Nicosia: The PLANBEE (Promoting Local Apiary Networks and Bee Entrepreneurial Excellence) project has officially commenced, initiating a significant Mediterranean collaboration aimed at enhancing the Bee Economy. This initiative seeks to drive rural development, entrepreneurship, environmental stewardship, and sustainable tourism.
According to Cyprus News Agency, PLANBEE is co-funded 89% by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, with a total budget of EUR 2,807,656 and an EU contribution of EUR 2,498,813.84. The project is coordinated by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and includes seven partners from Cyprus, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine. These partners are collaborating to improve beekeeping skills, diversify bee products, expand apitourism, and influence future rural development policies.
A key aspect of PLANBEE is its capacity-building efforts, which involve hands-on training, coaching, and innovative learning tools like mixed-reality simulations. The project aims to upskill over 120 aspiring and existing bee entrepreneurs, focusing on sustainable and organic beekeeping, entrepreneurial skills for bee businesses, and creative uses of honey in gastronomy. The training will engage beekeepers, HORECA professionals, and young people, especially women.
To enhance the competitiveness of bee enterprises, PLANBEE emphasizes differentiation and branding. It will establish one transnational and six regional Bee Economy clusters to promote cooperation, innovation, and visibility. A notable initiative is the MED Queen Bee brand, which will recognize and promote 60 exceptional female bee entrepreneurs for their leadership and contributions to local economies and ecosystems. Additionally, scientific surveys and pilot actions will aid in developing flora-based honey, underscoring each region's unique botanical identity.
Innovation is further bolstered through the testing of smart beehives that monitor hive conditions and pollen types. This supports sustainable hive management and credible flora-based branding. The knowledge gained from these pilots will be shared across regions, reinforcing the Mediterranean Bee Economy as a modern, data-informed sector.
Beyond production, PLANBEE is investing in apitourism as a burgeoning form of sustainable tourism. The project will establish six Regional Apitourism Offices, enhance HoneyBee Routes across all partner regions, and unite them under a Mediterranean Apitourism Cluster. These routes will be tested with actual visitors, digitally promoted, and showcased at a major tourism fair, positioning Mediterranean bee-based experiences on the global tourism map.
Finally, PLANBEE aims for long-term impact by engaging policymakers early on. Regional Policy Support Committees will work with project partners to turn practical experiences into policy recommendations. This will culminate in a PLANBEE Policy Paper that advocates for integrating local apiary networks into rural development, apiculture, and tourism policies at both national and EU levels.