To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the United Nations (UN) designated today, 20 May, as World Bee Day.
Why are bees important?
Bees, along with other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, play a fundamental role in our ecosystems. Nearly 90% of our world’s wild flowering plant species depend in some way on animal pollination for their survival. More than 75% of the world’s food crops, and 35% of global agricultural land, also depend on these wild species.
As well as being one of the major pollinators, bees ensure our everyday foods and therefore our food security, along with playing a major role in sustainable agriculture and biodiversity. They also significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and environmental conservation.
In the longer-term, protecting our bees and our beekeeping sector can help reduce poverty and hunger, along with keeping our environment healthy. More recently, scientific studies have proved that bees have become increasingly endangered. We all depend on pollinators and it is, therefore, crucial to monitor their decline and halt the loss of biodiversity. So, it is only through joint efforts that we can ensure the protection of bees and their habitats.
Why are bees endangered?
It has been found that current species extinction rates of bees are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human impacts. Close to 35% of invertebrate pollinators, and in particular bees and butterflies, along with about 17% of vertebrate pollinators, such as bats, face extinction globally.
If this trend continues, our nutritious foods, such as fruits, nuts and many vegetable crops, will be substituted increasingly by staple crops like rice, corn and potatoes, eventually resulting in an imbalanced and unhealthy diet. Intensive farming practices, land-use change, mono-cropping, pesticides and higher temperatures associated with climate change all threaten bee populations and, in turn, the quality of food we grow.
How you can join in and celebrate World Bee Day
World Bee Day aims to raise awareness and to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees and other pollinators. Check out – www.worldbeeday.org – which has been created to highlight the importance of bees and beekeeping, with lots of information on bees, as well as the major beekeeping events taking place around the world today to celebrate World Bee Day.
This fourth observance of World Bee Day will be celebrated – in the midst of a still ongoing worldwide pandemic – with a virtual event organised by the FAO, today, under the theme – ‘Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees’. You can join in today at 13:00 (CEST) and follow the conversations on social media using the hashtags #WorldBeeDay #Savethebees!
“The event will call for global cooperation and solidarity to counter the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to food security and agricultural livelihoods alongside prioritizing environmental regeneration and pollinator protection. It will be an occasion to raise awareness of how everyone can make a difference to support, restore and enhance the role of pollinators.”
Everyone can contribute to the preservation of our bees
Plant nectar-bearing flowers for decorative purposes on balconies, terraces, and gardens
Buy honey and other hive products from your local beekeepers
Raise awareness among children and adolescents on the importance of bees and express your support for beekeepers
Preserve wild areas – which feature a more diverse array of flowers – and sow nectar-bearing plants
Cut grass only after the nectar-bearing plants have finished blooming
Use pesticides that do not harm bees, and spray them in windless weather, either early in the morning or late at night, when bees withdraw from blossoms
The Chipembele team reported that the first few months of 2021 have been much brighter with the lifting of complicated and often changing COVID rules:
“This enabled us to carry out our programmes in full, taking appropriate mandated preventative measures. Vaccinations have been distributed to even the remotest areas of Zambia and most of the Chipembele staff received their first vaccination at the local clinic in Mfuwe in late April 2021.”
New participants selected for the school leaver’s MAC conservation program
A new group of highly motivated participants have been selected for the ‘Mentors at Chipembele’ (MAC) program. This program delivers innovative youth leadership which helps selected Chipembele school leavers to become Zambia’s future conservation leaders and helps them to secure successful careers in the conservation of our natural world.
This year, eight Chipembele school leavers were selected – 4 young men and 4 young women – to be part of the year-long MAC programme. This program is kindly sponsored by the Livingstone Foundation. The program began with an intensive two week induction course. The first week was mostly classroom based, focusing on establishing, developing and mastering key life skills. These included communication, organisation, resilience, creativity and accountability. During the second week, there was a tough three day ‘Resilience Camp’. Participants were tested on their life skills in a series of physical and mental challenges. At times they were stretched and pushed them to their limits, but they were encouraged to find their inner strength and perseverance.
“An educational experience which has changed us forever” – Zebedia Banda
Further training followed, with Corey, their Conservation Education Manager, leading the programme. Regular fun conservation sessions for younger students in The Habitat – Chipembele’s student resource room – were also run.
Orphaned bush pigs to be released into the park
“They are great characters and make us belly laugh every day, particularly when they do fast ‘zoomies’ around the enclosure and spar with each other. In doing so they hone some of the skills they will need to survive in the wild.”
Chipembele now has a full wildlife rehabilitation unit of small orphaned and injured wildlife which they have been taking care of since the beginning of the year. Bristle and Brush, two orphaned baby bush pigs that were rescued by local children in December, are now ready to be released into the park. At almost 6 months old, they are fully weaned and in excellent health, growing phenomenally and eating large quantities of fruits, vegetables, whole and powdered peanuts and game pellets.
New staff members join the Conservation Education Outreach team
Chipembele also welcomed three new members of staff to their Conservation Education Outreach team. They each bring an array of different skills, experience and attributes and have all settled into the team incredibly well. You can read more about Martin, Stanley and Anderson, along with all their other news in Chipembele’s latest newsletter and find out more about their programs on their website – www.chipembele.org
Last week, the Hon. Ronald K. Chitotela, Minister of Tourism and Arts, attended the inaugural event in Kafue National Park to mark the implementation of a new Priority Support Plan. This is the first step, being taken by African Parks, in a new initiative to boost Kafue National Park’s social, ecological and economic potential.
