International World Bee Day

In this episode, we speak with young beekeeper Francesca about bees, biodiversity and beekeeping traditions and what it means to carry forward traditional knowledge as a young woman in the field. Marking the theme “Bee Together for People and the Planet”, we explore how beekeeping connects past and future through respect for nature, sustainability and innovation.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Good morning everyone and welcome to another episode of the World Food Forum Podcast and our her story series where we highlight voices, journeys, and leadership of young women shaping the future of agriculture systems. In celebration of International B Day, we are taking this opportunity to reflect on the vital role of bees and other pollinators that they play in sustaining our agriculture systems. This day is a global reminder how closely our lives are connected to nature and why protecting pollinators is essential for both people and the planet. As a part of this today, we are exploring the relationship between these people and sustainable agriculture systems and the importance of preserving traditional knowledge while adapting today's challenges. And we are happy to be joined today by Francesca, young beekeeper carrying forward rich family tradition, rooted deep in the nature and sustainability. Growing up, surrounded by the rhythms of beekeeping, Francesca develops not only a strong connection to the environment, but also a deep understanding of the importance of protecting peace and preserving traditional knowledge. For her work, she brings together tradition and innovation, combining cultural heritage with more than perspective. So part of today's episode and today's conversation, we will explore her journey, her perspective as young woman in beekeeping and how we can continue to protect both ecological balance and cultural heritage for future generations. Francesca, thank you so much for joining us here today.

SPEAKER_00 1:45

Thank you for your time. It's a pleasure to be here with you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

We're excited to hear about your story. And to start, as you come from a family beekeeping business and you choose to return after traveling and after your studies, what actually drove you back and what does it mean to you personally to carry forward this kind of legacy?

SPEAKER_00 2:09

Thank you very much for this question. Since I was young, I was always been surrounded by nature, and my life has been determined by the rhythm of the season. I knew spring had started when my dad started going out in the morning at 5 a.m. From the very beginning, it was evident how much beekeeping and nature require deep respect, perseverance, and endurance. Even while traveling and studying abroad, I realized that this connection to the nature and to the bees remain a very important part of who I am. Returning to the family business was therefore not only a professional decision, but also a personal one. In 2021, our father and that had a bit of a bad incident, and for me and my sister Elena, it was like the world worlds collapsed on us. But returning to the family business meant for us reconnecting with our roots and contributing to something that has strong cultural and emotional value for our family. Carrying forward this legacy means uh protecting and a tradition built with passion, dedication, and respect for the nature. For us, uh it's really important to be here and to are able to carry on uh this uh this tradition.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

Definitely, and then thank you so much for sharing that. And we can see that your your story really speaks how young women are taking over and shaping barrier culture not only by preserving traditions, but also redefining and uh highlighting the importance, as you said, of carrying carrying the legacy and also highlighting their experiences and their perspective and adapting it, adapting to them. But building on this, I would also like to like say explore on how further this knowledge actually connects uh to cultural heritage and learning about the traditions. So, how do you view beekeeping as part of cultural heritage and why is it important to preserve and transmit this knowledge to further generations? And in your work, uh you also organize uh tastings and educational activities, and how important is it actually to share this knowledge about honey and biodiversity and beekeeping with next generations?

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Uh I believe that beekeeping is much more than honey production. It is part of our cultural heritage and represents a way of living closely connected to nature and biodiversity. Traditional beekeeping knowledge has been passed down through generations and includes not only uh practical techniques, but also values such as passion, as I already said, observation, sustainability, and respect for the ecosystem. Uh, preserving and transmitting this knowledge is extremely important because younger generations are increasingly disconnected from natural processes and food production. Through tasting and educational activities, I try to help people understand that oni reflects the territory, the flower, the climate, and the work behind. Every type of Oni tells us a story about the environment where it's produced. My dad used to say that each flower is a kind of picture of that territory in a specific moment of the season and is like a picture. It's like when you take a picture of something. So, educational activities are especially important for children and young people because awareness begins with understanding. When people learn about the essential role bees play in pollination and biodiversity, they become more conscious about protecting the environment and supporting sustainable agriculture. Sharing for me, sharing this uh knowledge helps create a stronger connection between people, food system, and nature. This is uh what we think uh, me and my sister about uh the importance to be inside the school, the university, culinary school as well. Uh we are the one we used to call uh ourselves like the translator of the bees, kind of so in this way we have to translate what the bees tell us and tell to the other people. So about like our specific field uh is uh and uh and so on.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

No, it's amazing to see uh and and super important to see how young uh women like you and your sister are having this connection with um with your surrounding and with bees and then transmitting it to to other young people and then seeing uh how curious they are and how they maybe in the future would be would be part of this uh of these jobs and the whole ecosystems. So in this world, uh in this year's World B Day team is actually bees uh be together for people and the planet, and exactly what we were just talking about. So, through your experience, how do you see this uh relationship between bees, people, and and sustainable agri-food systems?

SPEAKER_00 7:32

Uh bees are essential for both people and the planet because they play a crucial role in pollination, as you already as you already know and as I already said, which directly uh supports biodiversity, food production as well, and healthy ecosystems. Uh without bees and other pollinators, because bees are not the only one, uh many crops and wild plants would uh struggle to survive. So through my experience, I have learned that the health of bees reflects the health of the environment. When there is pollution, for example, intensive agriculture, uh climate change or loss of biodiversity, bees are among the first to suffer. They tell us uh how the environment is. Uh this is why sustainable agri food systems are so important. Agriculture must work in harmony with nature rather than against it. Supporting biodiversity, reducing harmful chemicals, protecting natural habitats and valuing local production are all essential steps toward a healthier future for both people and pollinators. Uh the theme uh Be Together for People and the Planet perfectly expressed the idea that our well-being is deeply connected to the well-being of nature.

