World Bee Day is when UN Member States approved Slovenia’s proposal to proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day in December 2017.
On this day in 1734, Anton Janša the pioneer of beekeeping, was born.
The purpose of the international day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem.
The value of bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, are increasingly under threat from human activities.
Pollinators allow many plants, including many food crops, to reproduce.
Not only do pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity – a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals.
They also serve as sentinels for emergent environmental risks, signaling the health of local ecosystems.
Invasive insects, pesticides, land-use change and monocropping practices may reduce available nutrients and pose threats to bee colonies.
In order to further raise awareness of the importance of bees and to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director General Jose Graziano da Silva in a message said bees must be protected for the future.
