World Bees Day (20/05)

May 20 is World Bee Day. The holiday was established by a resolution of the UN General Assembly (A/RES/72/211) in December 2017.

This was preceded by a series of events: the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the work of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on the issues of pollination, pollinators, their diversity, food security and sustainable agricultural development. In 2016, the Republic of Slovenia, together with the International Federation of Beekeeping Organizations, proposed at a meeting of FAO to establish World Bee Day, emphasizing the role of these insects in matters of pollination, increasing yields and, as a result, food security.

The date of celebration was May 20 – in memory of one of the outstanding beekeepers, innovators of this type of activity – Anton Janša (1734–1773), considered one of the founders of modern beekeeping. He was born in Slovenia on May 20, 1734 and, having made beekeeping his main activity, significantly succeeded in this field, even managing to write a manual published in 1771 in German.

The establishment of the holiday is intended to emphasize the contribution of honey bees to the processes of pollination of plants, including agricultural crops, that is, their role in crop production, horticulture, vegetable growing and other sectors of agriculture.

Bees, butterflies and other pollinators affect us all. The food we eat, such as fruits and vegetables, is directly dependent on pollinators. A world without pollinators will be deprived of food diversity — there will be no blueberries, no coffee, no chocolate, no cucumbers. They not only help ensure an abundance of fruits, nuts and seeds, but also their diversity and quality, which are critical to human nutrition. In addition to producing products, pollinators also contribute directly to the creation of medicines, biofuels, fabrics and building materials.

The vast majority of flowering plant species can only produce seeds by moving pollen from the stamens to the pistils. Without this pollinator work, many of the interconnected species and processes that function in the ecosystem will collapse.

Pollination — is a process of critical importance to both agricultural and natural ecosystems. It plays a key role in food production and livelihoods and serves as a link between wild ecosystems and agri-food systems.

The holiday, focusing specifically on bees as the main pollinator, also informs about which other representatives of the insect world, as well as birds and mammals, participate in pollination processes. The role of bees stands out, since in addition to the natural pollination process during the nectar collection process, these insects also bring many other benefits to humans. First of all, this is of course honey – in itself an important product, which is also the basis of many other food products, medicines, hygiene products and cosmetics. In addition to honey, beekeeping products used by humans include royal jelly, beeswax, and propolis.

The yield of many plant species that form the basis of the diet of humans and wildlife depends on the health of pollinators.

In addition to honey, beekeeping products used by humans include royal jelly, beeswax, propolis (Photo: Darios, licensed from Shutterstock.com)

World Bee Day is designed to inform the general population not only about the benefits of pollinators, but also about the problems that arise in the way of their existence in the modern world. Among such problems are the use of pesticides in agriculture, the transition in certain regions to growing monocultures, etc.

The ecological balance, arranged on the principle of close interconnection of all its components, suffers greatly if at least one seemingly insignificant element is violated. Thus, the reduction of pollinators leads to a reduction in food diversity.

All events held as part of World Bee Day are actively attended by FAO, as well as beekeeping organizations, representatives of agriculture and farming.

Among the measures aimed at protecting the diversity of pollinators are monitoring the decline in the population of individual insect species, identifying and possibly eliminating the causes of this decline. In addition, great importance is attached to the rational use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, the possible abandonment of their use in the event of a threat to pollinators, and the restoration of the natural habitats of pollinators.

In Slovenia, a commemorative coin worth 2 euros was issued for the first date of World Bees Day, celebrated on May 20, 2018.



• Infographics – poster «World Bees Day»

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