Month: April 2025

On Tuesday, April 15, 2024, ITF – Enhancing Human Security held the 54th session of its Board of Advisors, opening the day with a symbolic and heartfelt Honey Breakfast. The event highlighted the importance of beekeeping as a tool for recovery and empowerment of mine victims.

A special part of the session was the testimony of representatives from UDAS (BiH), who shared how beekeeping provides meaningful livelihoods for mine victims.

We are proud that the Beekeeping Academy of Slovenia, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia (KIS) plays a vital role in this project. This work is made possible with the generous support of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

The session also marked a leadership transition, as Ambassador Jiří Kuděla of the Czech Republic took over as Chair of the Board from Ambassador Florence Levy of France. We extend our sincere gratitude to Amb. Levy for her committed leadership and support.

The event served as a powerful reminder that collaboration, solidarity, and innovative approaches like beekeeping can bring lasting change to the lives of people affected by conflict around the world.

In early April 2025, a field monitoring event took place in Lusangazi district in Zambia, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing project “(Women) Beekeepers as Drivers of Positive Change.” This initiative is all about empowering women beekeepers, and this event highlighted the strides we’ve made in improving beekeeping techniques and promoting sustainable practices. 👩‍🌾

The Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, alongside our local partners, organized a two-day training for the beneficiaries, focusing on the transition from traditional hives to tophive bars. The training also delved into identifying essential local plants, trees, and crops that are vital for the bees’ nutrition, helping improve their productivity and overall health. 🌳

A key moment was the opportunity to observe the hardworking African honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata), a species crucial for pollination and the local ecosystem. We also witnessed progress in the establishment of the Bee Park, led by Honorary Consul of the Republic of Zambia in Slovenia Damjan Zonta. We were pleased to see the successful installation of five water pipes and the progress in the reforestation of 20 hectares area. 🐝

The success of this project would not have been possible without the incredible support from ADRA Zambia, HRH Chief Nyamphande, and the District Commissioner. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and collaboration, which have been key in ensuring the project’s success.

Our thanks also go to ADRA Slovenia, our lead partner, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, through Slovenian Aid, for their invaluable contribution in funding and supporting this transformative project.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to see the first honey extraction in June, marking the beginning of a new chapter for these women beekeepers. We’re honoured to be part of such a life-changing story, and we look forward to continuing this journey toward sustainable and empowered beekeeping in Zambia. 🍯🐝🌸🌻

Zikomo! (Thank you so much!) 💛

Photo: Akademija&KIS

March 2025 was a very eventful month full of international meetings and important events for the Beekeeping Academy of Slovenia, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia.

🔸  Study Visit from Estonia  

As part of the Erasmus+ programme, we hosted a delegation of from the NGO Alustame Algusest from Estonia. We toured the beehives on the roof of the Park Hotel, visited the Melisa apitherapy apiary and learned about the tradition of beekeeping in Slovenia at an interactive exhibition in the Carniolan Bee House, where we also had the opportunity to taste various kinds of Slovenian honey.

🔸  APIS Slovenia I Europe beekeeping fair in Celje

At Slovenia’s largest beekeeping fair, we presented four handmade models of Slovenian beehives based on archive photos from the mid-20th century and the sugar test to determine varroa infestation rate in bee colonies (https://www.kis.si/pripomocki/Varoja-test/).

We also had the honour of hosting representatives from the scientific committees of the European Beekeeping Association (EBA) to discuss bee health, the quality of bee products and sustainable beekeeping practises. Under the guidance of the Vice President of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association and certified bee guide Ales Süssinger, we visited part of the Ljubljana Bee Route.

🔸  BPW International Delegation  

In March, the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International) visited Slovenia. We introduced them to two important development projects, namely Economic Empowerment of Mine Victims in BiH (ITF, UDAS partnership) and (Women) beekeepers as drivers of positive change in Zambia (ADRA Slovenia, ADRA Zambia, Slovenian Business Club in Zambia partnership). Both projects are supported by the the Republic of Slovenia under the “Slovenian Aid” International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The delegation BPW International also visited the Museum of Apiculture Radovljica and learned more about history and tradition of beekeeping in Slovenia and got acquainted with the AŽ hives – the main technological specialty of beekeeping in Slovenia.

We are grateful to all the participants and visitors who contributed to the success of these events. 🐝✨