With the project initiated by the Near East University Faculty of Agriculture in cooperation with the Italian Sustainable Plant Protection Institute, the native bee race of Cyprus will be identified and protected. In the first leg of the implemented project, it will be determined which of the bee races currently found on the island of Cyprus is the indigenous race. Later, by using artificial intelligence support, the behavioral ecology will be determined and the native Cyprus bee will be protected in situ. Within the scope of the project, all beekeepers, especially the Northern Cyprus Beekeepers Association, will be contacted and willing beekeepers will be included in the project. Beekeepers will be trained on disease and pest management in the native Cyprus bee and will be made aware of how to increase productivity.

Near East University Faculty of Agriculture gave a seminar in Italy!
Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture of Near East University, Prof. went to Naples, Italy, with the invitation of the Italian Sustainable Plant Protection Institute. Dr. Özge Özden and Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Salih Gücel also gave a seminar about traditional beekeeping activities carried out in Cyprus. In the seminar, which was attended by scientists from the Italian Plant Protection Institute as well as many beekeepers from the Naples region, it was also emphasized how valuable natural honey obtained from natural ecosystem areas in rural areas is.

Prof. Dr. Özge Özden: “We will include beekeepers who want to in the project we carry out with the Italian Sustainable Plant Protection Institute.”
Dean of Near East University Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Dr. Özge Özden, member of the Italian Sustainable Plant Protection Institute, Dr. in Italy, where they went to give a seminar. He said that they also discussed the details of the joint project they initiated with Gennaro Di Prisco for the native bee race of Cyprus. Prof. Dr. Özden emphasized that with the project they implemented together with the Italian Sustainable Plant Protection Institute, they will carry out studies to monitor and protect the native bee race of Cyprus with the support of climate change, sustainable beekeeping and artificial intelligence.

Prof. stated that, as the Faculty of Agriculture of Near East University, they have determined protecting the ecology of the island by protecting the local breeds as one of their most important priorities. Dr. Özge Özden said, “On the other hand, we aim to support productivity increase by supporting the breeders resident in our country. “In the project we are carrying out with the Italian Sustainable Plant Protection Institute, we plan to contact beekeepers in Northern Cyprus and include those beekeepers who want to in the project,” he said.