Crop yields on small farms across Africa, Asia and Latin America are higher on plots that attract more bees during the main flowering season. For farms of less than two hectares, “the outcomes suggest that poorly performing farms could increase their yields by a median of 24 percent by attracting more pollinators to their land,” say FAO researchers.
The scientists published their findings in the journal Science at a time when bee populations have shown large declines. Paying attention to pollinators not only would help smallholders, it would help boost food production, says the UN agency, which described bee, insect and bird pollinators as “the invisible helpers of farmers worldwide.”
“Maintaining habitat and forage resources all year long is key to wooing pollinators and keeping them on the land for longer periods of time. This can be done by planting different trees and plants that flower at different times in the year, for example,” said FAO.