Bees don’t just make honey. According to experts from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), one-third of global food production depends on these insects. They pollinate over 70% of the world’s crops, from fruits to vegetables. However, they face several threats, including pesticide use and climate change. Therefore, working with bees is an opportunity to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in a practical and critical way, addressing real-world challenges.
With that in mind, the STEM project with an environmental focus “Abejas polinizadoras” project created a prototype to measure bee populations and their relationship with the quality of Andean raspberry (Rubus glaucus), a fruit native to the José María Vargas region in Táchira, Venezuela. The innovation, developed by four students, was a regional finalist in the 2024 edition of Solve for Tomorrow – Central America and Caribbean region, involving 11 countries: Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
The participants were fifth-year students, the final level of mandatory schooling. Their school, Liceo Nacional Fermín Ruiz Valero, has a track record of environmental projects, including previous Solve for Tomorrow entries. The mediator teacher Anderson Pérez, a specialist in Biology and Chemistry, recalls that the students initially chose bees as their subject. “But I told them it was too broad, so we looked for ways the project could also benefit the municipality and help farmers improve product quality,” he observes.
In their community, like many farming regions, pollinators and biodiversity are at risk due to excessive agrochemical use. So, the first step was to identify factors affecting bees’ wellbeing like temperature and humidity.
The final prototype went from being in a cardboard box to a plastic box made using 3D printing. The team paid attention to detail: they made it yellow because it attracts bees and added sugar to make it even more appealing. The sensors built into the device measure parameters such as quantity, temperature, and humidity, which are displayed on an LED screen.
Laboratory analyses were conducted in collaboration with experts, and the team also had the support of an agricultural engineer. “With this support, they were able to establish the purpose of creating a prototype to count the bee population. The idea, in the end, was to have a small device that could be installed anywhere in the crop,” says Pérez. The box has an entrance door and an exit door. By monitoring the bees’ movements, the prototype can count how many are inside the device at any given time.
In addition, to make the STEM project with an environmental focus, they also received support from the National Experimental University of Táchira for more technical knowledge and from a robotics academy in a nearby city for the assembly of the prototype. “They provided us with personalized attention to manufacture the prototype, design the box, and install the cable network. They also gave a class to the students so that they could operate the equipment themselves,” he adds.
The system connects via bluetooth to an APK (Android Application Package), which is a file format used to install programs on the Android operating system. In this way, it transmits production information to farmers in real time.
And why is it important to monitor the bees? Well, the professor explains that it is to ensure high blackberry production and fruit quality. “If there are no bees, that is a warning to producers that blackberry production is likely to decline,” he concludes.
The STEM project with an environmental focus requires empathy
Although they kept in mind the goal of improving production, the students did not forget about the bees’ quality of life. To provide more comfort for them, it was necessary to limit the number inside the box. Thus, it is not enough to simply control how many of these insects enter, but also to close the entrance to others once a maximum number is reached. In theory, this seems easy, but the material of the device has little adhesion. Therefore, they had difficulty positioning the pulleys that would open the gate. The servomotor could not be fixed properly and the pulleys came loose. Another challenge was calibrating the timing so that it could open at a specific moment. With a lot of testing, perseverance, and the help of allies, they managed to use programming to organize the circuits and make them work in the best possible way.
The project can be replicated in other communities and countries to increase the resilience of diverse agricultural ecosystems, generate income for families, and support food security. “All the experiences we have had as educators in a country with limitations like ours have taught us a lot. Seeing a small group of students from a town like this makes us feel proud,” he says.
The testing phase was carried out on a blackberry farm in the municipality. At first, they chose several production areas, but they realized that each one had different climate conditions and that the number of bees could vary depending on that, so they decided to focus on just one.
It was nice to share with them that experience of going directly to reality, going into the field, says the teacher.
Dealing with these landowners was an exercise in communication for the students, adds the teacher: “The way they communicated the project’s objectives and procedures made the farmers willing to open their doors to the team.”
Learning for teaching
According to the educator, this work had a positive impact throughout the municipality. “The other students who have not received this training from Solve for Tomorrow are now telling me that they want to participate,” he adds.
Pérez has some advice for his fellow teachers: “There is no formula. But we have to be eager to learn more. We can’t just stop at a bachelor’s degree; we have to continue learning in order to teach.”
And, to engage students, a starting point could be to take advantage of commemorative dates, such as World Bee Day (May 20) and World Environment Day (June 5), to make a STEM project with an environmental focus.
