The alarm was raised a decade ago when the sudden and inexplicable depopulation of entire countries began to be noticed in many countries. bee colonies. And with the United Nations World Bee Day we rightly talk about it again.
Between 2007 and 2014, there has been a 30% drop in the number of insects in the hives worldwide and is a trend that has not diminished in recent years.
Now according to United Nations data, it is estimated that over 30 years their world population has shrunk by 70%. While in Italy 200,000 hives have been lost in 5 years. And in Europe 1 out of 3 bee species is endangered 1.
This phenomenon directly worries him beekeepers that produce the honey and, with them, the whole food production chain, since 70% of the plants existing on earth depend on the pollination of bees. To give an example of how much it can affect economically, just think that, in certain areas, the production of coffee has decreased by 50%.
The projections for the next decade speak of alarming hypotheses.
The dangers for bees
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) almost 10% of European wild pollinators are at risk of extinction.
Many factors contribute to endangering bees worldwide: the rarefaction of biodiversity and intensive monocultures, the illnesses infectious and bacterial, fungal diseases, i parasites, like the fearsome varroa destructor, which acts directly on the hive, i predators and, last but not least, poisoning from pesticides and agricultural treatments.
Within this scenario there are many activities to preserve these precious insects. From the choices in environmental policies: the European Union since 2018 banned the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, which were decimating European hives. To private initiatives to raise awareness and safeguard the beekeeping heritage.
A thousand bees adopted for each year of the company's life is the idea of Monini, producer of Spoleto extra virgin olive oil. The project is part of the "2020 – 2030 Sustainability Plan": for its centenary, Monini is giving "family" to 100,000 bees from the Milanese hinterland, thanks to the collaboration with the Terrafiena organic farm in Carugate.
For example Meleto Castle, in the heart of Chianti, launches the Nel nome project
Bee. The goal is to triple the presence of bees through the time-controlled system of its biological hives. Whoever becomes the custodian of an apiary, will take care of it remotely and will be involved in the growth step by step. On each hive taken in custody with a donation of 350 euros, those who have adopted will have their name affixed to the cottage and will receive 1 kg of honey per year, for 5 years of foster care.
Actimel, simultaneously with the release of its new 100% Italian honey probiotic, has adopted an apiary supporting more than 180,000 Italian bees together with 3Bee, an agri-tech startup that develops intelligent monitoring and diagnostics systems for the
bee welfare. And it launches the consumer awareness initiative, inviting them to support and expand the 100% Italian Actimel apiary, adopting hives or planting flowers at home.
Barbara Roncarolo
May 2020
credits photo: PollyDot
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