Abu Dhabi (Al Ittihad)
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, with the support and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the “Authority”, adopts an ambitious program to develop and sustain beekeeping and honey production in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, based on Scientific and applied studies and research to develop the best methods and practices appropriate to the environment of the UAE.
On the occasion of World Bee Day, which falls on May 20 of each year, and is held this year under the slogan: “We are committed to protecting bees in agricultural production and pollinator pastures,” the Abu Dhabi Authority for Agriculture and Food Safety announced the start of production of queens of the eighth generation of the Emirati bee breed developed by the “Authority”. Within the project of developing and sustaining beekeeping and honey production.
Engineer Saeed Ali Al Yamahi, Director of Research and Development Department at the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, said: “The development of the Emirati bee breed is the main pillar for the sustainability of beekeeping in the country because it depends on the development and production of queen bees that can adapt to the environment and climate of the UAE.”
He explained that the Abu Dhabi Authority for Agriculture and Food Safety has achieved unprecedented achievements in this field, as an Emirati bee breed has been developed that is characterized by the small size of worker bees and its activity in collecting nectar, and increasing its efficiency in honey production with progress in breeding generations, and the queens are highly active in laying eggs. And producing excellent patterns of incubation, in addition to adapting them to the local environmental conditions well, and the queens were bred and produced until we reached today the production of the eighth generation.
He added, “During the past year 2022, more than 3,079 queens were produced, and more than 2,700 queens were distributed to 90 Emirati beekeepers, with the aim of supporting beekeepers and honey production, and motivating more breeders to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of this vital sector.” He mentioned that beekeeping and honey production represent one aspect of sustainable agricultural development that supports the food security system, as honey is an important food product because of its great nutritional benefits, in addition to the environmental importance of beekeeping to ensure the ecosystem, through the bees’ contribution to the pollination process associated with By multiplying plants and trees, pollination has a positive impact on the environment in general, as it helps maintain biodiversity and ecosystems on which agriculture depends and is needed by a wide variety of plants, as bees and other pollinators provide an important service in ensuring the transfer of pollen, and thus the reproduction of many cultivated plants And the wilderness.
He pointed out that the Authority relies on scientific laboratories and advanced technologies to diagnose diseases and pests of honey bees as part of the research and development activities provided by the Kuwaitat Research Station affiliated to the Authority in Al Ain, noting that the laboratory for diagnosing diseases and pests of honey bees was equipped with the latest technologies to detect pathogens. bees, qualifying and training national cadres to diagnose diseases and pests, assist beekeepers in detecting diseases in apiaries, and provide recommendations and technical advice necessary to combat these diseases and pests. Engineer Saeed Ali Al Yammahi pointed out that the Authority is working on developing extension programs and plans that ensure the transfer of knowledge to beekeepers in all regions of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Production of queens, combating and diagnosing bee diseases and pests, improving production quality, in addition to building the capacity of national cadres in the fields of artificial insemination of bee queens.
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