The Stingless Bee–Crop Synergy Symposium 2026
Meliponini Magic: Science in Action
Bees are the essential pollinators for more than 75% of the world’s major food crops. Without pollinators, there would be no coffee, no cocoa, no fruits, and no food security. Humanity would not disappear immediately, but the food systems that support modern civilization would collapse entirely.
The Stingless Bee–Crop Synergy Symposium represents one of the most promising frontiers in modern agriculture. It serves as a pioneering academic platform dedicated to understanding and advancing the role of stingless bees (Meliponini) in sustainable agriculture. As tropical pollinators with unique ecological behaviors, stingless bees have demonstrated exceptional efficiency in improving the yield and quality of key agricultural crops, including coffee, mango, citrus, cocoa, and various specialty fruits. Their gentle temperament and high adaptability make them ideal for smallholder farmers and agroecological systems across Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond.
🎓Compliance Support for U.S. Participants:
The organizers provide a complete compliance package ( ITTFAIA Invitation Letter + OFAC Statement + Full Agenda ) to ensure alignment with the “Professional Research and Professional Meetings” category under U.S. Treasury / OFAC 31 CFR §515.564, facilitating approval from U.S. universities or research institutions.
📆 Full Agenda
Day 1 — Opening & Scientific Foundations
* 08:30–09:00: Registration; distribution of IDs and materials
* 09:00–09:30: Opening Remarks (Chair of Zone Agri)
* 09:30–10:30: Plenary Lecture 1: Global Pollinator Decline and Its Impact on Agriculture
* 10:45–12:00: Plenary Lecture 2: Biology and Agronomic Significance of Stingless Bees in Tropical Crop Systems
* 13:30–14:30: Session A: Legal and Ethical Framework for Academic Collaboration in Cuba (OFAC Compliance)
* 14:45–16:00: Expert Roundtable: Comparative Pollination Efficiency of Different Bee Species
* 16:15–17:00: Research Orientation: Introduction to the Two Comparative Trial Plots & Group Research Assignments
Day 2 — Field Experiments & Stingless Bee Management
* 08:30–10:00: Workshop 1: Stingless Bee Colony Management and Environmental Control
* 10:15–12:00: Field Session 1: Establishing Pollination Trial Plots and Baseline Data Collection
* 13:30–15:00: Workshop 2: Methods and Indicators for Quantifying Pollination Services
* 15:15–17:00: Field Session 2: Recording Stingless Bee Pollination Behaviors and Visit Frequency
Day 3 — Data Analysis & Yield Assessment
* 08:30–10:00: Plenary Lecture 3: Pollination–Yield Relationships in Major Cuban Crops
* 10:15–12:00: Workshop 3: Statistical Models and Yield Prediction (ANOVA, GLM)
* 13:30–15:00: Data Processing Lab: Data Organization and Preliminary Analysis
* 15:15–17:00: Scientific Poster Session: Presentation of Preliminary Data and Research Hypotheses
Day 4 — Integrated Applications & Farm Design
* 08:30–10:00: Plenary Lecture 4: Ecological Stability and Pollinator Diversity in Tropical Agricultural Systems
* 10:15–12:00: Applied Science Workshop: Designing Farms Integrated with Stingless Bee Systems
* 13:30–15:00: Field Demonstration 3: Mid-Season Crop Response Evaluation
* 15:15–17:00: Roundtable: Canada–Cuba–U.S. Research Collaboration Framework
Day 5 — Conclusion & Research Cooperation
* 08:30–10:00: Final Research Presentations: Data Analysis, Scientific Conclusions, Yield Predictions, and Future Plans
* 10:15–11:15: Closing Lecture: Positioning Stingless Bees in Tropical Food Security
* 11:15–12:00: Symposium Summary & Publication Plan
* 13:30–14:30: Signing Ceremony: Cuba–Canada Stingless Bee Agricultural Research Memorandum
* 14:30–15:00: Closing Remarks & Announcement of Next Symposium Venue (Suggested: Mexico / Costa Rica / Canada)
Cuban Stingless Bees in Need
📍 Location: Yukon Star Tropical Research Field Station, Matanzas Province, Cuba
🌱 Eligibility: University professors, university students, agricultural research institutions, agricultural industry professionals, and agricultural enthusiasts
🎟 Organizer: Zone Agri – International Torrid Temperate Frigid Agricultural Innovation Association (Canada)
We sincerely invite you to join us at this symposium. At this moment, we truly need the support, experience, and insight of friends from around the world.
This gathering is not just an academic event—it is a collaborative effort to help Cuban stingless bees, strengthen tropical pollination systems, and advance agricultural innovation across tropical, temperate, and subarctic regions.
By coming together for real field trials, open knowledge exchange, and practical technical demonstrations, participants will directly contribute to research on pollination biology, hive management, biodiversity protection, and crop-pollinator integration.
Your participation will make a genuine difference.
With your help, this symposium can become a meaningful platform that brings global expertise to a place that urgently needs it, creating real scientific value and supporting the future of sustainable agriculture and food security.
🎯 Compliance Features of the Program
✓ Fully structured as Professional Research & Academic Workshops (qualifying under OFAC-permitted categories).
✓ Clearly defines academic objectives, scientific tasks, and data collection activities.
✓ Involves 6–8 hours of structured work per day.
✓ Includes academic lectures, technical training, field experiments, data processing, comparative trials, and international research collaboration.
🌐 We confirm that:
*All scheduled activities are strictly professional research and academic engagements.
*No part of this event is designed for tourism, sightseeing, recreation, or leisure.
*This statement is issued to support compliance with U.S. law and may be presented to institutional review boards, legal offices, or border officials if required.