National Pollinator Conservation Strategy (ENCUSP)
Agricultural Importance of Pollinators
Because pollinators are critical to increasing agricultural yields, guaranteeing food security, and preserving healthy ecosystems, they are fundamental to the well-being of society. Up to 70% of crops that are directly consumed by humans are produced through animal-mediated pollination, which is essential for the growth and production of over 60% of cultivated plants (Klein et al., 2007). These consist of a variety of fruits, seeds, tea and coffee stimulants, and vegetable oils. It is estimated that these pollination services are worth USD 164 billion to the world’s agricultural industry.
Overview of the dependence of many crops on insect pollination for successful reproduction in Mexico
Being one of the 17 megadiverse nations on Earth and a center for the emergence and domestication of plants essential to humankind, Mexico boasts over 420 kinds of plants, of which 236 are used for food and beverages and 80 species for important national and global industrial uses, including textile, ornamental, medicinal and for manufacturing industrial products. These species are estimated to be worth 43 billion pesos in Mexico, where over 85% of them depend on pollinators for their survival (Ashworth et al., 2009). The nation is home to a wide variety of native pollinators, including stingless bees and bumblebees, which have been demonstrated to effectively pollinate key crops like citrus, tomato, cucurbits, and chili (Vergara & Fonseca-Buendía, 2012). However, the lack of research on pollinator effects on crops has impeded the growth of sustainable commercial.
Ensuring free pollination services is therefore especially crucial in Mexico, where a significant percentage of the population depends directly and completely on ecosystem services for their subsistence. To preserve or restore plant resources and native pollinators, feasible conservation strategies include providing economic support to rural communities for their environmental services, creating new protected natural areas that guarantee pollinator habitats, mating and nesting sites, and food supplies.
How much do we know about Insect Pollinators in Mexico?
In the Diagnosis: Current Situation of Pollinators in Mexico with 399 studies checked the pollination services were evaluated by species, such as bees, bumblebees, beetles, butterflies, wasps, flies and ants through methods like visitation, pollen deposition, pollen load, and the production of fruits and seeds. Out of the total, 190 studies investigated the pollination services of bees in both wild and cultivated plants. Among these, 136 focused on native bees like Scaptotrigona mexicana and Melipona becheii, while 54 examined the introduced specie Apis mellifera, and one study focused on the introduced bumblebee Bombus impatiens. There were fewer studies on the pollination services of bumblebees (14), wasps (9), beetles (21), ants (14), thrips (1), diurnal butterflies (11), nocturnal butterflies (15), flies (23), birds (36), and bats (65). Another group of studies on pollinators like butterflies, ants, bumblebees, and beetles are taxonomic lists that document species diversity across Mexico’s biomes without detailing their ecological interactions.
Conservation initiatives in México
Insect pollinators in Mexico have benefited greatly from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which offers a strong framework for identifying and resolving the issues they confront. Founded in 2012, IPBES collaborates with member nations, such as Mexico, to improve knowledge of pollinator health, pollinator value to biodiversity, and pollinator contribution to food security. IPBES provides in-depth analyses and policy recommendations that draw attention to the major risks that pollinators face, including habitat loss, pesticide usage, and climate change. Through fostering cooperation among scientists, politicians, and local communities, IPBES supports sustainable agricultural practices, effective conservation measures, and programs that improve pollinator populations and restore habitats throughout Mexico. The strategic responses that IPBES mentions in its report regarding the risks and opportunities associated with pollinators and pollination are the following:
Improving conditions for Pollinators and maintaining Pollination
- Create uncultivated patches of vegetation such as field margins with extended flowering periods.
- Reward Farmers for pollinator friendly practices.
- Improve managed bee husbandry.
Reshaping Agricultura Landscapes
Las Cañadas, Huatusco, Ver.
- Support diversified farming systems.
- Support organic farming systems
- Support food security
- Restore natural habitats
Redefining Society's Connection with Nature
- Translate pollinator research into agricultural practices.
- Strengthen indigenous knowledge that foster pollinators and pollination.
- Support innovative pollinator activities that engage stakeholders with attachments the multiple socio-cultural values of pollinators.
- Education and outreach programmes.
