MedBEESinessHubs

Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

Mediterranean Bee Hubs in support for sustainable economic prosperity in deprived rural areas

About the project

Needless to say, bees are crucial for the environment and their number has been sharply decreasing. Their contribution to the economy cannot be underestimated either. This applies to the whole Mediterranean area, let alone to the most deprived rural regions where beekeeping is often one of the few profitable sectors. MedBEESinessHubs fully understands the stakes. The project intends to contribute to the development of an actual Mediterranean BEE-economy by connecting clusters in five countries. It will go a lot further than just producing and selling honey. A vast range of side products is concerned from cosmetics to handcrafting souvenirs and even to the consolidation of “bee-tourism”. On its way, the BEE-economy will use another abundant natural resource: youth. Young people will bring fresh BEESiness ideas while the project will pollinize them by granting financial and technical support. By the end of the journey, new products will be developed, and a sustainable cross-border network will be in place. And, on top of all this, vital bee population will be encouraged to come back to where they belong.

Key information

Acronym:

MedBEESinessHubs

Full title:

Mediterranean Bee Hubs in support for sustainable economic prosperity in deprived rural areas

Thematic objective:

A.1 Business and SMEs development

Priority:

A.1.2 Euro-Mediterranean economic clusters

Countries:

Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Italy

Financial data

1.1 million

Total budget

0.9 million

EU contribution

10%

Project co-financing

Highlights

Project in numbers

Partners

Countries

Technical outputs

Project duration

Start date

01 September 2021

End date

31 October 2023

Partnership

News

Events

Library

Project outputs

Documents

Videos

Objective

To support the economies of five deprived rural communities by empowering and networking local people, especially the youth, in developing handicraft honeybee products businesses and tourism services networks, hence contributing to build a Mediterranean Bee-economy

What will be improved?

Weak agricultural regions will be granted technical and financial support to take advantage of two of their main natural resources: youth and nature. Young people and beekeepers will be supported and trained with the aim of developing new business ideas and products that will change the way local communities understand agriculture and beekeeping. The set-up of cross-border networks will enable overcoming traditional downsides of the sector like poor brand perception and the small size of Mediterranean bee businesses which hurdles the capacity to compete in global markets. In the long run, young people will access new jobs in an economic field where it once seemed impossible, and, indirectly, the nature will benefit from the increase in the demand for honeybee products and sustainable tourism. A win-win for bees and local communities.

Who will benefit?

Woman and youth of rural regions
Beekeepers
Handicraft businesses
Tourism MSMEs
Public authorities

Expected achievements

1 training package on handcrafting honeybee products
100 young people trained in technical aspects of handcrafting honeybee products in food, cosmetics, and gifts
100 young people trained in business management and finance
50 grants of up to €10,000 granted to young people for business and product development
30 MSMEs involved in B2B meetings at cross-border level to pollinize BEESiness ideas
1 cross-border charter of BEESiness network and the creation of the MED-Bee destination forum
1 online exhibition hall to promote the Mediterranean honeybee businesses, products and destinations
1 policy document incorporating the Bee economy concept in European and national policies

Contribution to policy-making

Apiculture is comprised in the European Commission Green Deal paper through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In particular, priority 8 of the CAP 2021-27 supports rural development policies through diversification actions by creating added value for their products. The proposal will contribute to these policies by, on the hand one, suggesting holistic approaches to create added value and open new market opportunities for the honeybee products; and, on the other hand, linking rural development policies with the honeybee and the need to protect the ecosystem. In Mediterranean Partner Countries, national policies will be benchmarked against the EU apiculture policies and activities relevant to bee product handcrafting will be proposed to support current beekeeping policies. Equally important will be rural policies for development, in which the bee economy concept will be addressed following the model implemented in the EU. The participation of the Network of Med Beekeepers as an associate partner will be vital to mainstream project results into policies.

About the project

Acronym

MedBEESinessHubs

Title

Mediterranean Bee Hubs in support for sustainable economic prosperity in deprived rural areas

Description

Once upon a time at a village coffeeshop some young locals were discussing ways to attract foreign investors in the hope for new jobs & a better life. A honeybee flew & disturbed their discussion. It was chased, unsuccessfully though, sat by a window & spoke loud for all to listen. “Hey, why depend on others for a better future? Pair with me, process my products into treasures to make a living & turn your village a paradise to live & share with others. You have the valleys & the mountains; the orange trees flowering & the wildflowers blooming. Both of us depend on these for our survival so let’s work together.” Our story began at a deprived rural region of Cyprus, through MEDFEST project, sparked by the need to create jobs for the youth & improve local economy, turning it to a destination of authentic experiences. Similar challenges are faced across the Mediterranean regions, deprived of economic potential, where the youth waste their thoughts at coffeeshops desperate for a future before they emigrate to continue the flow of urbanisation. To assist rural regions with new job opportunities, we propose an innovative organisational structure that uses resources offered by the honeybee to create opportunities for growth. Our story brings the bee & locals, hand-in-hand, to create artisanal BEEsinesses that handicraft the bee’s gifts into a diverse range of end products such as food, cosmetics, gifts or simply honey blended into an authentic Med-recipe. They team up & joined with local authorities turn their region into a honeybee comb - a sustainable destination cluster under the sweet theme of honey. To combat the globalisation challenge & achieve brand visibility, honeycombs at the cross-border join forces to create the MedBEESinessHub, like a working beehive. Our sweet story shall help people in deprived rural areas, primarily women & youth turn into sustainable BEEsiness owners, but also help the endangered honeybee survive & continue giving food & life on earth.

