By observing World Bee Day each year, we can raise awareness on the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy, and on the many challenges they face today. We have been celebrating this day since 2018, thanks to the efforts of the Government of Slovenia with the support of Apimondia, that led the UN General Assembly to declare 20 May as World Bee Day.
The date for this observance was chosen as it was the day Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture, was born. Janša came from a family of beekeepers in Slovenia, where beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long-standing tradition.
Today bees, pollinators, and many other insects are declining in abundance. This day provides an opportunity for all of us – whether we work for governments, organizations or civil society or are concerned citizens – to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping.
This year’s theme, “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all”, highlights the critical roles bees and other pollinators play in agrifood systems and the health of our planet’s ecosystems. Indeed, pollinators are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, unsustainable agricultural practices, climate change and pollution. Their decline jeopardizes food production, increases costs and exacerbates food insecurity, particularly for rural communities.
Pollination is essential for agrifood systems, supporting the production of more than 75 percent of the world’s crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. In addition to increasing crop yields, pollinators improve food quality and diversity.
More than 200 000 animal species are pollinators, the vast majority of which are wild, including butterflies, birds, bats and more than 20 000 bee species.
Bees and other pollinators also serve as indicators of environmental health, providing insights into ecosystems and the climate. Protecting pollinators also enhances biodiversity and critical ecosystem services, such as soil fertility, pest control, and air and water regulation.
Nature-friendly agricultural practices like agroecology, intercropping, agroforestry, and integrated pest management help sustain pollinators, ensuring stable crop yields and reducing food shortages and environmental impacts.
Deliberate pollinator protection efforts ultimately foster the conservation of other components of biodiversity, which enhances ecosystem services like pest control, soil fertility and air and water regulation. Adopting a holistic approach that ensures the long-term co-existence of agricultural practices for the production of food, fibre and fuel is needed for sustainable agrifood systems.
There is something all of us can do to safeguard the future of pollinators.
