The bee plays a key role in the natural environment and the productive agri-food ecosystem as a pollinator of plants. Specifically, 90% of flowering plants and 71% of plants responsible for producing 90% of food depend directly on bees for pollination and reproduction.
Unfortunately, bees are at risk as human intervention and climate change create serious problems for bee populations, which can lead to severe consequences for ecosystem balance and global food security. According to the UN, current species extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal, and 35% of invertebrate pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, and about 17% of vertebrate pollinators, such as bats, are globally threatened with extinction.
Because the role of bees is extremely important for our survival, the UN has established May 20 as “World Bee Day.”
For New Agriculture New Generation, the beekeeping sector is of particular interest, and it systematically invests in its complete transformation through the optimization of endemic genetic material and the training of thousands of professional beekeepers across Greece. Although our country has significant room for improvement, it remains an important honey producer with an annual production of approximately 30,000 tons.
New Agriculture New Generation has implemented 11 programs for beekeeping from 2018 to the present. These programs include beekeeper training, beekeeper training programs on queen rearing, as well as the demonstration and implementation of royal cell inoculations for the production of quality queens, selected genetic material from trained queen breeders to hundreds of beekeepers in the areas of Evia and Thessaly. Our programs have given special emphasis to supporting the affected areas of Thessaly (from storms “Ianos” and “Daniel”) and Evia, which was affected by devastating fires in 2021.
In the current beekeeping season, thousands of royal cells are being delivered free of charge in Thessaly. Additionally, a bee feed mixer was purchased and delivered to the Istiéa Beekeeping Cooperative “The Hive,” and a beekeeping park with a capacity of approximately 15 positions and 4,000 hives has been created in the Noel-Baker private forest in Northern Evia, thanks to the organization.
One of our most important programs is queen rearing, as the queen plays a primary role in a hive. Queen rearing, or the production of quality new queens from selected and endemic genetic material, contributes to the creation of strong, productive colonies. At the same time, it strengthens endemic bee breeds, which are better adapted to our local environment. It is very important that those trained as queen breeders can gain additional income from practicing this profession.
For example, 17 specialized queen breeders trained in the successful program “Queen Rearing: Utilization, Conservation, and Improvement of Bee Genetic Material in Thessaly” performed more than 800 inoculations during 2022 and 2023. This action has already received significant awards in Greece, such as the Bravo Sustainability Award 2022 in the “Ecosystem and Biodiversity Protection” category and the GOLD Environmental Award in the “Sustainable Agriculture” category.
Of course, our organization’s training also covers other themes of production optimization and emphasizes adopting practices to address climate change.
It should also be noted that many beekeepers have participated in other programs of our organization, such as the agri-food business acceleration program “Agroanélixis-Farmers of the Future” and “TrophyΤροφή,” through which they gained access to new business techniques, advisory support, and new networks of partners. Many of the businesses that participated in these programs are now healthy, outward-looking units.
The bee, with the honey it offers us and its pollination role, needs our protection. At New Agriculture New Generation, we know very well its role, which is why we will continue to be actively involved in the beekeeping sector.
