As the FAO reported, together with the organizers, the teams of the Scientific Research Institute, the Georgian Beekeepers’ Union, representatives of the F. Benton International Beekeeping Association and independent experts of the field participated in the event. 

"At the meeting, the parties discussed the steps taken in the field of beekeeping over the last decade, the progress achieved and the existing challenges, the issues of queen bee export from Georgia, in which the identification and registration of bee families will play an important role. The representatives of the NAITS briefed the parties on the possibilities and advantages of using the digital platform of the National Animal Identification and Traceability System in Georgia. The second phase of the NAITS started in 2022 in Georgia, it is being implemented by the National Food Agency of Georgia with the technical support of the FAO and the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). The electronic NAITS collects information about domestic animals (including beehives that are required to be identified by law), their location, manipulations carried out on them and owners/responsible persons throughout Georgia," – the FAO says.

Along with the identification, registration and traceability-related issues, the parties also discussed the other challenges and future opportunities in the field, including improvement of the material and technical base necessary for beekeeping practices and production, introduction of modern farm (in this case, apiaries) management technology, development/implementation of selection strategy, ensuring complete traceability of queen bees and bee products, solving the problem of conservation of the Caucasian bee as a rich and authentic biodiversity resource for Georgia.