project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
Innovative tools to support the beekeeping sector for the enhancement of local ecotipe bees and associated productions - InnovApe
Objectives
Operational Group is in the context of the Regional Law of 4 March 2019 "Rules for the development, operation and protection of beekeeping in Emilia-Romagna", The regional law attributes importance to environmental conservation and biodiversity conservation to the beekeeping sector. The objective is the development of a system with genetic improvement schemes, also linked to the enhancement of local honey bees
Activities
The Operational Group Plan provides for the obligatory cooperation action managed by the project leader. The 'Organization and functioning of assessment centers' action will develop a system for a more correct and innovative selection of beekeeping. The action 'Characterization and environmental impact of productions' will provide a qualitative focus on the production of honey and on the production footprints (carbon and water). The Dissemination of Results actions and the coaching activity plan of farmers conclude the Plan.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014IT06RDRP003 Italy - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Emilia-Romagna
Emplacement
- Main geographical location
- Reggio nell'Emilia
- Other geographical location
- Bologna
EUR 235581.98
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Project keyword
2 Practice Abstracts
The Operational Group InnovApe provided for Cooperation action, two techincal, dissemination of results, EIP network, and training for beekeepers. The Action 1 have focused on the activation of centers of assessment of beehives able to perform a service technologically at the forefront of "performance test" in favour especially of the breeders of queens engaged in programmes of genetic improvement and conservation of the bees of the subspecies ligustica. The 3 centers developed in the beekeeping farms have allowed the profitable evaluation of 6 lines of queens. With the drafting of the "Guidelines for the establishment and operation of Queen Bee Evaluation Stations". The evaluation of the colonies made it possible to examine the productive characteristics, behavioural, and characteristics linked to the defence against diseases; morphological results have been in line with current regional legislation. As part of Action 2, after a characterization of the sites of farms, the analytical survey of farms honeys were carried out (sensory, melissopalnological, pesticides residues). The honeys analysed were suitable; the carbon footprints of the honey produced were finally calculated. The main innovation linked to the project has been the development of methods based on scientific evidence, useful for the management of the centers of bee selection ligustic queens. The available manual can be a tool for disseminating the results that can be used by the bee sector.
The expected results of the Operational Group InnovApe focus on the activation of farms hive assessment centers able to perform a technologically advanced "performance testing" service, especially for the bee farmers of the Emilia Romagna region involved in programs of genetic improvement and conservation of the bees of the subspecies Apis mellifera ligustica, in harmony with the indications of the Regional Law 4 March 2019, n. 2. The innovative characterization of honey and environmental imprints complete the results provided by InnovApe.
In summary we propose to achieve the following results:
- Introduction of the use of technological aids (hives equipped with electronic / digital devices) to monitor production performance and the parameters of colony vitality, also in relation to the production environment;
- Evaluation of the resilience characteristics of bee colonies through studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying immunocompetence / stress factor tolerance;
- Morphometric and genetic characterization (subspecific level) of the bees sampled by the hives under evaluation;
- Chemical-physical, botanical and organoleptic profile of the honeys produced by the hives during the evaluation season, to characterize the product and to outline the succession of blooms in the collection environment;
- Residual profile (presence and extent of crop protection product residues) of the honeys produced by the partner companies.
For each of the above results will correspond to a specific technical report drawn up and disclosed.
Contacts
Project coordinator
-
CRPA - Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali Soc. Cons. p.A.
Project coordinator
Project partners
-
Azienda Agricola Appennino
Project partner
-
Azienda Agricola Zia Ines
Project partner
-
CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria
Project partner
-
Dinamica S.C.ar.l.
Project partner
-
Società Agricola Api Libere
Project partner