Bee Part of the Solution

Food is precious and something that we humans rely on for our basic survival. During times of crisis, we need to appreciate it even more. But what does it take to bring food onto our plates? Who are the heroes working day and night so we can eat? Yes, of course we rely on farmers and other agriculturalists, but we also rely on the unsung heroes – the pollinators.

This week, on Thursday 20 May, the international community celebrated World Bee Day. The day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017 to bring attention to and raise awareness about bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, hummingbirds and bats. The day also highlights the increasing threat the pollinators are under from human activity.

Although many pollinator species are small, they have an enormous role in our natural world and agricultural systems. 86% of the wild flowering plants on our planet greatly depend on pollination. More than 75% of the fruit and vegetable crops and 35% of the global agricultural land are reliant on animal pollinators. However, pollinators are not only important for food security, but they also contribute to conserving and re-building biodiversity, as they are cornerstones for plants and animal life to prosper.

The main threats to our pollinators worldwide, are intensive agriculture, mono-cropping and chemical pesticides, loss of habitat due to human expansion of cities, agricultural land and lumbering causing deforestation, as well as pollution and greenhouse gasses causing climate change. When biodiversity has a problem, humans have a problem. Despite centuries of technological advances, we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems – an essence to human life and well-being.

Not only do our ecosystems provide food and resources, such as timber and other building materials, but also ‘ecosystem services’, for example, clean air, clean water and healthy soil, regulation of climate disasters and controlling diseases, and contributing to traditional and modern medicine. Moreover, ecosystems provide services that have cultural and recreational values, benefiting our communities, providing aesthetic value and contributing to mental health.

Therefore, tomorrow on 22 May, the global community commemorates the International Day for Biological Diversity. This year’s theme is ‘We’re part of the solution’, chosen as a continuation of last year’s theme ‘Our solutions are in nature’. In October this year, the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) will review the achievements of the Convention on Biological Diversity strategy 2011-2020. It is hoped that the COP 15 will also be setting a new future strategy, the ‘New Global Biodiversity Framework’ – a strategy which will include a focus on and contributing to nutrition, food security and the livelihoods of people – especially for the most vulnerable.

Around the world beekeepers are working, not only to put sweet honey on our tables, but to protect and expand the important bee species that are serving humanity. At TISB we want to be part of the solution. LEAP (Leaders of Environmental Awareness and Protection), is one of our student-led After School Clubs working to spread information and awareness, by conducting various projects related to environmental and sustainable development. Next academic year the Club will restart and is inviting all students to join the solution.

As part of co-curricular learning at school, TISB established a sustainable farm on campus in 2020. Once physical school and campus opens, the farm will develop and provide an environment for students to learn about and explore sustainable ways of farming and agriculture, as well as an interactive space to learn about how nature and plants work.

In the meantime, here are a few chances to get to know more about the different pollinators and biodiversity:

- FAO – Learn more about the link between pollinators and the food we eat
- UN – Why do we need pollinators?
- UN Biodiversity Facebook page, and Instagram account
- UN Biodiversity Convention Facebook page
- Learning for Nature (UNDP, the NBSAP Forum, the CBD Secretariat, and Rare) – Online lessons on how to communicate and spread the value of biodiversity

Be part of the solution. Let us gain awareness and spread it to the people around us for a better nature and future.