Survey: How falling population of bees, other pollinators is affecting Bengalureans’ diets

Yield of many fruits, vegetables and nuts are dependent on pollinators like bees and butterflies. Take the survey by ATREE on how the dwindling number of pollinators is affecting Benglaureans' food habits and how this problem could be dealt with.

Bengaluru has been growing rapidly and eating into its rural peripheries. Between 2001 and 2011, the city’s population grew by 42%, with an alarming increase in built-up area. Such drastic changes in land use, along with the intensive use of pesticides in agriculture, have destroyed much of the original habitats of many plants and animals. 

A majority of the foods we eat depend on animal pollinators such as bees, flies, butterflies and birds. These pollinators can enhance yield and improve the quality of produce by the cross-transfer of pollen.

Foods that are dependent on pollinators include fruits, vegetables, nuts and oilseeds, which are rich in micronutrients. Many popular foods – be it chocolate, vanilla, almonds, coffee, grapes, citrus fruits, guava, litchi, or kitchen staples such as tomato, cucumber, chillies, cumin, coriander and cooking oils – are pollinator-dependent or benefit greatly from pollinators.

Hence dwindling pollinator numbers has grave impacts on not just agricultural production, but on nutrition security as well.

Whether cities can support pollinators is a key question. Recent studies indicate that many bee species can adapt to habitats that are not natural or are altered to some degree, provided their need for food plants and nesting sites is met. 

Hence the challenge is to create pockets of greenery within urban landscapes. Of late, the city has been witnessing much interest in edible gardening. Growing vegetables and fruits in our backyards, rooftops or common spaces not only gives us access to fresh food, but can also provide food resources for pollinators. Edible gardening could well be the first step in making cities more nutritionally self-reliant and in achieving a healthy co-existence with urban fauna.

Help us better understand pollinator-dependence by taking part in our survey!

Click here to take the survey

A bee exploring a pumpkin flower. Pic: Sunil G M

[The researchers are affiliated to Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru. The study is part of the SHEFs (Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems) global research programme, funded by the Wellcome Trust.]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Healing beyond cure: Where to seek palliative care in Mumbai and why

Along the difficult journey of gravely ill patients and families, palliative care provides holistic support and empowers them to face the challenges ahead.

"Whenever anyone mentions the word 'cancer,' it makes me feel uneasy. My children don't even say the word in front of me," said 73-year-old Chhabubai Kshirsagar from Govandi, Mumbai, wiping away her tears. Draped in a cotton nine-yard saree with a pallu over her head, Chhabubai once had long, waist-length hair. However, after undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, her hair started falling out and eventually, all of it was gone. This loss has left a deep emotional impact on her. "I’ve carefully preserved my lost hair," Chhabubai said softly, gently running her hand over the short new hair that has…

Similar Story

A poor health report card for Maharashtra ahead of polls: Jan Arogya Abhiyan

Maharashtra govt scores only 23 on 100 in an analysis on health parameters by Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a group of NGOs and health care professionals.

The past five years have seen public health crises, not only locally but globally. Considering this, it is only fair to expect that budgetary allocations for public health would be made more robust. But an analysis shows that the allocation of funds for public health has dropped, though the number of people seeking medical care from the public healthcare system has increased. Experts have pointed out that the public health budget for 2024-2025 is less than that for 2023-2024. Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a group of NGOs and healthcare professionals has released a health report card assessing the performance of the…