Today, the 20th of May we celebrate World Bee Day!
We all depend on the survival of bees and other pollinators – almost 90% of the world’s wild plants, and more than 75% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollination.
At Tradin Organic we are fully aware of the importance of bees, the threats they face and their crucial contribution to sustainable agricultural development and food security. Throughout the years beekeepers and their bees have been welcome visitors on our organic fields. This year we have worked on several projects that stimulate bee populations and contribute to the wellbeing of pollinating insects.
Bee Pollination Project in Ethiopia
With the help of our strategic partners, we have developed a bee pollination project in Ethiopia that focuses on using honeybees to ensure the pollination of organic avocado crops and other organic plants in the area. Farmers were provided with 180 beehives, honey extractors, wax moulds and protective clothing and were trained on beekeeping practices. With this initiative we have provided the local bees with a better living environment and have contributed to local biodiversity. This program also creates additional income for local organic avocado farmers by allowing them to produce organic honey.
Tradin Organic – Pollination Event
In April we celebrated International Earth Day by organizing a pollination event for our office staff in Europe. By partnering with The Pollinators Project, we sent our colleagues a package with organic flower seeds to be planted at outdoor spaces. With the flowers, we want to stimulate local bee populations and contribute to a biodiverse environment for bees to thrive. By sowing the seeds, we hope to draw attention to the condition of pollinating insects and their importance to world’s food production. This initiative was well-received and many colleagues and their families participated.
Mobile Beehives in Bulgaria
At our Organic Sunflower project in Bulgaria, we work with mobile beehive farms. When the organic sunflowers start blossoming around July, the mobile beehives are brought near the fields so that the bees can pollinate them. This method ensures that the bees are always located close to suitable forage and they ensure that different crops get pollinated throughout the year.
Own Organic Honey Project in Mexico
Our Organic Honey from Mexico is produced in a protected natural area, with no conventional agriculture in the radius that the bees pollinate and hence no risk on drifting of synthetic pesticides. This ensures the organic integrity of the honey and the wellbeing of the bee colonies.
We need to act now!
Bees are under threat. According to the United Nations present species extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human impacts. Close to 35 percent of invertebrate pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, and about 17 percent of vertebrate pollinators, such as bats, face extinction globally.
Each of us can help!
Individually, by:
- Buying certified organic products that guarantee to be produced without harmful synthetic pesticides
- Buying raw honey from local farmers;
- Planting a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year;
- Avoiding pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in our gardens and protecting wild bee colonies when possible;
- Sponsoring a hive;
- Making a bee water fountain by leaving a water bowl outside;
- Helping to sustain forest ecosystems;
- Raising awareness around us by sharing this information within our communities and networks;
As beekeepers, or farmers, by:
- Stopping the usage of pesticides and go organic
- Diversifying crops as much as possible, and/or planting attractive crops around the field.
- Creating hedgerows.
At Tradin Organic we are actively working with our strategic partners to upscale beekeeping training for our organic projects around the world. We are strongly committed to support agriculture that is more diverse and less dependent on toxic chemicals. Helping keep our pollinators safe supports our food production, the incomes of farmers and the wider environment.
