Measure I.1: Improving the productivity and competitiveness of the area’s economic, rural, cultural and environmental resources.
Project Title: BEEKEEPING WITHOUT BORDERS
| Project Value | EU Contribution | |
| Republic of Serbia | € 163,467.14 | € 138,783.60 |
| Montenegro | € 185,173.25 | € 157,212.09 |
| TOTAL | € 348,640.39 | € 295,995.69 |
Beneficiary of funds in the Republic of Serbia: Municipality of Arilje
Beneficiary of funds in Montenegro: Confederation of Bee-keeping Organisations of Montenegro, Danilovgrad
Partners:
• Serbia: Association of Beekeepers „Savo Popović“ Arilje and Ibar Development Association
• Montenegro: Pčelarsko udruženje “Matica” Pljevlja, Udruženje pčelara “Pčelar” Bijelo Polje and Udruženje pčelara “Uljanik” Berane
Area of implementation:
• Serbia: Zlatibor district;
• Montenegro: Municipalities of Pljevlja, Bijelo Polje and Berane.
The target groups of the project: Existing beekeepers for intensive training and improvement of competitiveness and food safety standards in municipalities Arilje, Pljevlja, Bijelo Polje and Berane – 60 farmers and their families; Marginalized groups in border area (young people, woman, isolated rural population, ethnic minority) – 80 representative from marginalized groups; Four local beekeeping associations in the border areas.
Project duration: 03/10/2016 – 02/04/2018
Project objectives:
The overall objectives:
Overall objective 1: Strengthened incentives for SME development and reduction of unemployment through the exchange of experience, enhancing knowledge, increasing competitiveness and health safety in the beekeeping production in the border areas of Serbia and Montenegro.
Overall objective 2: Provided contribution in connecting people, communities and exchanges of ideas in the Serbia and Montenegro border area.
The specific objective of the project: Enhanced productivity and competitiveness of the rural areas in the beekeeping sector through the transfer of knowledge and examples of good practice and mutual partner activities in compliance with the principles of environmental protection and food health safety.
Activities and results of the project
The project was directed at providing professional support to the rural population of the cross-border area with regards to beekeeping and healthy food production.
Direct cross-border contacts and knowledge exchange between beekeeping associations and beekeepers from Municipalities of Arilje, Pljevlja, Berane and Bijelo Polje was established through two mutual three day visits each and through four beekeepers exhibitions. Within these visits transfer of complete knowledge and experience in the honey production has been transferred by the beekeepers from Serbia, as experienced, to the beekeepers from Montenegro.
The project improved competitiveness and healthy safe food production as well as establishing “pilot points of excellence” on 30 apiaries in Serbia and 34 beekeepers from the municipalities Berane, Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja, selected through competitive procedure. They received worth equipment for improvement the competitiveness and organic medicaments for healthy and safe food production.
Campaign for safe fruit spraying was implemented in Zlatibor district. The aim was education of fruit growers for the safe use of pesticides for fruit spraying which shall not have a negative effect on beekeeping in the Municipality of Arilje.
Development and implementation of “Good beekeeping practice” standard had an aim to create the conditions for implementation and use of “Good beekeeping practice” standard by beekeepers in the Municipality of Arilje and development of standard “Good beekeeping practice” in the Montenegro.
“Good beekeeping practice” guidelines were printed in a 2000 copies and distributed. As this is first Montenegrin document of this kind there was a huge interest of beekeepers for its development. During the public debate organised prior to publishing final version of document there was a great interest of beekeepers to have this book in hard copy.
Moreover, as the result of a project a document “good veterinary practice in beekeeping – hygienic package” has been developed in Montenegro. During the Establishing internal procedures for respecting “hygienic packages” it was concluded that it is primarily necessary to develop good veterinary practice in beekeeping standard, and only then to implement internal procedures with final beneficiaries. This document, is of great importance when it comes to health care of bees and for production of healthy safe food.
The significant indicator is that 80 representatives from marginalized groups (40 from Zlatibor district and 40 from the Municipalities of Bijelo Polje, Pljevlja and Berane) have started business activities in the honey production in initiating their own economic activities for the purpose of increasing the social involvement and reduction of unemployment. Each of representatives of marginalized groups (young people, women, rural population, and ethnic minorities) received 10 swarms with beehives as well as 3 day mentor support. Existing experienced beekeepers from Beekeepers Associations „ provided mentor support to new beekeepers and applied modern standards in the production of bee products.
