Cape Honey Bee Julie Ann Workman: https://animalia.bio/cape-honey-bee
Cape honeybees are one of the most important but often overlooked contributors to South Africa's food security.
These small but mighty insects are critical to maintaining the country's biodiversity and agricultural landscapes. Bees contribute to food production through pollination.
Sherry Fuller, WWF South Africa's fruit and wine program manager, said in a recent press conference that regions such as Glabou in the Western Cape, which “produces 80% of the country's apples and pears,” are responsible for domestic consumption and pear pollination. He said it depends on. export.
Approximately half of Grabouw's agricultural products are exported, while Rancruf's agricultural products account for just under 20%.
Understanding the relationship between honey bee populations and agricultural yields is critical, especially in areas where grasslands provide the forage needed by bees around farmland.
Fuller said several experts and organizations are collecting data on food availability for bees, noting that nature is “the most important business partner on the planet.” [a] We provide boardroom tables, insurance and resiliency,” she said.
One important initiative Fuller pointed to is WWF's Biodiverse Agriculture Report, which demonstrates that sustainable farming practices can restore and protect the ecosystems on which agriculture depends.
The report is part of wider efforts, including WWF's Conservation Champions initiative, which has been working with the wine industry for more than 20 years to promote agricultural practices that protect biodiversity.
Through partnerships like this, vineyards and orchards are transitioning to more environmentally friendly practices, such as reintroducing biodiversity within vineyard landscapes, which supports bees and other pollinators. Help support.
“Whereas before, vineyards were kept clean and sterile, we are now seeing a trend of bringing life back into the soil,” Fuller points out, adding that this change is helping the land and the insects that depend on it. , specifically explained how it would benefit both the Cape. Honeybee.
Bees face numerous threats, including habitat loss, climate change, and harmful agricultural practices. Another threat is monocropping. A lack of dietary diversity weakens bee colonies and makes them more susceptible to disease and environmental stressors.
The WWF report states: “Decreasing bee populations and a shortage of bee hives mean poor crop pollination, leading to poor harvests, fewer food options, reduced food and job security, and the agricultural industry.” “This could lead to further threats in the future.”
South Africa has been slow to respond to these threats, but efforts continue, said Tulu Masehela, biodiversity management officer at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.
“While many assessments have yet to be carried out, the South African National Biodiversity Institute is working to add this data to the next National Biodiversity Assessment for 2025. Some of the threats will be covered,” he said.
Mr Masehela said the incorrect use of pesticides on crops affects bees in the same way as climate change.
“We've been concerned about climate change issues in this country, and we haven't really started looking into whether it's bees or other pollinators, but we've heard from other parts of the world that we “We know there's data showing that climate change will have an impact,” he said.
Bees can fly 5-10 kilometers. “Their ability to adapt and move from one environment to another makes them special, says Masehela. “They have contributed enormously to the agricultural sector.”
According to WWF, bees pollinate more than 50 crops in the country, worth R10 billion a year. This service guarantees the yield of fruits, vegetables, nuts and oilseeds.
Without bees, production of these crops would be significantly reduced, leading to severe economic insecurity and food insecurity.
Pollination, the process by which plants reproduce, is key to this dynamic. As bees visit flowers to collect nectar and pollen, they inadvertently transfer pollen between flowers, allowing fertilization.
This critical step in the life cycle of many plants supports the production of fruits, vegetables, and seeds that are essential for both human consumption and ecosystem stability.
Protecting them requires the concerted efforts of farmers, conservationists, policy makers, and the general public.
