Today is World Honey Bee Day. At CirFin, I've always wanted to create awareness about circular economy in many areas whether it is fast fashion, plastics or agriculture. To appropriately mark the World Honey Bee Day, I wanted to illustrate how bees and similar pollinators are connected with our agricultural system and how the services they provide aid in advancing circular economy based agricultural practices.
We all know the honey provided by bees. When you have a cough, warm water or tea with some honey works magic. Besides being sources of food, bees provide pollination services that involves transferring pollen grains from the male part (anther) of a flower to the female part (stigma) of the same or another flower which in turn enables the next generation of flowers.
Did you know that one third of world’s food production depends on bees? Bees are responsible for pollinating more than 100 different crops and 80% of flowering crops. Many kinds of fruits that you and I eat, including blueberries and cherries, would also disappear should pollinators like bees vanish.
Unfortunately, the widespread use of fertilizers and pesticides in contemporary agricultural methods causes continual harm to the population of natural pollinators including bees. Climate change and intensifying monoculture farming has also helped to reduce biodiversity. This directly results in the dearth of nutrients and food for the bees. A 2023 USDA study claims that the bee population in the US dropped by almost 80% from 2007. This concerning drop underscores the urgency of interventions required to save our essential pollinators.
The excessive use of fertilizers to maximize crop yields ultimately has a negative impact on soil quality and health, so even more fertilizers are needed to improve soil condition.
A circular economy advocates a regenerative agricultural paradigm whereby farms resemble natural forests. This method not only keeps the soil healthy but also promotes a varied ecology that helps pollinators like bees to flourish. Adopting circular economy ideas can help us to open the path for a better future for our agricultural system and the bees keeping it viable.
Like a regenerative agricultural approach, this naturally varied ecosystem offers all the resources pollinators like bees need to flourish. They also significantly contribute to cross pollinating a great range of wild trees, wild flowers, and other plants. Some of these plant species are consumed by livestock, which in turn produce our milk and dairy goods. Moreover, as the bees visit various plant species, they distribute the pollen and nectar, which nourishes and enhances the soil biodiversity and nutrient cycling, thereby resulting in healthier soil. This complex network of interactions emphasizes the need on every person's part in maintaining our ecology.
It is essential that we protect our bees, whether that means lowering pesticides, supporting habitats for pollinators, or using bee-friendly farming techniques.
References:
World Honey Bee Day. (n.d.). National Day Calendar. Retrieved from https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/international/world-honey-bee-day-third-saturday-in-august
Why bees are essential to people and planet. (n.d.). UNEP. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-bees-are-essential-people-and-planet
Struggling beekeepers stabilize U.S. honeybee population after nearly half of colonies died last year. (2023, June 22). PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/struggling-beekeepers-stabilize-u-s-honeybee-population-after-nearly-half-of-colonies-died-last-year
USAFacts. (2023, May 5). How much have US bee populations fallen, and why? USAFacts. https://usafacts.org/articles/what-is-the-loss-of-bees-costing-the-us/
Ulyshen, M., & Horn, S. (2023). Declines of bees and butterflies over 15 years in a forested landscape. Current Biology, 33(7), 1346-1350.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.030
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