Beekeeping and organic methods of keeping away, but also treating, pests and diseases is the sensible way for the sustainable development of this activity, as well as for safeguarding the hard-working and most clever insects, the Bees.

Dr Andreas Thrasyvoulou prefers the 'old school' methods to modern ones, since they have been tested for years and they do work. Varroa mite and American foulbrood, being the most common diseases for the honeybees in Cyprus, can be prevented by adding Thymol (extracted from Thyme) in bees' food, while the 'shaking method' is a nonantibiotic management technique for the bacterial disease American foulbrood.

It was very interesting to hear all of this and more by Dr Thrasyvoulou, Professor in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, at the open discussion event organised by the Pancyprian Beekeepers Association on 21st May 2022, where the Med BEESiness Hubs Project was also present. Beekeepers from all over Cyprus had the opportunity to meet with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Filagro Group, the two project partners from Cyprus, and learn how the Med BEESiness Hubs Project can support local economies of deprived rural communities by helping them acquire technical skills, business knowledge, as well as receiving grants for the development of products and services in the Apiculture and Apitourism sector.

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