BPRACTICES “NEW INDICATORS AND ON-FARM PRACTICES TO IMPROVE HONEYBEE HEALTH IN THE AETHINA TUMIDA ERA IN EUROPE” Dr. Giovanni Formato

BPRACTICES project aims to (1/2) Enhance honey bee health status in EU by implementing and adopting harmonized Good Beekeeping Practices (GBPs) approved in collaboration within scientists (Partner Countries) and beekeepers’ Associations – including pre- clinical indicators Set up innovative, efficient, laboratory methods to prevent and diagnose honey bee diseases, with the collaboration of the EURL for Bee Health

BPRACTICES project aims to (2/2) Provide guidelines on low environmental impact treatments for the control of the honeybee diseases Set up an innovative traceability system adopting an on-line platform and the QR-code

Preliminary results (1/2) Harmonized EU list of main GBPs (paper in publication on OIE journal) 3 surveys for beekeepers are ongoing, to validate GBPs in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Preliminary results (2/2) Identification of the pre-clinical indicators to prevent HB diseases symptoms and mortality New protocols for diagnosis HB diseases in collaboration with EURL: AFB, SHB, Nosema (including ring tests) Field trials to test sustainable strategies (organic compounds and biotechnical methods) for HB diseases control

Contribution to SusAn research objectives (1/2) New management practices and innovative diagnostic techniques identified will prevent HB diseases, enhance honey bee health, reduce the use of chemicals and increase quality and quantity of bee products (competitiveness, resilience, efficiency, quality)

Contribution to SusAn research objectives (2/2) In order to educate beekeepers and consumers an innovative technology (QRCode/RFID system) has been developed for the apiary management. Information for consumers on the production details (efforts of beekeepers to take care of the bees in a sustainable way, protecting quality of productis) will enhance consumers’ trust and acceptability.

Research Impact on the 3 pillars of sustainability (1/3) Research Area 1: (productivity, resilience and competitiveness) We implemented Good Beekeeping Practices (GBPs) in order to optimize apiary management and prevent the spread of honeybee diseases in the EU, enhancing beekeeping production

Research Impact on the 3 pillars of sustainability (2/3) Research Area 2: (waste reduction and environmental sustainability) We are focusing the activities of the control of the honey bee diseases using low environmental impact substances (organic acids, essential oils, etc.). Moreover, we reduce the use of the chemicals preventing the HB diseases. Moreover, increasing health of the bees we increase the pollination and biodiversity.

Research Impact on the 3 pillars of sustainability (3/3) Research Area 3: (consumer acceptability and societal challenges associated with animal welfare, product quality safety, biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services) The bee-friendly management system we developed for prevention and control of the HB diseases enhances high quality of beekeeping production and enhance consumers’ trust and acceptability.

The better on-farm practices (GBPs) adopted by beekeepers can be shown Research Impact on the 3 pillars of sustainability How relevant are the links made between the pillars?   Links between the 3 pillars are based on the achievement of better on-farm practices (GBPs) to enhance animal health and welfare, consumer’s awareness and acceptability and societal challenges associated with animal welfare, product quality and safety, biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services. The better on-farm practices (GBPs) adopted by beekeepers can be shown through the on-line platform and the QR-code.

Research Impact on the 3 pillars of sustainability: How relevant are the links made between the pillars?   At the apiary level

Transnational collaboration: 1 Transnational collaboration: 1. What is the added value of transnational collaboration?   Each partner provided specific and complementary scientific experiences from different countries (e.g. bee pathologies, beekeeping practices, laboratory techniques and hive productions, communications, applications) Moreover, we had request of collaborations, from: “EU” level (COLOSS group for protocols of varroa; Danish beekeepers’ Association, for the development of the Innovative traceability system) “extra-EU” level (Appalachian State University, especially to test the GBPs even in extra EU conditions

Transnational collaboration: 1 Transnational collaboration: 1. What is the added value of transnational collaboration?   Transnational collaborations with EURL, Apimondia and FAO permitted to cover the beekeeping heterogeneity (eg. considering local traditions/legislation/equipment) and expertises (eg. in the definition of GBPs, in the set-up of new detection and control methods).

