The 3rd International Meeting of the Erasmus+ BestHONEY Project, dedicated to advancing hygiene, packaging, and production standards in the beekeeping sector, aligning with European Union requirements, was held from 21 to 23 October 2025 at CIHEAM Bari (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari) in Valenzano, Italy.
The event brought together scientists, technical experts, and institutional representatives from Türkiye, France, Spain, and Italy (Agrigento and Valenzano-Bari) within the Erasmus+ Professional Cooperation Partnerships framework.
The BestHONEY Project represents a transnational effort to foster scientific collaboration, professional training, and innovation in apiculture, aiming to harmonize practices related to honey hygiene, processing, and packaging across Europe.
The three-day programme combined technical sessions with hands-on fieldwork, encouraging active exchange between researchers and practitioners. In-office sessions featured scientific presentations delivered by Dr. Nuray Başer, Dr. Anna Vila Serena, Dr. Aude Cordin, Dr. Susanna Fornell Ferrer, Mr. Mehmet Yurt and other specialists, focusing on topics such as:
Field activities included visits to two apiaries in the Castellaneta Region (Grotta del Pellegrino), home to approximately 80 hives nestled among ancient olive groves. The group observed the influence of Mediterranean flora and climate on honey composition and bee behavior.
Further visits included a larval transfer laboratory and a honey packaging plant in Ginosa, where more than 16 varieties of regional honey are processed. These visits encouraged peer learning and comparative observation of how innovation and tradition intersect in modern apiculture.
The final day centered on bee protection strategies, colony management, and comparative analyses of Anatolian and Muğla bee species, underscoring the importance of genetic diversity and ecosystem balance in sustainable honey production.
The meeting concluded with a certificate ceremony led by Dr. Rosanna Quagliariello (CIHEAM Bari), who highlighted “the fruitful collaboration among partner countries and their shared commitment to sustainable, safe, and high-quality honey production”.
Through its interdisciplinary and cross-border approach, the BestHONEY Project contributes to strengthening professional competencies in apiculture, fostering knowledge transfer, and aligning production standards with the European Union’s safety, hygiene, and quality framework.
All training materials, project outcomes, and multimedia resources will soon be available on the official website:
🔗 www.besthoneyeu.com
This project is co-funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Programme and the Turkish National Agency for Education and Youth, reaffirming the shared European vision for innovation, environmental responsibility and the sustainable future of beekeeping.