Role

Name of the organisation

Country

Region

Contact

Lead beneficiary

Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Cyprus

Partner 1

A.M. FILAGROTIKI SYMVOULEFTIKI LTD

Cyprus

Partner 2

Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations

Egypt

Al Iskandanyah

Partner 3

Chamber Of Commerce, Industry, And Agriculture Of Zahle And The Bekaa

Lebanon

Partner 4

The Palestinian Business Women’s Association- Asala

Palestine

Partner 5

Arab Italian Chamber of Cooperation

Italy

Lazio

Associates

Role

Name of the organisation

Country

Associate 1

Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Tourism

Cyprus

Associate 2

Pancyprian Beekeepers Association

Cyprus

Associate 3

Alexandria Chamber of Commerce

Egypt

Associate 4

Association Union for Beekeeping Cooperatives in the Bekaa

Lebanon

Associate 5

APIARESOS

Italy

Associate 6

FEDERAZIONE APICOLTORI DEL MEDITERRANEO - APIMED

Italy

Associate 7

The Jericho and Jordan valley Cooperative Society for Beekeeping

Palestine

Project news

03 November 2023

Come visit the MedBEESinessHubs Honey Eco Routes

Sneak peek into the MedBEESinessHubs sustainable destinations inspired by the Bee.

Sustainable tourism

Artisanal fishing

Green entrepreneurship

Technology transfer

Resource efficiency

Creative industries

Elderly care

Social and solidarity economy

Women’s empowerment

Water efficiency

Waste management

Marine litter

About the project

Key information

Financial data

Highlights

Project in numbers

Project duration

Partnership

News

Events

Library

Project outputs

Documents

Videos

Objective

What will be improved?

Who will benefit?

Expected achievements

Contribution to policy-making

About the project

Associates

Come visit the MedBEESinessHubs Honey Eco Routes

MedBEESinessHubs in Egypt is hiring a Bee Economy Policy Expert

MedBEESinessHubs celebrates 'World Bee Day' and 'Biological Diversity' in Palestine

'To bee, or not to bee' MedBEESinessHubs celebrated World Bee Day in Cyprus

400 young bees explorers in Lebanon for the "World Bee Day" with MedBEESinessHubs

Ever heard of 'Bee Diplomacy'? Read on by the MedBEESinessHubs team

On your March, Get Set, GO! MedBEESinessHubs subgrants are out!

More than 50 enthusiastic volunteers "FOR OUR BEES" by the MedBEESinessHubs team in Cyprus

Sustainable beekeeping practices brought by the MedBEESinessHubs project team in Cyprus

MedBEESinessHubs project partner in Italy is looking to hire a Project Officer

28 honey producers trained in Lebanon under the MedBEESinessHubs project

Handcrafting honeybee products in Ramallah, Palestine by the MedBEESinessHubs team ASALA

MedBEESinessHubs in Egypt is looking for Technical Experts and Trainers in Business Management and Finance

Roll-up your sleeves and join MedBEESinessHubs team in Lebanon for handcrafting Bee-products

Italy: MedBEESinessHubs in Cagliari presents the therapeutic properties of bee products and the transformation into cosmetics and handicraft products

MedBEESinessHubs gathered 15 trainers and 95 stakeholders as the steppingstone of the honeybee clusters in 5 counries

The MedBEESinessHubs project is training beekeepers and bee-products processors in Cyprus

CEEBA in Egypt is looking for bee-products and sustainable tourism experts under MedBEESinessHubs

MedBEESinessHubs is hiring a Film Producer in Lebanon

MedBEESinessHubs in Egypt is hiring a Film Producer

MedBEESinessHubs partners are ready to transfer the “Structured Democratic Dialogue" to their regional honeybee business clusters

Capitalising on 'Structured Democratic Dialogue' for setting up the MedBEESinessHubs cluster

MedBEESinessHubs in Italy is hiring an Evaluator

MedBEESinessHubs in Egypt is hiring an Evaluator

Organic beekeeping by MedBEESinessHubs

‘BEE engaged’ week by the MedBEESinessHubs project

MedBEESinessHubs in Palestine is hiring an Evaluator

MedBEESinessHubs capitalising MEDFEST project output

Sardinia to attract young and female beekeepers through the MedBEESinessHubs project

The sweet story behind MedBEESinessHubs

Projects view

Cross-pollination begins - the MedBEESinessHubs Cluster ready to move to its hive

Join the MedBEESinessHubs Final Conference and celebrate with us

'Bees make the world go round', MedBEESinessHubs celebrates World Bee Day in Cyprus

MedBEESinessHubs in Palestine celebrates World Bee Day and International Day for Biological Diversity

Apitourism workshops by the MedBEESinessHubs team in Cyprus

MedBEESinessHubs subgrants are launched in Cyprus on 12th April 2023

FOR OUR BEES, by the MedBEESinessHubs project team in Cyprus

MedBEESinessHubs team in Italy is training beekeepers on entrepreneurship and financial management

MedBEESinessHubs team in Lebanon is equipping beekeepers with guidelines for sustainable and socially responsible BEESinesses

Discover new ways to create and develop your BEESiness in Egypt through MedBEESinessHubs “hands and crafts” workshops in Alexandria

MedBEESinessHubs team in Cyprus welcomes the New Year 2023 with a series of 8 workshops

Handcrafting honeybee products in Ramallah, Palestine by the MedBEESinessHubs team ASALA

Roll-up your sleeves and join the MedBEESinessHubs team in Lebanon for a 3-day workshop on Handcrafting Bee-products

MedBEESinessHubs' workshop in Cagliari (Italy): "Therapeutic properties of bee products and their transformation into cosmetics and handicrafts"

BEE engaged: the MedBEESinessHubs project celebrates 'World Bee Day' with a round-table discussion