Session on the role of Pollinators on Agriculture Day
Session on the role of Pollinators, Rio Conventions Pavilion, 25 November 2018
At Sharm El Sheikh, another event took place that also highlighted the importance of pollinators. This was the Agriculture Day at the Rio Conventions Pavilion, which focused on the theme ‘Agriculture and Biodiversity: Walking hand-in-hand toward a sustainable world.’ It was co-organized by the CBD, FAO and the Government of Mexico, in partnership with GIZ, Rare, IUCN and Conservation International.
One of the panel sessions, facilitated by Irene Hoffman, FAO, highlighted the latest research evidence, policy and the private sector initiatives, as well as practical case studies on the role of pollinators as a transformative biodiversity agent.
Hien Ngo, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), discussed the impact of the landmark global assessment report on pollinators, pollination and food production. She outlined the second phase of the International Pollinator Initiative and the work of the Coalition of the Willing in maintaining the momentum generated by the study and ensuring the mainstreaming of pollinators into relevant policies and strategies.
Other subjects that were highlighted were:
- The decline in total flying insect biomass in Germany;
- Enabling conditions for creating a multilateral environmental agreement for pollinator protection;
- Experiences from the Valley Ventures Sanctuary in Antigua and Barbuda, a community-based project for reintroducing pollinators;
- Research-policy initiatives in Brazil on the establishment of procedures and technical guidance for undertaking risk assessments of pesticides to pollinators;
- Findings from a study assessing the impact of declining pollinators on global supply chains.
Speakers on pollinators at the Agriculture Day, from L-R: Hien Ngo, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES); Irene Hoffmann, FAO; Ruth Spencer, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme; Stefanie Christmann, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA); and Carlos Tonelli, Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Resources (IBAMA)
This article is an excerpt from the report by IISD Reporting services; that is also the source of the photograph.