Experts have warned of a potential decline in food production due to threats facing bees, the primary pollinators.

Deforestation and pesticide use were highlighted as significant dangers as Rwanda joined the world to mark World Bee Day on May 20.

ALSO READ: Bees important in the experts production of food

World Bee Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators, the threats they face, and their contributions to sustainable development.

This year’s theme, "Bee Engaged with Youth," focused on the critical role young people can play in addressing the challenges faced by bees and other pollinators.

Jean de Dieu Kwizera, the founder of Beegulf Ltd, says he had to relocate his business to Gisagara district after the land where he had 50 modern beehives and 30 traditional beehives was deforested in Gasabo District.

ALSO READ: State forests to be used for honey production

According to Rwanda’s beekeepers’ federation, honey production has decreased from over 6,000 tonnes to 2,000 tonnes annually, against a national demand of 17,000 tonnes.

A study titled "Agroecology in Rwanda: Status, Opportunities, and Challenges,” conducted in several districts, reported a dramatic drop in honey production. In one case, production fell from five tonnes per year to just 0.5 tonnes, a 90 percent decrease.

"Deforestation and chemical use are major threats to the bee population. I had to relocate 50 modern beehives and 30 traditional beehives due to these threats," Kwizera explained. "The maximum production per one modern beehive was 30 kilograms, and the minimum was 15 kilograms."

ALSO READ: Beekeepers weigh in on how to boost honey production

He emphasised the need for agroecology farming and planting more trees to attract bees. "Biodiversity conservation agriculture and the use of organic manure instead of pesticides are key to saving pollinators," he said.

Agro-ecological farming practices, such as organic farming, biodynamic farming, and agroforestry, play a crucial role in preserving bee populations. These methods avoid chemical fertilizers and aim to generate fertility through composting, integrating animals, cover cropping, and crop rotation.

"Agricultural practices that are not eco-friendly are primary threats to bees, reducing honey production," said Abbias Maniragaba, an expert in green economy. "We need mosquito repellent plants or eco-friendly pesticides."

Maniragaba warned that the decline in pollinators could lead to decreased crop production and food insecurity. He suggested adopting genetically modified crops resistant to pests and diseases to reduce reliance on pesticides.

According to a United Nations policy brief presented on March 20, nearly 90 percent of the world’s wild flowering plant species and more than 75 percent of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollination.

Unfortunately, bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds, are increasingly under threat from human activities.

The brief highlighted that species extinction rates are now 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human impacts. Nearly 35 percent of invertebrate pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, and about 17 percent of vertebrate pollinators, like bats, face extinction globally.

If this trend continues, nutritious crops like fruits, nuts, and many vegetables will be increasingly replaced by staple crops such as rice, corn, and potatoes, resulting in a less balanced diet.

Intensive farming practices, land-use change, mono-cropping, pesticide use, and higher temperatures associated with climate change are significant threats to bee populations and, consequently, to the quality of food we grow.

Rwanda's efforts to revive Bee populations

Rwandan beekeepers are optimistic about increasing honey production as the government works to restore drought-degraded ecosystems, including replanting 15 bee-forage tree species.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a key partner in the project, 25,000 bee-forage trees of diverse species will be planted on at least 200 hectares in the Eastern Province.

The United Nations recommends several measures to support bee populations: planting diverse native plants that flower at different times of the year, purchasing products from sustainable agricultural practices, avoiding pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides in gardens, protecting wild bee colonies, sustaining forest ecosystems, and diversifying crops.