The successful apiary which was established in 2017 in Goodwood is the basis on which the project has been modelled. It consists of six beehives made from cedar, with five of the beehives having been named after the current Rolls-Royce models and the sixth named to symbolise the celebration of the marque's illustrious mascot.
Emirati queen bee which was given by the Abu Dhabi agriculture and food safety authority (ADAFSA) is housed in the beehives each of which is home to 60,000 beehives. Improving the management and sustainability of honeybees is the key agenda of the ADAFSA honeybee R&D program. In a breeding program involving Emirati bee, there has been a development of an indigenous bee Apis mellifera jemenitica which can adapt to harsh local environments.
World bee day will be celebrated on the 20th of May, 2021, and the launch has been timed to coincide with the day. Bees are vital pollinators for 90% of the world’s wild flowering plants and 75% of global foods in the world and this initiative by the United Nations is meant to strengthen bee’s protection.
Rolls-Royce has been on the front line in safeguarding bees since 2017. According to Ayhan Olcer, CEO, Arabian Gulf Mechanical Centre, AGMC is committed to enhance the community and protect the ecosystem. He added that they were delighted to welcome the initiative in Dubai and continue with the sustainability efforts in their business practices.
César Habib, Regional Director Middle East & Africa, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars added that with the Rolls-Royce apiary, they will create a buzz of activities to support bee conservation. The Rolls-Royce bees and Emirati queen is an illustration showing their commitment to preserve UAE's critical bee population. He said that the project will highlight the relevance and heritage of bees in the UAE and raise public awareness about the critical role that bees pay in people’s lives.
