An Arab center for research and training in beekeeping, will be established in Tunisia, on the initiative of the Arab Beekeepers Union. This project will be presented at the close of the 13th Congress of this Union, which is held in Tunisia from October 27 to 30.
The conference is held on the sidelines of the International Exhibition of Agriculture, Agricultural Machinery and Fisheries (SIAMAP 2021), on the theme “The bee is the solution.”
In his opening remarks, Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Mahmoud Elyes Hamza said that this centre will promote the sector of beekeeping and find solutions to alleviate the difficulties facing beekeepers.
“This event is an opportunity to learn about the latest technological developments taking place in this field and strengthen cooperation and partnership between Arab beekeepers,” he said.
For his part, representative of the FAO Sub-Regional Office for North Africa, Mohamed Bengoumi, pointed out the obstacles facing the beekeeping sector including the excessive use of pesticides, the lack of programmes for genetic improvement of bees and training centers, erosion, the extent of forest fires and the lack of reforestation.
He reported the decline of bee populations worldwide by 40% in 2019, saying this decline is a serious threat to all plants that play an essential role for the well-being of humans.
He noted that the added value of the beekeeping sector in the world exceeded 600 billion dollars in 2017.
The FAO official also stressed the role played by the organisation to support Arab countries, especially those of North Africa, in order to ensure genetic improvement of bees and preserve the strain of yellow bee existing in Algeria and Morocco.
The organisation will also work with the Arab Beekeepers Union, international organisations and financial institutions to implement the conference recommendations.
For his part, President of the Arab Beekeepers Union Fathi Bhiri urged participants in this conference (between 300 and 500 beekeepers from over 20 countries) to take advantage of the experts participating in this edition to develop their productions and preserve their activities.
He stressed the contribution of beekeeping in achieving the sustainable development goals and fighting poverty.
Source: Tap News Agency