Session 29 - Agroforestry, Forest and Agricultural Sustainability
AF4EU Buzz: Unveiling Beekeeping Value Chain and Sustainable Agroforestry Practices in the EU
CEST ID: cest2025_00078
Room Aegle A | Sat 6 Sep 2025 | 09:50 - 10:00 am
This study examines the honey farm value chain developed within the European Agroforestry Business Model Innovation Network (AF4EU) project, which aims to promote agroforestry practices across Europe. Despite being the world's second-largest honey producer, the EU still requires imports to meet domestic demand (European Commission, 2024). The AF4EU project created value chains through co-creation workshops. Honey farms were recognized as significant across all climatic regions involved in the project, with participants identifying direct sales of honey and other products as the main revenue stream. Inputs such as beehive production and post-harvest machinery were considered external to the farm, while ecosystem services and training emerged as key outcomes. This study highlights the importance of short supply chains and traditional beekeeping knowledge in supporting sustainable honey production.
Presenter:

Dr María Rosa Mosquera-Losada

Authors

Ana Couso-Viana

Francisco Javier Rodríguez-Rigueiro

Nuria Ferreiro-Domínguez

A Hosseini

Esther Valiño

Alexandros Fournarakos

S Fountas

A Pantera

Andreas Papadopoulos

John Casey

P Zander

Marco Ciolfi

Piero Paris

Jose Antonio Aldrey-Vázquez

María Jesús Taboada-Iglesias

Antonio Rigueiro-Rodríguez

Juan Luis Fernández-Lorenzo

María Pilar González-Hernández

Rosa Romero-Franco

María Rosa Mosquera-Losada