The Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR) has marked the 2025 edition of World Bee Day by emphasizing the urgent need to protect bees from extinction. The organization highlighted the crucial role bees play in pollinating flowering plants, with approximately 1,500 crops worldwide relying on them for pollination.
Bees contribute significantly to global food production, with pollination services estimated to account for 15 to 30 percent of total global food output. The economic value of these services is substantial, underscoring the importance of preserving bee populations.
However, FONAR noted that bee populations are declining globally due to habitat loss, the widespread use of agrochemicals, invasive species, and climate change. This decline poses a serious threat to food security and economic livelihoods, as decreased crop yields resulting from insufficient pollination can severely impact global food production and sustainability.
FONAR’s Executive Director, Sumaila Saaka, emphasized the need for improved bee management practices and sustainable agricultural systems to mitigate these threats by adopting more eco-friendly approaches and protecting bee habitats.
“I want you to educate the public about the importance of bees, particularly farmers. These days, the way we use agrochemicals is becoming a bit more disturbing because farmers rely on them, but the use of agrochemicals can also affect the bee population and other insect pollinators. So, I want you to educate farmers about the importance of bees—not just as pollinators, but also because they provide us with honey and other bee products.”
World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20th each year to raise awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all.”
FONAR marked the day with a stakeholder engagement that included media practitioners, agricultural officers, the Forestry Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency, with funding support from the Awaken Trees Foundation of Austria.
As part of the celebration, FONAR premiered a captivating documentary that explores the journey of beekeepers and the challenges they face in ensuring pollination for food crops. The documentary highlights the critical role of bees in food security and the vulnerabilities associated with a chemically dependent agricultural system.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Bolgatanga
