Agroforestry and the Need to Facilitate Pollination
Floral pollination by flying insects, such as bees and flies, is an essential part of natural and agricultural cycles, particularly in the case of fruits and certain other crops. However, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and its national partners worldwide have found that many of these pollinating species are under threat in many regions due to the widespread use of monoculture, pesticides, and varying weather due to climate change. It is estimated that 75% of the world’s crops have a dependence on pollinators and without proper pollination a plant’s yield can drop by up to 90%. Currently, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research estimates that the contributions of pollinator insects to global agriculture average more than US$200 billion annually.
Therefore, the FAO and its national partners have undertaken the task of monitoring pollinator patterns worldwide and working with farmers to come up with creative ways to reconcile habitats that can host both pollinators and commercial agriculture. A practical solution is currently implemented in Brazil, where farmers must keep a certain part of their farmland as natural forests. This initiative is meant to slowdown deforestation in Brazil; however, it also gives pollinators a habitat in the middle of an agricultural project, which simultaneously benefits the crops being cultivated by boosting pollination and yields. A similar agroforestry technique is also employed in Ghana, where farmers plant cassava rows within their chili pepper fields because, even though pollinators are not attracted to chili pepper they are attracted to cassava. Utilizing these innovative methods, farmers grant pollinators a safe haven within the agricultural operations and benefit from naturally increased yields. Based on numerous field experiences and work with national partners, the FAO has piloted the Global Pollination Project and developed a comprehensive agricultural curricula to help farmers worldwide.
Agroforestry and the Need to Facilitate Pollination
Another country in which this initiative is being deployed is India. The Republic of India is a large nation in south Asia and it currently has a total territory of almost 3.3 million square kilometers, which is somewhat larger than a third of the United States. The country has a varied geography, from the Himalayan Mountains in the north and the deserts in the west to the rivers and plateaus along the center of the subcontinent. Currently, India is the second most populous country in the world with a total of approximately 1.3 billion citizens, some 34% of which live in an urban setting, notably the capital city of New Delhi with about 26 million inhabitants. The national economy in India is divided into 18% agriculture, 31% manufacturing, and 52% services. Likewise, it is estimated that the agricultural industry employs 47% of the national labor force, while manufacturing employs 22% and services employ another 31%. Meanwhile, the agriculture industry utilizes 61% of the national territory, while another 23% is forested. Lastly, on the subject of promoting pollination, apple farmers in India hang flower bouquets to their fruit trees in order to attract pollinators.