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Feasibility Study: Setting – up of An Organic Plantation of Melliferous and Medicinal Plants (MAP) for Honey Production on Bee-farm Šekovići

Countries
Bosnia and Herzegovina

Categories
Monitoring and Evaluation, Natural Resource Management, Environment and Climate Change, Market Development, Natural Resource Management

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The purpose of the Fostering Agricultural Markets Activity (FARMA) is to provide technical assistance in Bosnia Herzegovina’s (BiH) agricultural (sub) sectors through demand driven assistance aimed at improved competitiveness of BiH agricultural products. FARMA is to expand environmentally sustainable production, processing and sales of value-added agricultural products. FARMA will help BiH to accomplish several critical objectives, such as increasing agricultural competitiveness, meeting EU accession standards, reducing poverty by expanding environmentally sustainable production, and increasing sales, exports, and employment. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a very old tradition in collecting wild medicinal and aromatic plants. Even today, despite our intensive agricultural systems, the harvesting of wild plants is still one of major human activities in BiH and important economic factor in rural areas. Very small number of MAPs in BiH are cultivated to meet industry demand or to be used as bee pasture.

During 2009 EkoMozaik established a production of wooden beehives and raised first 1,200 bee-colonies in two apiaries. By the end of 2010 EkoMozaik will have raised additional 1.800 bee-colonies, totaling 3.000. This apiary will be 4-5 times larger than second largest single-owned apiary in the country. It will provide 50 new jobs for individuals in Šekovići, Osmaci (RS) and Živinice (FBH) municipalities. This is a unique such project currently in the country. Having in mind the above honey production, EkoMozaik ltd has identified an opportunity for further growth: to set up an MAP both as pasture for bees and to meet market demands. Initially, it will cultivate 5 ha of land, with an objective to cultivate sufficient surface to provide pasture for 3.000 bee-colonies. Having in mind the natural conditions and market demand, EkoMozaik is now searching for a model that will provide best habitat for bees while obtaining best financial results out of the combined honey-MAP production.

The purpose of this activity is to support “EKO MOZAIK” d.o.o to conduct a feasibility study for setting up of organic plantation of melliferous and medicinal plants in Bisina area – Šekovici municipality so that “EKOMOZAIK” ltd can cultivate different kinds of melliferous and medicinal and aromatic plants which should be in compliance with the needs of bee-farm in target municipalities. The outcome of this activity was:

  • one of the first significant areas under cultivation of MAPs
  • sustainable jobs in Šekovići, Živinice and Osmaci municipalities
  • strengthened economy of Šekovići, Živinice and Osmaci municipalities.