The fifth Golden Bee Award flies to Poland

SLOVENIA, May 20 - The Golden Bee Award Committee received six nominations from five countries for achievements in the field of bee and wild pollinator conservation (all candidates were featured on the World Bee Day Facebook profile). The winner this year is a Polish company recognised by the Golden Bee Award Committee for its innovation in agriculture, specifically fruit cultivation.

The 2025 Golden Bee Award winner was officially announced by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and the president of the Committee, Mateja Čalušić. The award was presented to a company representative, Przemyslaw Kapka, by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar.

Minister Čalušić highlighted on behalf of the committee, that: "Osimia Future has developed an innovative digital solution that enables users to optimise orchard pollination via a mobile app. It uses spatial planning to determine the number of nests per hectare, taking into account factors such as pollination intensity, fruit tree type, position of the land and climate conditions. This pollinator-friendly solution supports the population management of the Red Mason Bee, a solitary bee native to Central and Southern Europe." The nesting boxes can be reused for several years, encouraging fruit growing with reduced reliance on phytosanitary products. The company cooperates with nearby schools to educate children about the importance of pollinators in fruit cultivation, thereby raising awareness among younger generations about the value of local habitats. "This is the most important recognition of our work. It is a great honour to be here tonight," said Przemyslaw Kapka after receiving the award.

On behalf of the committee, the President of the Republic, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar, awarded a special certificate of recognition to Dr Ivana Tlak Gajger from Croatia, who entered the competition with an experimental beekeeping laboratory, and to the Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee for their National Initiative for the Protection of Malta’s Insects. In her opening remarks, the President of the Republic expressed great respect for bees, noting that every third spoonful of food on our plates depends on them, adding: "I am fascinated by their organisation, diligence and respect for the queen bee." The President reminded the audience to be proud, that the initiative for the World Bee Day, now celebrated in over 100 countries worldwide, originated from Slovenia.      

Minister Mateja Čalušić emphasised that over the past five years, the Golden Bee Award has highlighted numerous unique and positive projects. As the awarding country, Slovenia builds strong international ties and strengthens its reputation as a green and biodiverse country, renowned for its beekeeping tradition. This encourages the efforts in food safety, sustainable agriculture and environment protection both domestically and abroad. Through World Bee Day and the Golden Bee Award, Slovenia promotes the transfer of knowledge and technology, further solidifying its global reputation as a green, healthy, proactive and innovative country.

World Bee Day

Commemorating World Bee Day serves to raise public awareness about the critical role bees play in our survival on this planet. Unfortunately, bees are critically endangered in many regions due to various factors, most notably climate change. Bees require clean air, water and a generally healthy environment. By preserving the environment and supporting bees’ survival, humanity benefits from a healthier and more beautiful world. Crucially, everyone must recognise their individual responsibility in conserving bees and other pollinators.

Slovenia has already established a global reputation as a bee-friendly country – not least through the inscription of Slovenian beekeeping on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, holding the record for the highest number of beekeepers per capita, and by its unique native bee species – the Carniolan Honey Bee, renowned for its gentle nature and diligence.

World Bee Day is also an excellent opportunity to highlight the importance of nature preservation, sustainable development and respect for the natural resources vital for the well-being of our planet and future generations.