Beekeeping in Malta : a review of current practices, trends and challenges

Abstract

As part of the project MEDIBEES Monitoring of the Mediterranean Honey bee Subspecies and their Resilience to Climate Change for the Improvement of Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems, a questionnaire investigating beekeeping practices was developed and circulated among beekeepers within the participating countries of the MEDIBEES consortium. The main aim of the questionnaire was to collect information from the primary stakeholders in the apiculture industry and identify the main challenges and threats facing this important industry. As of 2021 beekeeping in Malta was practised by 265 registered beekeepers, who collectively keep around 5,595 beehives (personal communication, Veterinary Regulation Directorate). From these hives, beekeepers collect honey on a tri-annual basis in spring, summer and lastly in autumn (Attard & Douglas, 2017). Besides honey production, honey bees contribute to the pollination of many crops and wild plants and they are important keystone species for agriculture and the environment. Yet these aspects are largely disregarded in local discussions concerning stakeholder interests and relatively little is known about the Maltese industry and the factors that affect it.