Beekeepers' perceptions of pollination service management in Bosnia and Herzegovina: survey data from the EU COST "Super B" Project and a review of EU and local subsidy policies

Pollination by insects is a key contribution to many crops, with managed honeybees being “hired” to support pollination services in agricultural and natural habitats. The aim of this work was to contribute data to the scientific literature on Bosnia and Hercegovina that addresses an important aspect of local food sustainability through natural but managed pollination services that the European honeybee Apis mellifera provides, and to provide insights into existing agricultural subsidies. To our knowledge this is the first pollination management overview based on a standardized approach in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We analyzed results from Europe-wide online questionnaire, administered under COST Action project “Super B “, and compiled data from available sources on pollination service subsidies. The data on beekeeping practices and perceptions of pollination structure were collected using a questionnaire with 178 items grouped into twenty-seven thematic sections and were provided by 109 beekeepers. The study examines beekeeper perceptions and motivations for crop pollination in relation to their demographic characteristics and technological practices. Beekeepers’ perception of mass flowering crops showed a lack of trust in intensive agriculture driven by perceived risks of pesticide contamination and bee mortality. Agri-environment management and subsidy systems at the global and EU level were compared with local policy frameworks, with the intention to promoting more visible and compensated pollination practices in the country. The findings highlight the need for locally adapted and structured recognition of pollination service as well as better options for constructive engagement in pollination services through adequate subsidies. The collected data can serve as a starting point for structuring pollination services and as a step toward improving the pollinator potential of bees, addressing pollination needs, and enhancing local practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the broader agricultural pollination service market.