Wold Bee Day I FAO conference: Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees

In celebration of the World Bee Day, May 20th, FAO North America and Slovenian Embassy to the US organized a dynamic webinar Bee Engaged: Building Back Better for Bees, examining the vast challenges facing pollination efforts and the potential for creative development methods.

Despite more than 75 percent of the world’s food crops depending somehow on pollination, the livelihood of these pollinators is increasingly threatened by man-made ecological conditions. The interruption of pollinators’ crucial work has, unfortunately, coincided with ongoing food system disruption resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As we continue to face unique agricultural and environmental challenges, we must present creative solutions to improve the health and sustainability of the global agricultural community and its pollinators. From traditional to commercial sectors, employing sustainable practices in beekeeping and agriculture will be crucial to help pollinators survive and support a more secure global food system.

The opening notes were from HE Ambassador Tone Kajzer, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of Republic of Slovenia Jože Podgoršek and the US congresswoman Susan Wild.

Ladeja G. Košir contributed to the the panel discussion Pollinating a Dynamic Economy: Prioritizing Pollinators for Better Food Systems on sustainable agrifood systems, potentials of creative development methods, interconnectivity and interdependance of global food chains and a role of circular economy in maintaining value, collaboration and co-creating circular and sustainable solutions in bioeconomy.