1

Why the project matters

The Mediterranean region faces common rural challenge: sustaining businesses & creating jobs remains difficult. MSMEs particularly struggle in industrialized markets due to their small scale, remoteness, limited innovation & weak identity. This economic fragility not only threatens local livelihoods but also contributes to depopulation & environmental degradation exacerbated by unsustainable agricultural practices. Rural ecosystems must be preserved from detrimental human activities, especially use of chemical pesticides and propose a self-regulated system for economic, social and environmental sustainability.

2

What it aims to achieve

• To empower Bee-enterprises for sustainable growth & global reach.
• To develop value chains & business networks, enhancing the competitiveness through innovative capacity building activities, product differentiation techniques and organizing in regional and transnational destination brands.

3

Expected change

• Upskilled 120 entrepreneurs and created 1 transnational and 6 regional Bee-branded clusters supporting female-led MSMEs, floral authenticity and Apitourism.
• Opened 6 regional Apitourism offices and launched the first global HoneyRoutes to promote the Bee Economy.
• Set up the PLANBEE Policy Committee to drive policy innovation and long-term support.
• Validated the Bee Economy model in rural Mediterranean areas, proving its potential to boost micro-SMEs, create jobs, foster sustainability and counter rural depopulation.

4

What the project delivers

• Training workshops for new beekeepers at both Beginners’ and Advanced levels using a Simulation Tool.
• Culinary workshops for creative usage of honey in local gastronomy.
• Development and promotion of the “MED Queen Bee” Brand.
• Awarding of Mediterranean Queen Bees across the Mediterranean with certificates given to at least 60 enterprises across the 6 participanting regions.
• Smart Beehive Pilot for Flora-Based Honey Branding, digitally monitoring beehives and environmental stations for pilot tests of smart beehives.
• Honeybee Eco-Tourist Routes made accessible to travelers through mobile phones using QR codes.
• A Mediterranean Apitourism Cluster with 6 regional offices, representing at least 36 enterprises.

5

Who benefits

• Beekeepers and Honeybee Product Processors (micro to SMEs in rural areas, 1,000 beneficiaries across 6 regions).
• Female Entrepreneurs in rural areas, with support for MSMEs and access to training.
• Vocational Education and Training (VET) Providers offering beekeeping training and curriculum development.
• Hotel Restaurant Catering (HoReCa) Businesses gaining access to high-quality honey and apitourism clusters.
• Tourism and environment policymakers promoting sustainable bee tourism.
• Local Development Agencies supporting community engagement and resource allocation.
• Media and NGOs raising awareness and advocating for the Bee Economy.
• Consumers and tourists seeking eco-tourism and honeybee-related experiences.