’s lid, ensuring the stingless bee colony remained active and the honey was stored neatly in its logs or wooden boxes. KAPHIL is a peatland restoration area jointly managed by the KpSHK (Peatland Conservation and Conservation Agency) and the Buntoi Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD). This area was developed as a pilot project for community-based peatland management, where stingless bee cultivation runs alongside ecosystem restoration efforts.
The wooden boxes, measuring 40 x 20 x 15 cm, were neatly lined up, and stingless bees flitted back and forth through the nest holes. The buzzing sound of their flapping wings added to the din of the hives. “This place used to be quiet, the hives often disappeared, and the bees disappeared,” recalled Melyasie, a member of the Buntoi Honey KUPS.
Years ago, stingless bee cultivation in Buntoi was aimless. Equipment was rudimentary, the group wasn’t yet solid, and marketing relied solely on exhibitions and consignments from relatives. The honey’s moisture content could reach 90 percent, too watery for the market. Assistance did arrive, but without training, the equipment simply sat gathering dust.
Changes were only felt after the Kahayan Hilir Initiative Program (IKH). It wasn’t material aid that arrived first, but rather knowledge and mentoring. Between 2022 and 2024, training was held in stages, covering business plan development, marketing, financial management, cultivation techniques, feed identification, and product processing. Monthly meetings served as a space for joint evaluation. “Before, I was confused about just holding the equipment. Now I can cultivate, harvest, filter, package, and even sell my own honey,” Melyasie said proudly.
Melyasih and Marteti, Women Activists of KUPS Madu Buntoi. Photo source: KPSHK.
2025 marked the year of strengthening facilities. Once the knowledge base was deemed sufficient, new hives began to emerge one by one in members’ yards and throughout KAPHIL. KPSHK increased its production capacity by distributing 19 new hives for KUPS Madu Buntoi, 15 for Kalawa Subdistrict, and 16 for KAPHIL in Mantaren 1 Village. They delivered not only hive boxes but also supporting equipment, such as dozens of hive covers, ironwood support poles to prevent collapse, and even baseboards to ensure the structure remains sturdy during heavy rain.
Peatland forest restoration also means reviving the bees’ food source. Calliandra seedlings are planted around the plot, encircling the land to create a future flower garden that will provide year-round nectar and stabilize peat moisture.
Slowly, kelulut cultivation is no longer just a financial endeavor, but a local economy based on peat restoration, a model that grows from the principle of maintaining a decent living. Kelulut do live in hives, but their survival depends on a moist, lush, and fire-free peat landscape. Kelulut serve as a link between sustainability and well-being. Patience in caring for the hives generates income, while commitment to peatland conservation ensures sustainability.
Every drop of honey conveys a simple message: the future of peatlands is not just about fires or land conflicts, but about the sweet hope that grows from the hands of villagers who choose to restore, not destroy.
Author: Alam
Editor: Kiss
Add a Comment