Bees are one of the most important pollinators – they provide food and safety in nutrition, sustainable agriculture, diversity of the living world, and also contribute to mitigating climate change and preserving the environment. Protection of bees and beekeeping in the long term contributes to the reduction of poverty, hunger and the preservation of a healthy environment and biodiversity.
Bees provide high quality food (honey, royal jelly and pollen) and provide the basis for other products that we use in healthcare and wider (bee wax, propolis and bee poison). And besides, bees do much more!
The largest contribution of bees and other pollinators is pollination of almost three quarters of all plants, of which we produce 90% of world food. A third of world food production depends on bees, or every third spoon of food depends on pollination.
Plant crops dependent on pollination are a significant source of agricultural income, primarily small and family farms. Millions of people provide jobs and income.
Bees play a significant role in preserving ecological balance and biodiversity in nature. By pollination, they provide and care about ecosystems, animal and plant species, and contribute to the genetic and diversity of the living world.
Scientific studies prove that bees are becoming more vulnerable. Only a joint contribution can take care of their protection and preservation of their living space.
Slovenia actively supports such efforts, and therefore proposed within the framework of the United Nations (UN) to proclaim May 20th the World Bee Day. Serbia was among the first countries to recognize the importance of the initiative and supported it. After three years of international efforts, the United Nations Member States unanimously accepted the proposal and proclaimed May 20th the World Day of Bees at the end of 2017.
And why May 20? In 1734, Slovenian beekeeper Anton Janša was born, the pioneer of modern beekeeping and one of the biggest beekeepers.
More information on the significance of bees and World Bee Day can be found on the website www.worldbeeday.org.