Скачать или смотреть SMART BEE Pollination and Plant Protection Services / Розумне бджолозапилення та Захист Рослин

Today bees pollinate 90 to 95% of all agricultural crops. Bee pollination increases number of apple and pear ovaries by 90%, plum ovaries – by 78%, cherries and sweet-cherry ovaries – by 99%. Bee pollination of fruit and berry crops increases their yield by 30 to 40%, and oftentimes even by 50%. Pollination also has an impact on fruits quality, juiciness, aroma and size.

The USAID AGRO program pilots innovative initiative on smart pollination of raspberries to increase their yield combined with simultaneous application of means of plant protection. AGRO initiated and supported raspberry test area where 12 beehives pollinate 3 hectares of raspberries (four beehives per hectare). Bees pollinate plants and carry biological plant protection products on their paws to both increase plant yield and protection. These organic components are harmless to bees and effective for plants. By this, AGRO intends to reduce pesticide loading on plants, mitigate plant diseases and introduce regulated bee pollination services using innovative technologies.

On the other hand, AGRO intends to establish cooperation between beekeepers and farmers by creating win-win market environment where both parties can generate income while preserving environment.

Establishing of a high-tech market of horticulture pollination by bees will deploy the Ukraine’s strongest assets, which are information technologies and agriculture, and may generate additional income of up to 1-1.5 billion U.S. dollars per year. Alongside with IT implementation, it will move Ukraine to the next technological level of agriculture, create new jobs for youth and ramp up production of high-quality food.