Bees are essential to both Ukraine’s economy and its ecological resilience. As one of the world’s top five honey producers, Ukraine depends on healthy bee populations not just for honey, but for the critical pollination services bees provide to major crops. The war has devastated these systems, forcing many beekeepers to flee and abandon their hives, which have since been destroyed by pests like Varroa mites or damaged by munitions, chemicals, and debris. Equipment left behind has been rendered unusable, and there is growing concern that surviving forage won’t produce the bulbs needed to sustain remaining bee colonies.

The collapse of beekeeping in Ukraine poses far-reaching risks. A single bee colony can pollinate up to 300 million flowers per day, supporting an area of more than 300 square kilometers. The sharp decline in bee populations threatens not only national food security and economic stability but also the biodiversity and sustainability of entire ecosystems. Supporting Ukrainian beekeepers means protecting livelihoods, restoring food production capacity, and sustaining pollination systems vital to the global food chain.