Transnational collaboration: 2 Transnational collaboration: 2. is beneficial for broad implementation of the results?   Transnational collaborations with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) TECA platform, the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations (Apimondia) and COLOSS group were and will be fundamental to promote project findings at the scientific, social and economic level in all countries.

Stakeholders have been involved thanks to: Multi actor approach: 1. Is there a strategy to involve relevant stakeholders?   Stakeholders have been involved thanks to: Direct involvement of beekeepers: International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations (Apimondia); EU beekeepers (e.g. EPBA, Danish Beekeepers’ Association) Active participation in international conferences and symposia organized: COLOSS, EURBEE, Apimondia Collaboration with the European Union Reference Laboratory –EURL- for Bee Health (ANSES) Interview of consumers to investigate their perceptions about honey bee production and quality and test the innovative traceability system Surveys for beekeepers through FAO Analysis of consumers’ knowledge and perception on beekeeping practices and definition of a consumer’s panel test of the traceability system to be implemented The web application will be tested by consumer panel with the aim to identify the weaknesses and the strengths of the system

All research outcomes have been validated under practical conditions: Multi actor approach: 2. Are research outcomes validated under practical conditions along the whole value added chain? (1/2)   All research outcomes have been validated under practical conditions: GBPs were ranked by both scientists and beekeeping experts. Moreover, surveys for beekeepers are still ongoing; For the diagnostic methods of honey bee diseases, ring tests have been carried out;

Multi actor approach: 2. Are research outcomes validated under practical conditions along the whole value added chain? (2/2)   For the strategies to control HB diseases with low environmental impact substances, field trials in different countries have been/are ongoing performed; The innovative traceability system will be validated through beekeepers and a consumers’ panel, which is ongoing At the market

The project will impact different levels of the European beekeeping: Cross-scale approach: (1/2) In how far does it make sense in the particular research project to target the different levels? How relevant are the interactions seen between the levels?   The project will impact different levels of the European beekeeping: The innovative GBPs, being harmonized at the EU level may be applicable from local (single apiaries) to higher (governamental/EU) or global level (eg. reduction of the diseases/ increase quality of the production as choose of the single beekeeper; or reduce the prevalence of one or more HB diseases’ in one or more EU member States)

The traceability system, also, will be useful for all beekeepers and Cross-scale approach: (2/2) In how far does it make sense in the particular research project to target the different levels? How relevant are the interactions seen between the levels?   Analytical/laboratory competences developed and shared by all partners, in collaboration with the EURL for Bee Health, will foster the preventive approach we suggested to reduce the use of the medicines at the apiary level The traceability system, also, will be useful for all beekeepers and consumers without distinctions

a list of EU harmonized GBPs; Cross-scale approach: Which is the Impact of the project in terms of knowledge acquisition?   The collaborative network of partners in the project was fundamental to gain wider perspectives of European beekeeping, with its different characteristics, to find joint solutions and to define at the EU level: a list of EU harmonized GBPs; set up of new diagnostic protocols for HB diseases; define low environmental impact strategies to control HB diseases.

scientific/popular events (Apimondia Symposia/Congresses, Eurbee); Dissemination and communication strategy: Is there strategy for exploiting the potential of the projects results?   The main ways used to disseminate the project outcomes will follow different modalities depending on the final recipient (researchers, beekeepers or general public and consumers): scientific/popular events (Apimondia Symposia/Congresses, Eurbee); all partners’ communication channels

Fully accessible website http://www.izslt.it/bpractices/ Dissemination and communication strategy: Do you disseminate the projects results via Open Data?   All project results will be disseminated via Open Access Research publications Fully accessible website http://www.izslt.it/bpractices/ New traceability platform adopting and integrating (Hivelog application) Online Surveys: in collaboration with TECA FAO to validate GBPs identified and to spread to all beekeepers

Thank you for your kind attention http://www.izslt.it/bpractices/ Dr. Giovanni Formato Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Lazio e Toscana “M. Aleandri”