The Kick-off Meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Bumblebees for Natural Pollination” [BUMBLE-NAP]

The Kick-off Meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Bumblebees for Natural Pollination” [BUMBLE-NAP] (2024-1-TR01-KA220-VET-000254015) took place on January 29–30 in Serik, Türkiye.
The project is coordinated by Antalya Serik Kaymakamlığı (Türkiye) in collaboration with Aydın Adnan Menderes University (Türkiye), Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori Regionale Umbria (Italy), Stara Zagora Institute of Agriculture (Bulgaria), and Vytautas Magnus University (Agriculture Academy Department of Environment and Ecology). The project duration is two years, with an expected completion date of November 30, 2026.
The project aims to raise awareness of the harmful effects of pesticides on human health and the environment, train participants in bumblebee breeding and application technologies, promote sustainable agricultural practices and new business opportunities, and increase consumer awareness of bumblebee-assisted food production. By reducing chemical use in agriculture, the project seeks to encourage the production of healthier and more environmentally friendly crops while contributing to biodiversity conservation.
During the Kick-off Meeting, partners discussed key activities, including the development of an interactive online training and education platform, the creation of educational materials in five languages, hands-on training in greenhouses, and the dissemination of project results at various events.
The Serik district in Antalya province is a significant agricultural hub, particularly for greenhouse farming. With its favorable Mediterranean climate and fertile soils, the region produces a variety of vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, avocados, bananas, turnips, and carambolas. During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand experience by visiting a bumblebee propagation facility and commercial greenhouses.
The project findings are expected to support the development of international training resources for farmers, technical personnel, and other stakeholders. This initiative aims to promote bumblebee pollination in greenhouses, reduce pesticide and hormone use, and enhance consumer awareness of natural production methods. Furthermore, the project aligns with the EU Green Deal objectives by promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, healthy food production, and biodiversity conservation.
The next international project meeting will take place in Perugia, Italy, in June 2025.