Announcements

What will be improved?

Weak agricultural regions will be granted technical and financial support to take advantage of two of their main natural resources: youth and nature. Young people and beekeepers will be supported and trained with the aim of developing new business ideas and products that will change the way local communities understand agriculture and beekeeping. The set-up of cross-border networks will enable overcoming traditional downsides of the sector like poor brand perception and the small size of Mediterranean bee businesses which hurdles the capacity to compete in global markets. In the long run, young people will access new jobs in an economic field where it once seemed impossible, and, indirectly, the nature will benefit from the increase in the demand for honeybee products and sustainable tourism. A win-win for bees and local communities. 

Who will benefit?

• Woman and youth of rural regions
• Beekeepers
• Handicraft businesses 
• Tourism MSMEs
• Public authorities
   

Expected achievements

• 1 training package on handcrafting honeybee products
• 100 young people trained in technical aspects of handcrafting honeybee products in food, cosmetics, and gifts
• 100 young people trained in business management and finance
• 50 grants of up to €10,000 granted to young people for business and product development
• 30 MSMEs involved in B2B meetings at cross-border level to pollinize BEESiness ideas
• 1 cross-border charter of BEESiness network and the creation of the MED-Bee destination forum
• 1 online exhibition hall to promote the Mediterranean honeybee businesses, products and destinations
• 1 policy document incorporating the Bee economy concept in European and national policies