Beekeeping and its Role in Countryside Ecology and Rural Development

Natura Opava - Czech Republic, CZECH REPUBLIC
Educational organization called "Natura Opava - Czech Republic" is a non-governmental and non-profit organization that has been dealing with environmental education, training and consultancy in the branch of environmental protection since 1992. Our training programs are aimed to teaching pupils and students to get familiarized with the nature by using own experience. Our motto is - "Learning about the Nature while in the Nature". We also try to provide the wide public with information of natural attractions. Our activities are mainly focused on township of Opava (Czech Republic), Raciborz (Poland) and the region of Amvrakian Bay (Preveza-Greece). During a year, we organize about one hundred seminars, branch exercises and awareness events. We organize nature-scientific expeditions used for making scientific work closer to the younger generation. In cooperation with the Statutory Town Council of Opava, we have regularly been publishing publications about the nature in Opava region in the recent times. Two years ago, we began to issue the magazine called "Opavský Přírodovědný Zpravodaj" (natural-science newsletter of Opava), also with support of Statutory Town Council of Opava. The newsletter has so far had over 9,000 email subscribers. Our activity in vocational education is also quite extensive. We have closely been working with high schools and universities for which we provide branch training and practical lessons within accredited school subjects and also within common lessons associated to involvement of professional experts. We hold methodology lessons in several schools. We are co-administrators and reviewers in prestigious competitions of student works, like for instance Olympic games in biology and secondary-school professional activities at both the district and regional levels. Our members have actively been leading professional training both in traditional lessons and in non-formal education. In this perspective and level, we can monitor and specify significant failures of lessons within professional education in schools focused on natural sciences. This experience has brought us to the the idea to develop this project. With a team of collaborators from schools of Opava, Poland and Slovakia, we have been preparing useful projects aimed to education for students and young people in the branch of sustainable development, agriculture and nature protection. We provide consulting services in the branch of nature protection to the wide public. We also provide consulting services in the branch of environmental education and practical lessons of biology to schools. Information of our activities is available at our website: http://www.natura-opava.org/. Our team includes many experts who are mostly graduates of prestigious universities in the Czech Republic; they are extensively experienced in professional training.

Masarykova střední škola zemědělská a Vyšší odborná škola, Opava, CZECH REPUBLIC
They are secondary school of agriculture and higher professional school of Opava; we have been providing adult people with our services as a training centre in the branch of agriculture. We have these school subjects to teach - Agro-business, Nature Protection, Chemist-operator, Gardener, Farmer, General Business, Nature Science Lyceum, Regional Rural Politics. We actively cooperate with the School Farm Opava and Teva (pharmaceutical production company); our organization is aimed to as much as possible connect practical experience in teaching at schools and gradually expand portfolio of partner organizations of the school. We are quite busy in the knowledge branch of international cooperation; we have our partners from more than 10 European countries and their number is increasing every year. This provides our students with opportunity to get familiarized with their culture and gain experience in the particular knowledge branch. Our school is located in the Moravian-Silesian Region, which is a region significantly burdened by heavy industry causing major pollution of the natural environment; our town is one of three most polluted towns in the country, according to statistics of the last year and this year. This region is also known for its big problem with unemployment; our region lies on the border with Poland. Our students come from several different regions of our country; they commute up to the distance of 130 km. Our school is also attended by pupils and students from poor families; their parents cannot afford to provide them with enough money for their trips. This project is a unique chance for those pupils and students to gain international experience in the knowledge branch of knowledge and get familiarized with new culture. Our school is one of few facilities of such kind in the region which are not afraid to accept students with learning disabilities (SPU); these students have their individual study plan in our school. They can also enjoy full support of management and staff employed in the school.

