10 steps to save bees (and other pollinators)

Securing the future of pollinators such as bees, flies and wasps is vital for the production of fruits and crops, and for this reason researchers from the British University of East Anglia point to various measures that can help us in this objective and that they should put in practice the governments of the different countries: from greater regulation of pesticides, to the establishment of diversified agricultural systems or the long-term monitoring of pollinators around the world to have a deeper knowledge about their real situation ( especially in Africa, South America and Asia, where there is little information in this regard).

There are all the more reasons to worry about a matter like this. A report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) confirmed a few months ago that large-scale reductions in wild pollinators are taking place in northern Europe and North America .

Scientists from the University of East Anglia, led by Dr. Lynn Dicks – who also participated in the IPBES report – present up to ten suggestions to address this problem and protect and ensure pollination .

“The IPBES report has made it clear that pollinators are important to people around the world, economically and culturally. Governments understand this, and many have already taken substantial steps to safeguard these beautiful and important animals. But there is much more to do. We urge governments to review our proposals and consider whether they can make these changes to support and protect pollinators, as part of a healthy and sustainable future for humanity, ”says Dr. Dicks.

Agriculture, cause and solution of the problem

“ Agriculture plays an important role. Although it is partly responsible for the decline of pollinators, it can also be part of the solution. Practices that support pollinators, such as managing environments to provide them with food and shelter, should be promoted and supported. We must also focus publicly funded research on improving the yields of agricultural systems such as organic agriculture, which are known to support pollinators, ”he adds.

Dr. Dicks also believes that it should be a priority to “push to raise regulatory standards for pesticides internationally . The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been working for many years to develop a global code of conduct on pesticide management, but there are still many countries that do not follow it ”. And that means pesticides are used in a widespread way that is “unacceptably toxic to bees, birds and even humans,” he continues.

The ten suggested measures are as follows:

1. Increase regulatory standards for pesticides.
2. Promote integrated pest management (IPM).
3. Include indirect and sublethal effects (these do not cause mortality of pollinators, but may cause long-term physiological or behavioral effects) in risk assessments for transgenic crops.
4. Regulate the movement of managed pollinators.
5. Develop incentives to help farmers benefit from ecosystem services rather than agrochemicals.
6. Recognize pollination as an agricultural contribution.
7. Support diversified farming systems.
8. Conserve and restore green infrastructure – a network of habitats within which pollinators can move – in agricultural and urban settings.
9. Develop long-term monitoring of pollinators and pollination.
10. Fund research that contributes to improving the yields of organic, diversified and ecological agriculture.