The Minister said Government takes great pride in the progress that has already been achieved these past two months, and remains committed to the further advancement of this extraordinary wildlife sanctuary and the communities surrounding it.
During the event, African Parks officially handed over motor vehicles, air assets and equipment to assist in the conservation and management of Kafue National Park. Valued at more than US$600,000 this included five vehicles, the delivery of a helicopter and aircraft to enhance surveillance, as well as the installation of two aircraft hangars, and upgrades for offices, utilities and access routes. They also handed over a cheque to cover the salaries for Law Enforcement officers in the park, for the first quarter of 2021.
The Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Patrick Lungu, who accompanied the Minister at the event, said the support will go a long way in restoring biodiversity within and around the Kafue landscape.
In February this year, African Parks signed a memorandum of understanding to initiate the Priority Support Plan, which would see investment in a set of priority actions for the protection and development of Kafue National Park, involving cooperation with local communities, The Nature Conservancy, other conservation organisations and local tourism operators.
Kafue National Park is situated in the world’s largest trans-frontier conservation area – the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) – which straddles the boundaries of five countries, forming one cross-border ecosystem, roughly the size of France. The Priority Support Plan for Kafue is funded through the Dutch Postcode Loterij dreamfund grant, a 16.9 million Euro contribution awarded to the World Wide Fund for Nature, African Parks and the Peace Parks Foundation for integrated initiatives in the KAZA-TFCA.
“Kafue is uniquely positioned to become one of Africa’s greatest wildlife strongholds and an exceptional tourist experience. We look forward to working closely with the Zambian Government to realise Kafue’s full potential as a long-term economic asset for Zambia and a healthy ecosystem with far-reaching benefits for people in the KAZA TFCA region” said African Parks’ CEO Peter Fearnhead.
On 9th April, COMACO launched six new shops across Eastern Province in which customers can now purchase all 17 ‘It’s Wild!’ products.
“For a long time we have wanted to create a special market for customers to purchase our ‘It’s Wild!’ products at affordable prices, helping low-income consumers enjoy the taste and the benefits of our nutritious products.”
COMACO have finally achieved their goal by opening their own stores called Green Market Shops. They have also launched a new and special way customers can buy Yummy peanut butter, Soy, and rice, by customers using their own packaging – called Yopima! Customers can now save almost 25% off the retail price, whilst helping Zambia reduce its plastic waste.
They celebrated the launch of the new shops with an opening event at their new Green Market Shop in Katete. Promotions were held, with raffles and Yummy Soy taste testing, accompanied by entertainment from a local drama group. The honourable guests that attended included the District Commissioner of Katete, Chieftainess Kawaza and COMACO CEO, Dale Lewis. The event was broadcasted live on Facebook and also featured in the evening news along with local newspapers.
COMACO hopes that these markets will reach over 1 million consumers, providing a better source of nutrition along with supporting local farmers who are now adopting new farming practices, producing more nutritious crops that are then turned into healthier products.
Combating the COVID-19 impact with poultry!
COVID-19 has impacted every single person around the world. COMACO saw this impact amongst the families in Mfuwe, which during normal times is a wildlife tourism hot spot, being the gateway to the beautiful South Luangwa National Park. When COVID-19 hit, Park tourism came to an abrupt halt, with many lodges being forced to close and subsequently lay-off their employees. Many of these employees were local residents who had to return to their villages without the skills and means to then support their families. There was a huge concern that many of them would then be forced to take up poaching as a source of food and income to be able to support their families.
So, COMACO asked themselves – what could they do to support these families in a sustainable way? With the help of their partners, Elephant Cooperation, they came up with a solution – the establishment of a village chicken breeding facility, which would give five free birds to individual needy families, who could then start small enterprises to raise chickens. Their aim was to target those families who had been most impacted by the closure of the lodges.
On 7th April, 40 local residents gathered together at the COMACO Farmer Support Centre in Mfuwe, to receive their ‘starting chickens’. In total, 200 chickens were distributed, and it is planned that more chickens will be distributed every other month, as their breeding facility maintains production. They were fortunate enough to have the District Commissioner, Area Game Warden, and a representative from the Department of Agriculture present, who all offered their support to the new program. The vision behind this initiative is for those people who have received chickens, to use them to raise extra income, improve nutrition and also to help educate their neighbours on raising poultry.
Charcoal challenges being met in Mumbwa
A charcoal checkpoint was recently established at Kapyanga, 35kms from Mumbwa town centre. This has given COMACO new insight into the challenges of controlling illegal charcoal trafficking.
Over the past month, Traditional Leaders, COMACO staff and key Government Officials gathered together to discuss the issue of charcoal licensing and its trafficking. An important resolution was made to stop future issuances of any charcoal license until an assessment has been undertaken of the current situation, their weaknesses and how to overcome them. The meeting also heard from the Senior Chief Shakumbila and his fellow Royal Highnesses on how they can use their authority to control illegal charcoal-making in Mumbwa District.
Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ) invites you to join the Leadership for Conservation in Africa talk – Evolution of Conservation in Lower Zambezi – given by Ian Stevenson, on Thursday, 6 May at 19hrs CAT.
