Food security: Bee pollination increases agricultural yield ― Ministry

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) on Tuesday said that bee pollination increases agricultural yield, preserves biodiversity and enhances sustainable livelihoods.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Ernest Umakhihe, stated this at the training of 65 bee farmers and agric officers from Oyo and Edo States on integrated crop pollination practices and the use of pollination service equipment in fruits and vegetable farms, held in Benin.

Umakhihe, who was represented by Dr Deola Olabanjo, a director in the ministry, said bees are social insects that play vital roles in improving agricultural productivity per hectare of cash crops by about 30 percent annually.

“It also increases oil palm yield by 110 percent, millet by 225 percent, soya beans 60 percent, citrus 100 percent, cocoa 80 percent, pepper 123 percent and cucumber 80 percent,” he added.

According to him, “this led to the promotion of honeybee pollination services value chain in the ministry.

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“It is one of the most economically important insects in Agricultural economy, rendering pollination services, producing honey and other hive products.

“Global pollination of economic value averaged EUR153 billion, is worth 9.5 percent of the world’s agricultural production of human food.

“The leading categories of bee-pollinated crops are fruits and vegetables making around EUR50 billion each. Followed by edible crops, stimulants, nuts and spices,” he said.

Umakhihe explained that the training was borne out of the need for government to continue the awareness and upgrade of technical knowledge of project support officers.

Earlier, the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Mr. Abubakar Abdullahi, said that proper pollination could improve the quantity and quality of fruits and vegetables.

According to him, any decline in bee pollination in Africa, as experienced in other regions would impact negatively on pollination with it’s economic effects on food security and human welfare.

In his welcome address, the Programme Manager of the state Agricultural Development Project (ADP) Edward Izevbigie, urged the participants to take advantage of the training to create wealth for themselves.

He noted that a decline in bee population had ecological consequences in reducing the diversity of wild plants and distorting the wider ecosystem’s stability.