World Bee Day focuses on the insects' importance for food security

The Foundation, based at Yendon, Victoria, is a not-for-profit charity that promotes awareness of the importance of bees for food security, while raising funds for research to address national and global threats.

This month, the levy on beekeepers was increased to pay back funds from the Varroa mite eradication response.

Wheen Bee Foundation chief executive Fiona Chambers says while many people have some understanding of the importance of bees, most don't know the true extent to which they depend on bees for the food they eat every day.

"Here in Australia, at least 53 crops rely to some extent on bees," Ms Chambers said.

These include almonds, avocados, apples, berries, stone fruit and carrot, but also oilseeds such as canola, and legumes like clover and lucerne that feed dairy cattle and other livestock.

"Often when you sit down for dinner, the whole plate will have some link to bees," she said.

Wheen Bee Foundation director Jodie Goldsworthy said it was "absolutely proper" to take a day to recognise bees were about "way more than honey".

"They are nature's little wonder insect, from an agricultural perspective in particular."

She said farmers had pulled the levers of water, through irrigation, fertilisers and chemicals, which had all increased productivity.

"Now the fourth lever of productivity is actually pollination," she said.

Global research on benefits of bees had shown crop yields could be increased by 24 per cent with carefully planned and managed pollination.

"If we are going to feed the world, in the future, I think bees are some of the low hanging fruit and World Bee Day offers the opportunity to point out some of those things," she said.

It was a chance for the broader agricultural sector to look at the role bees played in increasing production, she said.

She said she didn't think there had ever been a time when public awareness and curiosity about bees had been so high.

"There are lots of pretty complex challenges for bees, varroa being just one of them, and I think collectively beekeepers need a little bit of support from our agricultural colleagues," she said.

Primary producers could support beekeepers by adapting bee-friendly farming, she said.

"Every farmer in the country can look to make their farm more sympathetic, if you like, to bees," she said.

"That doesn't mean turning your operation on its head, it just means looking at how you can incorporate a broader range of plants, in and around shelter belts and things like that.

Wheen Bee had its own program, designed to support farmers to encourage bees.

"That program is designed to support farmers and is heavily dependent on education," she said.

"Farmers are great because they care for the land, they care for the environment and I really do think raising some awareness of the fact bees need a little consideration as well is going to be beneficial for all of us, down the track."

Since it was first held in 2017, World Bee Day has grown into a nationwide celebration, with communities across Australia taking the time to recognise and celebrate the important role of bees in food systems and the broader environment, she said.

This year, World Bee Day saw a host of events and activities taking place at farmers' markets, community centres, botanic gardens, local businesses, embassies, cinemas, apiaries and schools.

Activities include bee-themed craft workshops, musical performances, honey tastings and a series of webinars with experts in bees and pollination.

A full list of World Bee Day events is available at worldbeeday.org.au