The population of honeybees is declining in India, and it is having an impact on the entire country. Since the early 2000s, farmers have noticed a decrease in the number of bees in their farm fields. This has been noticed in places like Odisha, Kerala, Punjab, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. Most scientists find it difficult to track the bee’s disappearance and its reason as there is little evidence or information for it. Information is insufficient and lacking to draw further conclusions.
There have been multiple reports of bee colonies collapsing for no specific reason since 2006; because of this, they have been placed in the list of endangered species. This brings a great concern for human existence as bees are known to be pollinators which help plants in fertilization. Fertilization of plants is necessary as a lot of the vegetables and fruits we consume are borne from plants which need to be cross-pollinated to produce their vegetables or fruits. If there is an absence of these pollinators, then the productivity of some plant species may decline by 80% while the supply of certain fruits and vegetables will also dwindle for the worse.
The investigation of the decline of bees has been going on for years and has left scientists curious. Although, in 2012, three studies were narrowed down to discover the cause of this major problem. There are high rates of oxidation in honeybees due to the exposure of pesticides which make them age faster. Pesticides like neonicotinoids and glyphosates are highly toxic to honeybees. Even though the government banned 28 toxic pesticides, including some neonicotinoids, the usage of highly lethal ones like dinotefuran and glyphosates continues. A scientist and his team did research and collected data on this assumption and figured out that fields with fewer pesticides had a higher and more diverse range of honeybees than fields with more pesticides. This study also showed that bees that are more exposed to pesticides, lost their sense of smell and hence, were unable to find or return to their hives. Leaving the hive to collapse later or to starvation.
Many studies have also identified habitat change as a major factor in the decline of bees. Rapid urbanisation, agricultural expansion and deforestation have led to the destruction of natural habitats for these crucial pollinators, which are the honeybees. Between 2001 and 2021, India’s tree population declined by 2.07 million hectares, indicating a decrease of 5.3 per cent since the year 2000, leading to habitat loss for Honeybees.
Despite all this, there are multiple measures that many are taking into consideration for the life of Honeybees and human needs. Starting with Green Roofs, these roofs are cooling sources which also attract bees and butterflies to pollinate. Then there is the Sustainability Fund, like in Amsterdam, where the government created a $38.5 million “Sustainability Fund” with its aim to convert most green spaces into native plantations. Furthermore, the concept of Honey Highway was established which allows one to grow wild flowers on the sides of a highway.
These are the measures taken to reduce this problem. Although, this problem still lies in the heart of India today.
Written by Ratisha Khare
