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It is with great pleasure and honour that I am attending this excellent event of the Bee Festival that is taking place here, in the village of Ora, a village with a great tradition in beekeeping.
The 20th of May every year, at the suggestion of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association, has been declared "World Bee Day" by UN resolution, in order to remind the world public of the benefits of bees and other pollinators to humans, the environment and culture, and to promote actions for their protection.
For centuries bees, among the hardest working creatures on the planet, have benefited humans, plants and the environment alike. Considering that 84% of plant species and 76% of food production in Europe depend on pollination by bees, it is easy to understand the essential role of bees in maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity.
The importance of beekeeping both in the production of high value products such as honey, pollen, royal jelly, wax and propolis and in providing basic or supplementary income to a large number of families in Cyprus is of course well known. Special reference should be made to the involvement of young people in beekeeping, since more than 25% of beekeepers are under 40 years old.
Recognizing the importance of the bee in our small Cyprus, in addition to the various actions undertaken for its protection, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment implements actions in support of beekeeping through EU and national development programmes.
Recognizing the importance of the bee in our small Cyprus, in addition to the various actions undertaken for its protection, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment implements actions in support of beekeeping through EU and national development programmes. With the European Union co-financed Beekeeping Programme as a key tool, actions aimed at improving the general conditions of production and marketing of hive products are supported, with the amount of aid amounting to €340,000 per year. Actions such as the training of our beekeepers, the renewal of hives, the protection of bees from pests, but also the awareness of the general public, especially young children, of the importance of bees, are the spearhead of our efforts.
Friends,
I am sure that the objectives of the Festival will be achieved and visitors will have the opportunity to spend a beautiful day, to get to know the bee and the products it so generously offers us, but also to recognize that each of us can contribute to the collective effort to improve the living conditions of bees.
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