The Opening Conference of the INNOBEE Project
Тhe Opening Conference of the project “Innovative Solutions for the Improvement of Beekeeping and the Modernization of Beekeeping Support in the Cross-Border Region between Croatia and Serbia – INNOBEE” оrganized by the Fund for European Affairs and Development of the AP Vojvodina, as one of the project partners, was held in Novi Sad on April 23rd, at the premises of the Vojvodina Chamber of Commerce.
The opening speech, in which he stated that bees know no borders and that our response to climate change must therefore be joint, was given by Ognjen Dopuđ, director of the Fund for European Affairs and Development of the AP of Vojvodina, and it was precisely that slogan that bees know no borders that remained the motto of the entire event – all subsequent speakers mentioned it.
The Vice-Dean for Education at the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences at the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Prof. Dr. Sc. Krunoslav Zmaić, presented the institution that is the Lead partner in the project, and said that bees are the foundation of the ecosystem and that it is necessary to achieve a balance between nature, humans and food security. The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Prof. Dr. Sc. Nenad Magazin, reminded that beekeepers have been educated at this faculty for 72 years. The director of the Scientific Institute of Veterinary Medicine “Novi Sad”, Dr. Sc. Vet. Med. Marko Pajić, warned that without bees, there would soon be no life on our planet.
The project itself was presented by the project manager, Prof. Dr. Sc. Zlatko Puškadija from the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences in Osijek.
Dr. Sc. Vladimir Polaček from the Scientific Institute of Veterinary Medicine “Novi Sad” spoke about modern technologies in beekeeping, and the importance of cross-border cooperation was presented by Prof. Dr. Sc. Ivan Pihler from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad.
The “crown” of the Opening Conference was the signing of the Memorandum on the Establishment of the Cross-Border Beekeeping Support Center. The center will be located on both sides of the border: construction will begin next week in the Municipality of Bilje in Slavonia, and the reconstruction of the space in Temerin, which belongs to the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad, will begin in June.
The project will last 24 months, with a total budget of 940,501.45 euros, of which 799,426.22 euros are from the European Union.
The project aims to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of the beekeeping sector in the cross-border area between Croatia and Serbia by implementing innovative solutions and strengthening cooperation between beekeepers and research institutions, in order to improve the resilience, vitality and productivity of the bee population.
The goal will be achieved through the following activities: developing a protocol for innovative treatments in beekeeping, pilot actions – implementing innovative summer and winter treatments; developing instructions for beekeepers on innovative summer and winter treatments; establishing a joint cross-border beekeeping support center, educational workshops for beekeepers, and developing a mobile application for monitoring and distributing data.
The expected results of the project are: a pilot action implemented – innovative summer and winter treatment, an innovative methodological model developed for the beekeeping sector, and a joint cross-border beekeeping support center established.
