Russia to Develop Software for Digital Beehives
A new software initiative aims to automate the analysis of behavioral algorithms inside bee colonies, bringing precision agriculture technologies into honey production
Digital Tools for a Global Honey Market
At the All-Russian Beekeepers Congress “Apiforum Altai – 2025,” Russia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture Roman Nekrasov emphasized that modern digital technologies are becoming essential for boosting the global competitiveness of the honey industry. According to him, digital transformation will help domestic producers meet stringent international standards for honey quality and safety.
As a key example, he highlighted a project from Altai State Agricultural University: software designed to automatically analyze large datasets from sensors inside digital beehives. The system interprets complex behavioral algorithms of bee colonies and predicts their condition, replacing hours of manual decoding by beekeepers.
Control, Monitoring, and Care
This initiative is not Russia’s first step toward the “smart apiary.” Earlier, the telecommunications company Rostelecom introduced its “Digital Beehive” project, which enables beekeepers to remotely monitor hives, increase honey yield, and improve colony health.
Another Russian innovation—from Veliky Novgorod—helps feed bees in winter and protects hives from theft. Sensor data transmitted in real time to a base station and a beekeeper’s mobile app reduces labor needs while significantly improving security for the apiary.
