About 90% of flowering plants require pollination to reproduce, and 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of the planet’s agricultural land depend to some degree on pollinators such as bees, which not only contribute to food security , but are essential for the conservation of biodiversity.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) provides these data collected by SurveyMedia on the occasion of World Bee Day celebrated this Saturday.
Bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, are increasingly threatened by the effects of human activities. Pollination is a fundamental process for the survival of ecosystems, essential for the production and reproduction of many crops and wild plants.
To raise awareness about the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the United Nations declared May 20 as World Bee Day to protect them along with other pollinators so that they contribute Can do Problems relating to the world’s food supply and the elimination of hunger in developing countries.
The date coincides with the birthday of Anton Jansa, who pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in his native Slovenia in the 18th century and praised bees for their ability to work so hard and require so little attention .
Numbering between 25,000 and 30,000 species, bees are among the most hardworking creatures on the planet, having benefited people, plants and the environment for centuries. By carrying pollen from one flower to another, they not only make it possible to produce an abundance of fruits, nuts and seeds, but also produce greater variety and better quality, thus contributing to food security and nutrition.
Respectable production
Under the slogan ‘Commitment to bees: for pollination-friendly agricultural production’, this World Bee Day calls on everyone to take action to support pollination-friendly agricultural production and in particular evidence-based agricultural production practices. highlights the importance of protecting bees and other pollinators through ,
On the other hand, according to United Nations data collected by SurveyMedia, the current rate of species extinction is 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human consequences. About 35% of invertebrate pollinators—particularly bees and butterflies—and about 17% of vertebrate pollinators—such as bats—are at risk of extinction in the world.
However, populations of pollinators – particularly bees and butterflies – have declined alarmingly due primarily to intensive agricultural practices, land-use changes, pesticides (including neonicotinoid insecticides), invasive alien species, diseases, pests, and climate change. .
If this trend continues, some nutritious crops – such as fruits, nuts and many vegetables – will be replaced by staple crops such as rice, maize and potatoes, which could eventually lead to unbalanced diets.
