Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University – National Apiculture Research Training and Development Institute (DMMMSU-NARTDI) celebrated World Bee Day on May 20, 2024 through a beekeeping orientation among students and faculty of DMMMSU – North La Union Campus (NLUC), Bacnotan, La Union.
Dr. Joseph A. Panas, Executive Director of NARTDI, cited the orientation to raise awareness, especially among the youth, on the importance of bees in the ecosystem, focusing on its significance in agriculture and environmental sustainability.
“There are more than 20,000 bee species worldwide, and the majority are pollinators that sustain the perpetuation of angiosperms, thereby maintaining ecological balance,” Director Panas mentioned.
Participants engaged in the guided tour at the apiary which incorporated lectures and demonstrations about honey bee species, honey bee management, and honey production and harvesting.
Director Panas discussed that the impact of climate change that the world is encountering is a result of anthropogenic activities. “This suffering is a reminder that although advanced technologies have made our lives easier, they have also degraded our ecosystem. We cannot underestimate the crucial role of small insects like bees in the restoration of a degrading ecosystem,” he added.
Participants immersed themselves deeper though honey tasting and a photography contest.
Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials were also distributed to provide participants with further information about beekeeping.
The orientation concluded with Director Panas calling everyone to action by encouraging them to protect bees by planting trees and ornamentals as sources of pollen and nectar for the sustenance of bees.
“With our collective efforts, we can make the world a better place for the next generation,” Director Panas gladly said. (By Arvin C. Tuyan)