The final Erasmus+ „Medicinal beekeeping for beekeepers“ [MEDI-BEEB] project meeting in Kaunas
The Erasmus+ international project “Medical Beekeeping for Beekeepers” (project No. 2021-1-TRO1-KA220-VET-000034632) began on February 27, 2022. Adnan Menderes University (Turkey) is the project coordinator; project partners include the Confederation of Italian Farmers of Umbria, Onsekiz Mart University of Cenakale, Wroclaw University of Environment and Life Sciences, Aydin Province Beekeepers’ Association, and Vytautas Magnus University.
The fundamental aim of this project is to inform primarily the beekeepers about apitherapy and to train them to produce bee products under convenient conditions at conscious, healthy and definite standards. Another aim is to build up awareness in the people for the importance of the producing, storing, and marketing the products used in apitherapy.
As time is fast running out, the 4th (final) international meeting of the project partners took place on 8 and 9 November at our university. On the first day of the meeting, a review of the work that had been completed was conducted. This included the development of training materials in a virtual environment, the creation of best practice videos, and the development of a mobile application to diversify, develop and increase the value of beekeepers’ products and their application in apitherapy.
The development of training materials in MEDI-BEEB project was preceded by a thorough analysis of the needs of target groups and the current state of art in the field of production, processing and storage of products used in apitherapy.
The training programme on healthy and accurate procedures in the production of bee and bee products which are expected to be used in the treatment of some human and animal diseases is primarily addressed to beekeepers and other target groups involved in production and marketing of bee products used in apitherapy.
The e-learning course includes ten modules in the field of proper production, processing and storage of bee products used in apitherapy, such as: honey, propolis, pollen, royal jelly, bee venom, beeswax and others. In addition, the course includes information on environmental contamination of bee products, standardization and certification of bee products and legal status of bee products and apitherapy. Each module consists of 25-30 slides fully integrated with e-learning environment. Moreover, the application of e-learning course for mobile phones is developed to facilitate learning and let trainee flexibly manage his/her learning time.
The course has been enhanced with numerous manual videos and podcasts with beekeeping experts on the practical production of high-quality bee products.
The innovative and user-attractive with numerous pictures, graphs and charts handbook content reflects the content of the e- learning course and will be available both in paper form and as e- book.
The pilot testing of the materials will take place in January in all partner countries, as well as face to face and virtual Multiplier event.
The project participants met with the Urbanbee.lt team of urban beekeepers on the second day of the meeting. Urban parks and gardens have lost their most essential pollinator due to the reduction of these insects. Wind alone has been inadequate for the task. Urban beekeeping is becoming more popular among city inhabitants across the globe. Socially responsible businesses install hives on the rooftops of offices, hotels, and commercial buildings, and the honey produced by bees is sometimes given as a corporate gift. The Urbanbee.lt team offers interested businesses a full range of services, including hive installation, ongoing care and responsibility for the bees, and packaging of honey in a representative container with the company’s emblem for corporate presents. MEDI-BEEB project participants engaged in a discussion about the prospects of urban beekeeping, found common links with Urbanbee.lt team members and made contacts that will lead to new project proposals in the future.
A series of finalising activities will take place in all project partner countries in January, including pilot testing of the produced training materials as well as face to face and virtual Multiplier events. The project will be completed on February 27, 2024.
More information click https://www.medibeebe.eu/
