PARC Communication organized a campaign to raise awareness among agricultural producers and beekeepers about the BeeProtect web application as a new communication platform, which was implemented by the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) in partnership with the National Association of Beekeepers of the Republic of Moldova (ANARM) with support from the USAID Moldova Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity.

Task:

The campaign was to highlight the fact that from January 1, 2023, agricultural producers are obliged to register land treatment works with phytosanitary products, and beekeepers – apiaries, in the information system BeeProtect.md, managed by the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA). The BeeProtect.md system is a platform for communication and informing agricultural producers and beekeepers about spraying of crops and placement of apiaries near agricultural fields.

Challenge:

Every year, cases of mass intoxication of bees are registered and observed on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. This causes enormous damage to beekeepers, ultimately affecting the entire beekeeping sector and consumers of natural honey. At the same time, pollination of crops by bees can increase yields by up to 40%. In search of a solution, including analyzing the experience of other countries, the information system BeeProtect was developed, which allows real-time exchange of information not only between farmers and beekeepers, but also with relevant government institutions, such as ANSA (central office and territorial units) and local authorities. At the same time, amendments were introduced in the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, which made registration in BeeProtect obligatory, with penalties for non-compliance and non-fulfillment of the law.

However, regardless of possible sanctions, neither beekeepers nor agricultural producers were ready to use BeeProtect, they did not trust that it would work and did not want to take on new responsibilities.

Solution and result:

A communication campaign was developed and implemented to motivate the use of the BeeProtect.md information system. The concept was based on two-way motivation of both beekeepers and agricultural producers, showing that it is EASY and SAFE to work with BeeProtect:

• A video on the importance of applying the app with step-by-step instructions on how to use it was developed and produced and posted on TV channels, online portals and social media.
• A guide to the application, posters, booklets and infographics were developed to reinforce key messages, as well as targeting and training participants
• A press conference was organized with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry and the General Director of the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA)
• Text sms messages in Romanian and Russian were sent targeted
• A content plan was developed to promote the information for agricultural producers and beekeepers on social media using paid promotion in the flowering period of plants

After the information campaign, the number of new users of the BeeProtect.md system has been steadily increasing both on the side of beekeepers and agricultural producers.