Abu Dhabi [UAE], Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Emirati beekeepers by providing high quality queen bees of the local Emirati honey bee breed. The announcement coincides with the celebration of World Bee Day in May. Each year last March, ADAFSA bred and produced 2,693 queen bees from the ninth generation of Emirati bee queens. These efforts are part of the authority's ongoing commitment to develop the Emirati honey bee breed, produce high-quality honey and reduce dependency. Imported Bee Colonies ADAFSA continues its distribution efforts, providing 2,283 ninth-generation queens to local beekeepers, and breeding activities continue, producing 3,000 queens and an additional 2,300 queens during the spring breeding season (March to mid-2024). Aim to do.This will produce a total of 5,300 queens from the ninth generation of Emirati honey bees during the autumn breeding season (from October to mid-November 2024). The authority indicated that 13,217 queens were produced from eight generations of Emirati honey bees. 2016 to 2023, of which 10,703 queens were distributed to beekeepers across the country. To promote local honey globally, the authority organized the Al Wathba Hoon Festival in Abu Dhabi from 26 January to 8 February 2024. Held in conjunction with Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Agriculture.Awarding Excellence, the festival was attended by 60 beekeepers and companies involved in honey production. This included various honey competitions and valuable prizes for the participants, ADAFSA also organized scientific workshops and seminars on beekeeping and honey production. Topics covered include preparing honey samples for local and international competitions, the quality and importance of local propolis, practices for raising Emirati bee queens, and interactive sessions with beekeepers to discuss challenges and possible solutions in the sector. Are included. The authority has also published a scientific book. It is titled “Bees and Beekeeping in the UAE."It is the first publication in the UAE to focus on all aspects of bees, honeybees and beekeeping in the country, including wild and managed species. The main topics covered in the book include the management of hives in hot and dry environments These include sustainable beekeeping practices, and identifying and addressing key pests and diseases, with a particular focus on the wild dwarf honeybee (Apis florea), a species prevalent in the UAE. A special booklet on beekeeping and honey production has also been developed, which aims to teach them how honey is made and the terminology associated with it. This year, the authority released a brochure on beekeepers. Bee-eaters, which primarily feed on bees, making it one of the most significant threats to bee populations, explained the most effective prevention methods to reduce the impact of bee-eaters on bees. Is.The bee-eater is one of the migratory bird species whose hunting or killing is prohibited by law. The authority has ambitious projects in the pipeline, including a project to monitor pests and diseases affecting honey bee colonies in the country. The authority aims to develop a management program to protect honeybee populations and ensure the sustainability of beekeeping in the UAE. The final results of this project are expected by the first quarter of 2025.