Rude-Associação de Desenvolvimento Rural (Covilhã e Canhoso), PORTUGAL
RUDE - Rural Development Association is the managing body of the Community Initiative LEADER at Cova da Beira, accredited on April 11, 1992 by the National Management to administer this fund community in the Territory NUT III Cova da Beira. Since 2009 RUDE is responsible for the implementation of the PRODER (a strategic and financial support to rural development for the 2007-2013 programming period, approved by the European Commission Decision C (2007) 6159, December 4) that aims: - Improving the competitiveness of agriculture and forestry; - Promote sustainability of rural areas and of natural resources; - Economic and social restructuring of rural areas. It is a legal private entity whose scope of action covers 49 parishes in the municipalities of Belmonte, Covilha and Fundão; RUDE is a legal private entity whose scope of action covers 49 parishes in the municipalities of Belmonte, Fundão and Covilhã, has a total area of 935.9 km2 and a population of 80,471 inhabitants. Its action generates new dynamics in its territory of intervention and, through the adoption of innovative initiatives, particularly in the development of rural areas, contributes to the well-being and quality of life of local population. Geographical proximity and the common features of the three counties, particularly in terms of natural resources and landscapes, were the main reason to bring these territories, the Territory Intervention RUDE - Association for Rural Development. he intervention of RUDE has settled a logic of complementarity of objectives, the impact of which has resulted in partnerships +, + skills to rural areas, opportunities + and + rural development. The implementation of the Local Development Strategies has resulted in a set of actions that caters to the crossing of external factors and internal factors of the SWOT analysis of strategic priorities, particularly in the areas of local products development and valorization; historical heritage; tourism and environment; cross-border cooperation; innovation and competitiveness; social and territorial cohesion. Within its activities, this institution also organizes hobby courses of fruit growing and fruit farming within environmental education and professional training in schools. This institute also conducts relevant workshops in own country.

Universitatea de Stiinte Agronomice si Medicina Veterinara din Bucuresti, ROMANIA
USAMVB is a complex institution and provides Higher Education and Training in: Vegetal and Animal Production; Biology; Control and Expertise on Food Quality; Food Processing Industry; Forestry; Land Reclamation; Environmental Engineering; Biotechnologies; Management in Agriculture; Veterinary Medicine. USAMVB mission, through the 3000 students who come from rural areas, is first formed in the belief that farm production could be increased as a result of the systematic application of current technology and agricultural research findings with the participation of the farming community. Also, to carry the results to a broad range of farmers who could use them; and to train farmers, extension workers, agricultural teachers and researchers from disadvantaged areas so that agricultural production could continue to be increased on a sustained basis.

Izba Rolnicza w Opolu
The Farming Chamber of the Opole province is a self-government unit of the agricultural local authority acting for the problem solving and is representing businesses of entities which are united in this chamber.. The chamber is acting for the farming, influences the forming of agricultural policies and participates in the environmental protection, the culture, the sightseeing and preserving the cultural heritage of rural areas. Activities of the chamber are connected with large-scale support to the agricultural environment by coordinating joint actions in the area of the farming, with supporting initiatives and creating the image of a modern farmer, and also supporting the agricultural education in the province. The chamber has a legal personality. Since the Secondary Agriculture School in Komorno is being managed by a new governing authority which doesn't care about supporting project initiatives of the school, the headmaster established a contact with the Farming Chamber and invited it for the cooperation. Thanks to that, the Farming Chamber, as the petitioner will provide the 20% contribution to the project budget, which will be ensure the budgeting for the ongoing project. The project will be a completely new task for the Farming Chamber enabling a new scope of activity for the Chamber. Trying to meet needs of the society, the representatives of the Chamber suggested supporting various project aiming at agricultural school in the province. Therefore, the headmaster of the Secondary Agriculture School in Komorno, where farmers are educated offered the cooperation in the field of a vocational training course to young people. Since the Farming Chamber was obligated to fulfil following tasks: - conduct operations for the agricultural market; - action in favour of improvement of the quality of cultivations and agricultural production; - develop the cooperation with foreign organizations of farming producers; - cooperate with the civil service in the environmental protection, the health and the country cultural heritage. - consult for activity of agricultural farms and the organizations associated with the farming sector including agricultural schools; The Board of the Farming Chamber decided to prepare and organize international training within the project KA1, where students from the agricultural school will participate under supervision of Farming Chamber representatives.

