Mipaaf, published the Call for the distribution of beekeeping funds, Subprogram 2020-2021, for technical assistance, fight against diseases, improvement of laboratories, market monitoring
Technical assistance, fight against diseases, improvement of laboratories, support for the repopulation of beekeeping, market monitoring. These are some of the actions, for a total of 795.000 euros, made possible by the distribution of beekeeping funds relating to the Mipaaf 2020-2021 sub-program financed under the three-year program for the improvement of the production and marketing of beekeeping products and contemplated in the Call published on August 3. A National Program which, taking into account the resources recently assigned to the individual Regions by directorial decree of 22 July last, can count on an overall budget of over 7 million euros for the 2020/2021 beekeeping year.
"Important resources provided by the CMO to support the beekeeping sector", underlines Minister Teresa Bellanova, "to which will soon be added the 2 million allocated at national level for the financing of innovative projects aimed at improving quality, managing risk and promotion. After having recently issued the decree that defines the methods of application ”, the Minister continues,“ we plan to publish the new notice at the beginning of September.
As evidence of how beekeeping is a sector considered strategic for the country ".
Strategicity confirmed by the numbers. A complex and varied sector, according to the latest edition of the Crea Yearbook, Italian beekeeping counts about 57.000 beekeepers, professionals and not (about 1/3 are professionals), with about 1.400.000 hives (almost 1 million managed by professional beekeepers) located in all Italian regions (Piedmont leads with over 206.000 hives, followed by Lombardy with over 151.000 hives).
“A sector to be protected as a whole”, concludes the Minister, “both for the economic and social value and for the ecosystem services it offers to the community”.