Earth Today | Bee wise

WITH THE passage of another World Bee Day on May 20, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Jamaica has reminded members of the public of the invaluable role bees play in food security and the sustainability of natural ecosystems.

“Bees are essential for the agricultural industry in Jamaica, as they pollinate many crops and fruits that contribute to food security and economic development,” noted Dr Crispim Moreira, FAO representative for Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize.

“Bees are also important for the ecosystem, as they maintain the biodiversity of plants and animals, and provide honey and other products that have nutritional and medicinal benefits,” he added.

Moreira is encouraging bee farmers and other stakeholders to make the best efforts to preserve the local bee population.

“Bee farmers and apiculture value chain actors should protect bees from threats such as invasive pests, climate change, pesticides, and habitat loss. They should also promote sustainable beekeeping practices that respect the diversity of bees and their natural environment,” he told The Gleaner.

Moreira added his encouragement for the planting of more trees to help expand bee habitats and populations. “Let us look towards investing in more technologies that can design landscapes and green spaces that optimise placement of trees for the benefit of bees,” the FAO representative noted.

It is estimated that one-third of the food consumed daily relies on pollination mainly by bees and other insects, birds and bats, according to information from the Natural History Museum of Jamaica (NHMJ).

“By observing World Bee Day each year, Jamaicans gain an opportunity to become more aware of the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping our people, ecosystems and, ultimately, our planet healthy and productive,” the NHMJ has said in the past.

“Though still vulnerable to the challenges of an ever-increasing threat to our environment, we have come to recognise that the beekeeping industry in Jamaica is alive and well. It forms an important agricultural activity organised through a network of committed resource personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in particular the Apiculture Unit,” the entity has said.

Meanwhile, the FAO marked World Bee Day this year with a global ceremony that saw participants emphasising the importance of promoting sustainable agricultural practices that respect the vital role bees and other pollinators play in nature.

“Protecting bees and other pollinators is essential to guarantee agricultural production, food security, ecosystems restoration and, at large, plant health,” FAO Director General QU Dongyu said in his opening remarks at the event held on the eve of May 20.

Pollinator-friendly practices, he explained, “include crop rotation and diversity, reducing the use of pesticides, and restoring and protecting the habitat of pollinators”.

“Even the adoption of precision agriculture tools and innovation can protect bees. Using technology and data to optimise fertiliser and irrigation practices can reduce excessive nutrients and chemicals in water, which harm pollinators and their habitats,” he added.

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