Agriculture Minister Dejan Židan believes this will happen by the end of 2017. He added that the UN FAO head Jose Graziano da Silva supported the idea.

Graziano da Silva plans to visit Slovenia this May, Židan said in Celje after the joint communique was signed by agriculture ministries' representatives from the respective countries.

He said the high UN official supported the initiative immediately after it was presented to him.

Graziano da Silva is expected in Slovenia on 20 May, the day Slovenia hopes to designate as World Honeybee Day. The date was chosen because it is the birthday of Anton Janša (1734-1773), a pioneer of modern beekeeping.

"Bees play a strong role in global food supply security. Pollination is required in 71% of plant species grown for food and 90% of all food products are made of there plants," said Židan.