Tropical Crops at Risk Due to Pollinator Loss from Climate Change and Land Use

A new study led by researchers from the University College London and the Natural History Museum highlights the potential crisis facing tropical crops like coffee, cocoa, watermelon, and mango due to the decline in insect pollinators. The study reveals that climate change and changes in land use have led to a reduction in the number of insects pollinating these key tropical crops.

Key Findings:

1. Driving Factors: The main drivers of this decline in pollinators include habitat destruction, improper land use (such as grazing, fertilizers, and monoculture farming), and the extensive use of pesticides.
2. Impact on Pollinators: The study, using a dataset containing 2,673 sites and 3,080 insect pollinator species, found that the number of insects pollinating these plants had decreased by a significant 61%.
3. Regional Vulnerability: The highest risk of crop production being impacted by pollinator losses is in the tropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.
4. Countries at Risk: China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and the Philippines were identified as being most at risk in terms of total production that could potentially be impacted by the loss of pollinators.
5. Most Vulnerable Crops: Cocoa, primarily in Africa, was estimated to be at the highest risk, followed by mango in India and watermelon in China.
6. Global Implications: The loss of pollinators poses a risk of increased income insecurity for millions of small-scale farmers globally, particularly in these vulnerable regions.
7. Crucial Role of Pollinators: Three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants and around 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators for reproduction, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Action Needed:

The study emphasizes the urgent need for global action to mitigate climate change, alongside efforts to slow down land use changes and protect natural habitats in order to safeguard insect pollinators.

The findings highlight the importance of addressing this issue to ensure the continued productivity of essential crops and the livelihoods of many farmers around the world. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.