IMPROVING THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE APITHERAPY SECTOR IN TERMS OF HEALTH

Demand for honey has witnessed a significant rise in various industries mainly in cosmetic, chemical or pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, apitherapy has become a popular modern practice for commercial farmers. To provide beekeeping, it’s important to learn the skills and acquire the knowledge that allows farmers and beekeepers to manage bees in a modern way. The paper aims to update and improve knowledge of target groups and related professional groups and meet the environmental institutions and training centres needs for training within the area of bee products and use of alternative medicine. Our goal is to create a curriculum based on apitherapy and bee products and to create completely updated teaching materials on bee products in alternative medicine and subsequently to increase incomes of beekeepers through the use of bee products in alternative medicine. Beyond the contribution of bee products in alternative medicine, beekeeping has a potential for the regional economy. In remote and rural areas beekeepers can make a considerable contribution to sustainable agricultural production. The main targets are adult education institutions (public, private); adult education centres’ teachers from the fields of beekeeping, alternative medicine and food sector; related vocational high school teachers (Agriculture, Veterinary, Pharmacy) and agricultural vocational schools, environmental institutions and training centres dealing with beekeeping. Bees have played a great role in biodiversity, nature conservation, in regional economies and in rural culture in almost all European countries. But the fact that there is very variable situation depending on the country or even the region in beekeeping, fall in the number of beekeepers has been spotted recently. Therefore this type of research will contribute to sustainability for the whole Europe as well.

Based on the mentioned facts, there is necessary to focus attention on:
­- Create a curriculum based on apitherapy and bee products and to create completely updated teaching materials on bee products in alternative medicine;
­- Promote entrepreneurship education for developing active citizenship, employability and creating new business (including social entrepreneurship), support future learning and career pathways for individuals, in accordance with their personal and professional development;
­- Update and improve instructors’ knowledge and support related professional groups and environmental institutions and training centres needs for training related to bee products and use of alternative medicine.
­- Increase of incomes of beekeepers through the use of bee products in alternative medicine.