Alexandria, Egypt – The Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations (CEEBA), in partnership with the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce (ACOC), has successfully delivered a beginner beekeeping training in Egypt under the PLANBEE project.
The Group
- 24 participants with little or no prior beekeeping experience
- 17 of them women — a majority that created a light-hearted parallel with the highly female-dominated structure of a honey bee colony
The Training
Spanning 16 hours across two in-person days (29–30 August) and one online session (6 September), the programme combined theory with extensive hands-on practice.
Participants:
- Explored beekeeping equipment and assembled frames
- Practiced using a smoker
- Discovered hive products including honey, beeswax, propolis and royal jelly
- Covered bee biology, colony inspection, apiary establishment, seasonal management, honey harvesting, bee health, Varroa control, Egyptian forage plants and legal responsibilities
The hands-on sessions — especially honey tasting and product exploration — generated strong engagement, proving that sensory and practical experiences are powerful tools for introducing beekeeping and its commercial potential.
What Stood Out
Trainers observed a genuine emotional connection to bees and a strong sense of compassion for their wellbeing, creating a highly positive learning environment. Participants stayed engaged through quizzes, group discussions and problem-solving exercises after each session.
What’s Next
Graduates who complete at least 75% of this training and the separate Entrepreneurial Skills Training may apply for the PLANBEE Tailored Services Voucher Scheme (launching 2026–2027).
Through an open, competitive call, selected entrepreneurs will receive personalised business support worth up to €5,000 — including mentoring, technical advice and networking — to help launch or grow bee-related enterprises.
Participation in training does not guarantee selection; beneficiaries will be chosen based on published eligibility criteria.
Congratulations to all 24 participants. Here’s to a sweeter, more sustainable future.