World Bee Day 2023: History, Theme and Significance

WORLD BEE DAY 2023: Bees and other pollinators are crucial to our ecosystem. They enable the production of a diverse range of fruits, nuts, and seeds, ensuring food security and nutrition. Around 90 percent of wild flowering plants and over 75 percent of food crops rely on animal pollination. But, these pollinators are being threatened increasingly by human activities. In recognition of the importance of bees, the United Nations designated May 20 as World Bee Day to raise awareness about pollinators, their challenges, and their role in sustainable development.

Protecting bees would contribute a lot to addressing global food supply issues and reducing hunger in developing countries. Monitoring their decline and conserving biodiversity is essential since we depend on pollinators.

World Bee Day 2023: History

To commemorate the birth anniversary of Anton Jansa, a pioneer in beekeeping, World Bee Day is observed on May 20. Jansa hailed from a Slovenian family of beekeepers, and beekeeping has long been considered as a significant agricultural practice with a rich tradition in Slovenia.

The idea for World Bee Day was proposed by the Government of Slovenia in 2016, supported by the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations (Apimondia). The day was given approval by United Nations Member States in 2017. The inaugural observance of World Bee Day took place in 2018.

World Bee Day 2023: Theme

World Bee Day 2023 will be marked with the theme, “Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production.” This theme urges worldwide efforts to promote agricultural practices which will be beneficial to pollinators. It emphasises the need for safeguarding bees and other pollinators, primarily through evidence-based approaches to agricultural production.

World Bee Day 2023: Significance

World Bee Day holds great significance as it raises awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinators for our ecosystems and food production. It highlights the crucial role these organisms play in maintaining biodiversity, ensuring crop pollination, and promoting food security and nutrition.

The day serves as a call to action, urging individuals, organisations, and governments to protect and conserve pollinators, address the challenges they face, and promote sustainable practices in agriculture and land management. By recognising and observing World Bee Day, we can safeguard these vital species and contribute to the well-being of our planet.