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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Bee pollination increases agricultural yield, preserves biodiversity and enhances sustainable livelihoods, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) disclosed on Tuesday.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ernest Umakhihe, stated this during 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 in Benin.
Represented by Dr Deola Lordbanjou, a director in the ministry, Umakhihe said bees were social insects that play vital roles in improving agricultural productivity per hectare of cash crops by about 30 per cent annually.
“It also increases oil palm yield by 110 per cent, millet by 225 per cent, soya beans 60 per cent, citrus 100 per cent, cocoa 80 per cent, pepper 23 per cent and cucumber 80 per cent.
“This led to the promotion of the honeybee pollination services value chain in the ministry.
“It is one of the most economically important insects in the agricultural economy, rendering pollination services, producing honey and other hive products.
“Global pollination of economic value averaged EUR153 billion, is worth 9.5 per cent 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”, Umakhihe added.
He 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, Engr Abubakar Abdullahi, said proper pollination could improve the quantity and quality of fruits and vegetables, pointing out that any decline in bee pollination in Africa, as experienced in other regions will impact negatively pollination with its economic effects on food security and human welfare.
Welcoming participants, the Programme Manager of the Edo State Agricultural Development Project (ADP), Edward Izevbigie, urged them to take advantage of the training to create wealth for themselves.
He said a decline in bee population has ecological consequences in reducing the diversity of wild plants and distorting the wider ecosystem’s stability.
