Ordu Apiculture Research Institute Directorate is a research center operating under the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM) of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, specializing in apiculture, bee health, pollination, and bee products. The Institute conducts research, innovation, and capacity-building activities at both national and international levels by taking into account the needs of Türkiye’s diverse agro-ecological regions.
At our Directorate, research and development projects supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, TAGEM, HAYGEM, TÜBİTAK, the European Union, Development Agencies, the World Bank, Universities, and the Private Sector are carried out by researchers consisting of Agricultural Engineers, Veterinarians, Food Engineers, and Biologists. The Institute has significant experience in transferring applied research outputs to the sector, enhancing technical capacity, and developing and implementing training programs aimed at disseminating sustainable apiculture practices.
Since 2009, the Institute has also been the publisher of Bee Studies, an international, peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal indexed in TR Index, supporting academic knowledge sharing and collaboration in the field of bee science.
The studies conducted at the Institute focus on the effects of artificial intelligence, climate change, and environmental stress factors on pollinator health, biodiversity, and agricultural productivity. In this context, research is carried out to identify climate change resilient honey bee genotypes, develop adaptation strategies in apiculture, and reduce environmental risks affecting bee health.
In order to support research-based education and learning activities, the Institute houses an accredited Bee Products Analysis Laboratory and a Bee Products R&D Center with approximately 5,000 m² of indoor space, established with the support of the Republic of Türkiye and the European Union. The Bee Products Analysis Laboratory operating within the Institute is accredited in accordance with the TS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard, ensuring that analyses are conducted based on competence, accuracy, and traceability principles. This infrastructure provides advanced opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, vocational training, and innovation-oriented applied training activities. Honey is also exported abroad within this unit, and the private sector is supported.
The Institute supports the transfer of applied research outputs obtained in the fields of climate-friendly apiculture practices and sustainable pollinator management into higher education and vocational learning environments, ensuring their effective use in these settings. Accordingly, it develops educational content and modules, strengthens knowledge and skills transfer through regular training activities, and contributes to increasing climate change adaptation capacity in agricultural education systems.
Additionally, the Institute includes laboratory infrastructures serving various research areas such as the Product Development (ÜR-GE) Laboratory, Instrumental Analysis Laboratory, Physical and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Molecular Laboratory, Morphology Laboratory, Bumblebee Research and Application Laboratory, Bee Health Laboratory, Bee Behavior Laboratory, and Gene Bank Research and Application Laboratory. These laboratories support research, education, and applied activities across a wide range of fields, from genetic and biotechnological analyses to behavioral and disease studies, quality assessment of bee products, and conservation of genetic resources.
Türkiye’s first and only Honey Bee Gene Bank is located within the Institute.