science
Pollinators Contribute 44 Percent of Farming Income and Over 20 Percent of Key Nutrients for Smallholder Families in Nepal
A research paper published by Nature found that insect pollinators directly support 44 percent of farming income and more than 20 percent of vitamin A, folate and vitamin E intake for families in smallholder communities in Nepal. The study recorded individual diets, crop yields, farming income and crop-pollinator interactions to establish the links.
May 7, 5:57 AM·1m read2 sources
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Biodiversity loss threatens human health and welfare through the degradation of ecosystem services including pollination. A research paper published by Nature on 23 October 2024 reported that without clear mechanistic links between ecosystems and people these services can remain abstract.
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The study sought to quantify those links by recording individual-level diets, crop yields, farming income and crop–pollinator interactions in replicate smallholder communities in Nepal. Insect pollinators were directly responsible for 44 percent of people’s farming income and more than 20 percent of their vitamin A, folate and vitamin E intake, according to the paper.
The researchers showed how declines in local pollinator species are anticipated to exacerbate rates of poverty and micronutrient deficiency in the vulnerable communities studied. The paper stated that management of local pollination services can improve human nutrition and household income.
Abundant pollinators such as native honeybees, bumblebees and hoverflies are the most important for sustaining and enhancing nutrient flows, the Nature paper reported. The study examined insect pollinators, crop plants and nutrient intake at the family level.
It concluded that the approach of linking biodiversity to human health and livelihoods could reveal sustainable pathways for improving the lives of millions of smallholders worldwide. The research was conducted in Nepal and focused on smallholder communities.
