In December 2020, we hosted our first knowledge sharing webinar in a series focused on the African Region, the reality for pollinators in Africa today, and the fate of humans and nature without them.
Over centuries bees and other pollinators have secured our survival as humans, as well as plant and animal biodiversity. Pollinators have supported and enabled quality life on the planet. Direct benefits of pollination support fertilization and reproduction in plants, resulting in food security relied on by animals for nutrition.
Despite this important role in our ecosystems, pollinators’ survival is at risk of as a result of: climate change, alien species, extreme weather events such as droughts and floods, diseases, altered flowering times, industrial agriculture, and further land conversions.
During Pollinators for Our Survival we responded to the following questions:
What are the present realities and the future fate of pollinators?
How are humans ensuring their survival and protecting their habitats? What will happen next if they are all gone?
Is there any life without bees and other pollinators?
Do solutions lie in maintaining colonies, protecting habitats, or are there holistic approaches that include nature and biodiversity?
With an insightful overview from the speakers - who brought with them a variety of experiences, including: pollinator ambassador/youth beekeeper, social science/ethnobotany scholar, biologist, illustrator, youth environmental advocate & innovative volunteer - the webinar was thought provoking and highlighted solutions in line with interminable responses.
““Wild Pollinators and bees play a significant role in pollination; if left to thrive, there would be increased agricultural productivity””
Through this webinar series we hope to commit towards active conversations, and to be on the frontlines of youth & community advocacy across the reality of pollinator awareness in Africa.
Did you miss the session? Find the recording here. Also, be on the lookout for our next sessions in the 1st quarter of 2021!
Can’t watch the full webinar recording? Below we have summarised some key insights from our speakers and Y4N community. Enjoy!
DAURO MATTIA ZOCCHI: ETHNOBOTANIST & PHD CANDIDATE, UNIVERSITY OF GASTRONOMIC SCIENCES, ITALY
With prior experience in anthropology and social sciences the combination of biodiversity and culture has been significant in understanding the significance of pollinators in the community through research.
Beekeeping has presented a sustainable culture among the Ogiek community. This is with research on the knowledge and techniques of beekeeping among the community of the Mau forest in Kenya.
Various local government institutions and NGOs support apiary systems to protect the culture and livelihoods of the people.
Local and indigenous solutions need to be acknowledged to enable the expansion of apiary practices across highland and lowland areas of the region.
Culture and floristic diversity awareness is key towards the promotion of high quality produce of honey, through informative branding.
Beekeeping and honey is a significant source of food, identity, culture and livelihood. This includes the relations between plant diversity, ethnobotanial knowledge, and apiary.
NYNKE BLӦMER: POLLINATOR AMBASSADOR, YOUTH BEEKEEPER, MSC SCHOLAR SUSTAINABLE FOREST & NATURE MANAGEMENT, NETHERLANDS
Through supporting the home apiary, as a family practice, her interest developed on the future of both honey and wild bee pollinators.
Although bees are highly important in crop production for farmers, the fate of pollinators - especially wild bees as not much research is done on them - are at risk.
Monoculture and pesticides are a major drawback that cause the decline of such species.
Monoculture may affect the nutrient state of honey bees, as generalists due to restriction towards a variety of crops.
Wild bees as specialists might decline in number in the absence of specified crops.
Pesticides affect bees, by weakening their immune system and causing risk in the colony.
Beekeepers will also need to understand various factors susceptible to the pollinators' survival. Stocking density, the impact of landscapes and crops to biodiversity in line with the impact of native flora species.
Overstocking of a variety of species among beekeepers with limited resources further causes competition among bee colonies. Stocking density needs to be reduced among beekeepers
Native varieties of bee species & flora need to be utilized to reduce competition between honey and wild bees.
Education and awareness, through clarity on the landscape and impact of crops in its biodiversity is significant among beekeepers and their communities.
““There’s need to expand the reach of beekeeping to boost productivity””
GHAAMID ABDULBASAT: VOLUNTEERism, MOBILISATION, ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP, YOUTH INCLUSION, TANZANIa
Partnerships with organisations such as Earth Day Network , The Wilson Centre in line with The United States Department of Science and Policy, has enabled the introduction of accessible scientific platforms. Such include the Citizen Science open data model and the Earth Challenge App.
The Citizen Science consists of an Open Data platform, that will be launched and will make it easier for researchers around the world to find and access high quality data and use science data for international policy assessments such as the U.N Sustainable Development Goals.
The platform will enable citizens to share solutions in aspects whereby environmental problems are of concern.
Earth Challenge initiative will consist of a mobile app that will enable global citizens to help monitor and mitigate threats to environmental and human health.
It aims to mobilize the existing citizen science community while building capacity for new citizen science activities, enabling people around Africa to collaboratively address Africa’s most pressing environmental issues.
The data consists of various categories such as insects, which will support in monitoring a variety of honey and wild bees with photography and classification. This will be significant in its preservation.
Its aim includes finding accessible information and data, to be used among researchers and students.
““Beekeepers should always try to use native species in pollination endeavors””
the role of women & youth in beekeeping
The Y4N community further shared their insights on the potential of women and youth involvement across beekeeping in the future. This is due to advanced age and male dominance in beekeeping across Europe (Netherlands) and Africa (Ogiek community) .
It is yet a work in progress for women and youth participation to occur. Such has been evident across the Ogiek community with positive improvement of the apiary system, as referenced by Dauro. Women, Dauro shared, have also become more involved in the financial aspect of beekeeping.
Final thoughts
It is our collective and individual responsibility, to sustain the future of vulnerable pollinators, including insects, birds and other fauna such as bats and monkeys. The survival of future generations will be determined by acknowledging and centring indigenous knowledge and enlightened cognizance of various pollinators regionally or globally.
If you would like to help us make our future better by engaging in our work and/or suggesting ways we can curate our sessions, please drop us an email at hello@youth4nature.org, or follow us on Twitter/ Instagram/ Facebook at: @Y4Nature!
This blog was written and submitted by Abigael Bosibori, Y4N Global Ambassador and Kaluki Paul Mutuku, Regional Director for Africa