8th Beekeeping event: Honey as food and medicine was held at the city square in Bijelo Polje on 28 July 2018 with the aim to promote beekeeping product and equipment and beekeeping literature. At the event participated 34 exhibitors (48 participants, out which 17 women) from Montenegro, Serbia and B&H. The event was good opportunity for promotion of beekeeping products, improvement of quality of products, to gain friendship, exchange of experience and good practices among participants from the cross-border region. Evet was very well promoted. In the scope of the event was organized lecture for exhibitors and interested participants on the subject: Honey, types of honey, recognition of the quality of honey. Professor Cirkovic Dragan shared its knowledge related to honey origin, chemical components of honey, nutrition value in comparison with other life ingredients as well as conditions that affect honey, types of nectar and which flowers are the best source of nectar, recognition of honey quality with a short reference to the use of pollen and propolis and other beekeeping products.

Beekeeping association “Pcelar” from Bijelo Polje is functional for more than 80 years since its establishment in 1936. The richness of honey plants provides favorable natural conditions for the development of this activity. In the territory of Bijelo Polje, nowadays beekeeping involves around 250 beekeepers, which own over 5,000 bee colonies, out which 130 are members of the Association of beekeepers and in their possession, there are over 4,000 bee colonies. The significance of beekeeping is reflected in the production of honey and other bee products, stated Mayor of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje, Mr. Petar Smolovic. He emphasized that the aim of the measures for encouraging the development of beekeeping are related to improving competitiveness in the production of bee products, preserving quality and improving the health correctness of bee products and raising the professional knowledge and training of beekeepers. He invited citizens to continue to cherish beekeeping as important economic activity, and others to foster a good habit of consuming honey and other bee products, because honey is both food and medicine.

This event has contributed to improvement of competitiveness of rural cross- border area in the beekeeping sector through the transfer of knowledge and examples of good practice and joint partnerships in accordance with the principles of environmental protection and food safety.

The activity is supported by the the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG) in South-Eastern Europe within the project: “Rural development through integrated forest and water resources management in Southeast Europe: Rural perspectives: qualification, reintegration and (self) employment” in cooperation with German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).

https://www.bijelopolje.co.me/index.php/arhiva-glavnih-vijesti/3646-otvorena-manifestacija-,,med,-hrana-i-lijek-2018-%E2%80%9D.html

http://www.radiobijelopolje.me/index.php/bijelo-polje/6126-manifestacija-med-hrana-i-lijek-danas-na-gradskom-trgu

http://standard.co.me/index.php/gradovi/item/23835-med-hrana-i-lijek

http://www.rtcg.me/vijesti/drustvo/210284/med-hrana-i-lijek-u-bijelom-polju.html

http://www.vijesti.me/vijesti/bijelo-polje-otvorena-manifestacija-med-hrana-i-lijek-998291