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Definitely, and uh uh I think it really reinforces the importance of collective action and shared responsibility. But now I would like to turn more back to your personal experience with this space as a young woman in the agri food sector. What opportunities and challenges do you actually have shaped your journey and why is it important to support other young women in this field?

SPEAKER_00 9:29

Um being a woman in the agri-food sector uh has been both inspiring and challenging. Uh, one of the greatest opportunities has been the possibility to combine tradition and with innovation and to bring a new perspective into a field that is often still considered very traditional. At the same time, uh it's challenging because uh uh challenges exist, still exist, especially regarding stereotypes and the perception women in agriculture profession. So sometimes women still need to work harder to be recognized for the skill and expertise. However, I believe that uh uh this is slowly uh changing and more young women are entering the sector with strong ideas, creativity, and determination. For example, concerning me, uh I can see that uh uh woman uh uh beekeeper women are more sensible than uh than men. And so, in order to do even if I still like a man's job, because you have to wait a lot of uh uh lives uh and so on, in order to do something like, for example, taking care of the queen bee and the young larvae and so on, women are more sensible uh concerning my sector. But uh I think that supporting young women in agriculture and beekeeping is uh important because uh diversity brings innovation and resilience. So encouraging more uh young women to participate means creating a more inclusive, sustainable, and uh forward-looking agri-food sector. And one thing uh I want to say that uh uh in inside the beehives, there are more women than uh men because uh men are just like a few, uh, but the worker bees are all female, and the one that uh gives the bee the life is a queen bee, that is a female.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

And that's super super inspiring to hear, and I think that um it's clear that supporting young women in agriculture systems it's not just about inclusivity, right? It's also about uh unlocking this uh innovation and resilience and leadership in in this sector, so letting women actually take the leadership position. So, to close our conversation, I would like to reflect on some of the uh future and uh role of uh tradition moving forward. So you describe honey as something deeply connected to capital nature and uh seasonality, but why is it important to preserve natural and traditional production methods today? And how do you see this role in supporting sustainable and resilient agriculture systems? And what message or advice would you like to send to young people, particularly young women, uh, who wish to contribute to this work and carry these traditions forward?

SPEAKER_00 12:41

Thank you for this question. And uh, honey is a product that uh truly reflects the natural and the seasonal seasonality. So uh I don't know, for example, the dandelion that is a kind of blossom, a kind of honey that you produce in uh in certain years, in certain years, is totally different from the uh the year after. So the dandelion honey of the 2025 will be different from the dandelion honey produced in uh 2026. And this change uh considering the weather, considering the environment, the territory, and so on. Um, it's flavor uh in general, flavor and aroma of uh the honey, color as well and texture can change depending on the flowers, the climate, and environment of each season. Preserving natural and traditional production methods is important because uh these methods respect the natural balance between bees, ecosystems, and people. Today, in a world increasingly focused on speed and mass production, traditional methods remind us of the importance of quality, sustainability, and respect for natural cycles. They help preserve biodiversity, protect local ecosystem, and maintain a closer relationship between producers and consumers. In this sense, traditional beekeeping can contribute to more sustainable and resilient agri-food systems that value environmental health as much as economic production. Uh, to young people, this is a hard question. The one of uh some uh can you give some advice to young people and young women? But I can say that uh to young people and especially young women, I would say don't underestimate the value of traditional knowledge and uh your connection to connection to nature. Agriculture and beekeeping needs a new generation who are passionate, curious, and willing to protect both the environment and the cultural heritage. It's possible to combine tradition with innovation and create a meaningful work that has a positive impact on uh communities and uh and the planet as well. Working with these teach uh uh uh me and my sister passion, responsibility, the respect as well for the life. So it's not always easy, but it's deeply rewarding, and it reminds us every day how connected we are to nature and to each other. The one that you say before, be together for people and the planet, maybe is like uh uh summarized in this uh last uh sentence. Thank you. Thank you for um analyzing these themes that is complex but uh is um is really something that comes from uh from uh the heart.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

Definitely. Thank you so much uh actually for sharing such uh meaningful messages. And in your words, you really highlighted the importance of empowering young people and especially young women that to value both tradition, right, and cultural heritage, but also to see the importance of innovation and support, importance of supporting uh biodiversity and seeing the importance of their role in shaping agri-food systems and in shaping into a more sustainable and inclusive. So it's really inspiring also to see how passionate uh you are and that all the knowledge that you have uh to share with other young people, and it's truly beautiful to do to see both of you and your sister doing such a work and uh to respect the nature and how you come together to create a real impact in your communities and to uh to make something that is lasting for future generations.

SPEAKER_00 17:00

Thank you very much. Last things I would like to say that I think that there is no innovation without tradition, because uh, if you don't remember where you came from, it's hard to innovate. So what we did with with our sister is uh starting from uh the beginning, so to understand like the basis of everything, and after that to apply some innovation, like technology and so on in uh in our business. For me, there is no innovation without tradition.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

I have to agree with that. This is why this is why it's super important to uh, as you said, to go back to your rules, to uh cherish all the all the all the traditions, legacy, and cultural heritage in order to understand where the gaps are with the problems and to highlight those and to understand what you can actually do to support this and to find the best solution possible. So I definitely agree with you that without know without knowing your tradition, you cannot move over. Rangesca, thank you so much for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Thank you very much for your time.