Ruse University
Ruse University (RU) is the successor of the first national higher technical school outside the capital of Bulgaria, established in 1954. RU is a state higher education institution evaluated with general assessment of criteria 9.28 and accredited by the National Accreditation and Evaluation Agency (NAEA). It is a regional member of the European Universities Association (EUA) and of the Danube Rectors' Conference (DRC). More than 9000 students, including about 450 international students and 150 PhD students, 450 professors, associate professors and assistant professors and approximately 350 support staff belong to the community of the University. The tradition and the geographical location of the RU determine its mission and its strategic role of educational, scientific and intellectual center of the Ruse region and Nortg-East Bulgaria. The RU offers very good on-campus accommodation for 2 400 students. There are eight student hostels, two of which are for families. The student refractory, cafeterias, the medical center, the kindergarten and creche, the post office and job center, the shops and the entertainment center are all in the same part of the campus. Researchers from University of Ruse have good experience in user needs analysis organizing training courses for farmers and etc. They are interest in management of agricultural farms, agro-market for organic products, agro-tourism, plant and animal production, organic production system, and etc. The key persons involved in this project, will be 3 researchers. 1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atanas Zdravkov Atanasov is lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture at University of Ruse. He has been active in the co-ordination and development of research projects on implementation of new technologies and scientific methodologies in organic field crops production, organic crop rotation, rural development and organic seeds. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atanasov has experience in conducting for IASS Obraztsov Chiflik and University of Rousse Leonardo da Vinci projects as “Agrohealth” 2007-LLP-LDV/TOI/2007/EL-18; Organic.Balkanet 2009-1-RO1-LEO05-03584 / LLP-LdV-TOI-2009-RO-008. Also he has experience as researcher in the Leonardo da Vinci project IMPROFARM 2011-1-PL-LEO05-1978. He has experience as partner in the project (ERABEE-TN) 134306-LLP-1-2007-1-GR-ERASMUS-ENW. He has interest in renewable energy and biofuels. He has experience as coordinator of 2 trans-border project between Bulgaria and Romania № 2(3i)-3.1-1, „Biofuels - source of common sustainable development in the cross-border cooperation area” and № 2(4i)-2.1-6 “Network and web platform to improve the public awareness on environmental management and protection in the cross border area Giurgiu – Rousse and adjacent cross border areas.” The pedagogues lead the lessons of professional training and provide beekeeping service all over the country. They represent the field of bio-beekeeping where chemistry is not used. They emphasize natural characteristics of the hives and healthy landscape.

ARDE - Regional Development Association
ARDE - Regional Development Association is a non-profit organization created in September 1995, with the purpose of promoting the economic and social development of the municipalities in its area of activity, through the promotion of its own initiatives and support of projects of local promoters, in close cooperation with entities of local, regional, national and international scope, according to a global intervention strategy and valorisation of local resources. ARDE is based on developing actions that contributes to the socio-economic and cultural dynamism of its territory, which includes the municipalities of Ponta Delgada and Vila do Porto, and encourage a spirit of mutual aid and cooperation between rural territories, so that there is a synergy combination for an integrated and sustainable development project. The ARDE partners, local authorities, socio-occupational and economic organizations in the areas of trade, industry, services, tourism, agriculture and fisheries, social solidarity, environment, culture, crafts, vocational training and education and sport, through their own acquired skills, represent a wide range of areas and sectors that for their diversity and scopes are fundamental structures for the implementation, in the territory of intervention, of local development strategies directed to the local needs satisfaction. ARDE - Regional Development Association has experience in the management of Community Initiative Programs Leader II (1994 – 1999) and Leader + (2000 – 2006); The management of PRORURAL 2007-2013(Azorean Rural Development Program) Axis 3; Currently is responsible for the intermediate management of sub-measure 19.2 of PRORURAL+ (2014 – 2020) - Support for the implementation of operations under the local development strategy promoted by local communities (Local Community Based Development DLBC Leader approach. In addition, ARDE is the manager of the pre-qualified partnership for the management of the coastal DLBC (Local Community Based Development). ARDE has already collaborated and intends to collaborate or create partnerships with similar associations such as ADELIAÇOR – Association for the Local Development of the Azores Islands (Islands of Pico, Faial, São Jorge, Flores and Corvo); GRATER – Regional Development Association (Islands of Terceira and Graciosa) and ASDEPR – Association for Rural Development and Promotion (includes the municipalities of Lagoa, Ribeira Grande, Vila Franca do Campo, Povoação and Nordeste of the island of São Miguel). ARDE technical team has five technicians with a degree in international relations, business management and social animation. The objective of the partnership has to do with the acquisition of new knowledge, new experiences and the acquisition of good practices developed in the partner countries. We are development agency associating the local beekeepers and helping them with their business development. We produce the best honey all over Europe. The process of chemicallisation is marginal in all this country. Pesticides are forbidden in several places. There are healthy hives there. All the agriculture is extensive there, having bio-quality! This partner is irreplaceable, while representing the initial state and the ideal state of beekeeping in the topic.