Amman: The PLANBEE project (Promoting Local Apiary Networks and Bee Entrepreneurial Excellence) has officially opened registrations for its upcoming Launch Conference titled 'From Hives to Horizons: Building a Sustainable Bee Economy in Jordan'. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, 28 January 2026, from 09:00 to 13:00 (Cyprus time), and will be held in Amman, Jordan, with an option for online participation.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the conference aims to gather a diverse group of participants, including policymakers, beekeepers, researchers, environmental organizations, entrepreneurs, tourism stakeholders, and civil society representatives. The focus will be on exploring the potential of the Bee Economy to drive sustainable rural development, biodiversity protection, women's entrepreneurship, and innovative apitourism models.
The event will begin with welcome remarks from Jordanian national authorities and representatives of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. This will be followed by a presentation from the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the project's Coordinator, detailing the project's vision, activities, and anticipated impact across six Mediterranean countries.
Key discussions will feature expert insights and a panel discussion. Topics will include the influence of flora, climate, and biodiversity on honey quality and branding; the role of women bee entrepreneurs in strengthening local and Mediterranean bee economies; and apitourism models that diversify rural incomes, drawing lessons from the MedBEESinessHubs project.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a networking lunch, providing a platform to exchange ideas, form partnerships, and explore future collaborations in the Bee Economy. The conference will be conducted in English, with Arabic interpretation available.
The PLANBEE project 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. It is implemented by seven partners from Cyprus, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.