A sustainable mixed cropping-beekeeping system in the Mediterranean basin
Description
EU PRIMA PLANT-B’s coalition of research is bringing together a wealth of scientists and academics from various research institutes and universities on both sides of the Mediterranean basin, as well as representatives of the private sector to improve the sustainability and complementarity of the honey-citrus system.
Developing an innovative, sustainable farming system, that combines two important Mediterranean crops such as citrus and Aromatic/Medicinal Plants (AMPs), and a high value livestock of honey bees, will guarantee high returns in terms of food production and ecosystem services (pollination and biological control).
In order to achieve a sustainable and innovative farming system with a lower reliance on chemical pesticides and higher economic returns, PLANT-B is rallying a highly-skilled, yet diverse, group of partners, from beekeepers to farmers, scientists, researchers and representatives of the private sector
The proposed project consists of seven Working Packages:
- WP1 – Project coordination and management.
- WP2 – Development of biological control and IPM tools for the control of pests in citrus, AMPs and HB colonies.
- WP3 – Conservation and valorisation of endemic HB sub-species.
- WP4 – Development and establishment of a mixed farming system combining citrus-AMPs-beekeeping in the Mediterranean region.
- WP5 – Assessment of pesticide residues in citrus production and determination of quality, safety specifications and traceability in honey production at PLANT-B farming system.
- WP6 – Assessment of the environmental and socio-economic sustainability of the PLANT-B farming system.
- WP7- Dissemination of the new knowledge and stakeholder/consumer engagement (WP Leader: NSCE with the contribution of all partners (NSCE Lead)
Services
- Definition of dissemination strategy and plan
- Platform creation and maintenance
- Institutional dissemination workshops/ media/ tools
- Specific dissemination at national level.