Why Brazil should care about the death of bees

Why Brazil should care about the death of bees

The death of bees is not a recent phenomenon: It is observed by researchers at least since the past decade. However, We last months, the death toll reached alarming levels in Brazil.
“The death of bees is not only a risk to Brazil, but for the whole world. When you think of bees, You think of honey. The main product of them, however, It is pollination”, says Fabia Pereira, researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) in the field of beekeeping.
In the last three months, 500 million bees were found dead by beekeepers in the country, second umlevantamento done by the NGO Reporter Brazil in partnership with the Public Agency. The vast majority of cases were registered in Rio Grande Sul, followed by Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo.
In addition to the mass death of hives in apiaries, five native bee species are threatened with extinction - three of them inhabit the Atlantic Forest, one the Cerrado and the other pampa gaucho. No data, however, on mortality in wild communities.
Bees are responsible for pollination of about 70% Plants grown for food, mainly fruits and vegetables. His death jeopardizes agriculture and, consequently, their food security. without them, humans face a drastic change in your diet, that would be restricted to autopolinizáveis ​​cultures, as beans, rice, soy, corn, Potato and cereal species.
In addition to agriculture, Bees are also key players for the pollination of native forests. His disappearance could trigger the death of entire ecosystems. “If the man stop doing any environmental intervention, and bees just vanished, there would be a corresponding disappearance of kills between 30% is 90% from today, causing a chain in the process of extinction to reach in us that we are at the top”, emphasizes Pereira.
This mortality still has the potential to impact the Brazilian economy. The country is the eighth largest producer of honey and, in 2017, exports totaled 121 million dollars. The decrease in production before the reduction in the number of hives result in a fall in sales. Besides, in case of deaths caused by pesticides, residues of these substances could possibly be found in honey, which would lead foreign buyers to reject the Brazilian product.
“Exports to Europe is very demanding, and any residue is detected. Honey that has been produced in recent months is contaminated. no outside, no one will want it, and there is sufficient for domestic quantity produced. This will discourage beekeeping”, says agronomist Aroni Sattler, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).
alarming numbers
The death of bees began to draw the world's attention from the identification of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), in 2006 US us, when a strong surge wiped out thousands of hives. Na Europa, Similar phenomena have been observed since the late 1990. Researchers found that, in addition to diseases and reducing the habitat of the species, pesticides are one of the factors that triggers this carnage.
In addition to the high toxicity of some pesticides, contributes to this scenario the incorrect use of these substances. They are applied during the day, when bees are outside the beehives, without following safety parameters and without beekeepers to communicate they can leave the closed boxes.
In the current Brazilian case, pesticides based on neonicotinoids and fipronil was the major causative agents of deaths. “The history of acute mortalities we have found makes very clear its relationship with the use of pesticides”, emphasizes Sattler, beekeeping expert.
In Rio Grande do Sul, where more than 400 million bees died just in the first quarter, 80% of the deaths were caused by fipronil, insecticide used widely in monoculture crops, but also on small farms. The substance is still very popular in the extermination of ants and veterinary remedies for insect control, like fleas. In Santa Catarina, remnants of the pesticide were detected in dead hives between the end of last year and early this.
“We must begin to question the current agricultural model. The effects of the expansion of monoculture-based pesticides are proven. The United States had 6 million hives in the late 1940, and are now about 2,5 millions”, destaca Sattler.
popular pressure
Na Europa, death bees is a few years ago a theme in the media and in politics. In 2017, a study called attention of the German public to reveal that populations of flying insects had retreated 75% along 25 years in the country. The research triggered a debate on the issue.
Currently in Germany the popular initiative “Save the bees” wants to force the Bavarian government to seek solutions to biodiversity loss. The proposal provides for encouraging organic farming, protection of riparian forests, the expansion of the connection of natural habitats and the banning of pesticides.
Public pressure and environmental activists was crucial for the European Union (EU) approved last year a ban on three neonicotinoids substances - clothianidin, Imidacloprid e tiametoxam, that damage the central nervous system of insects, as bees. France already went further and banned five insecticides of this class of derivatives of nicotine.
Fipronil already had its restricted use in Europe. Completely banned in France since 2004 is, later, in several European countries, the application of the pesticide in the EU was limited in 2013 the crops in greenhouses and leeks, onion, green onions and cabbage. The substance is also banned in the food industry the block, It can only be used to fight fleas, lice and ticks of pets.
A Europa patina, however, yet in glyphosate ban, other crop protection product that, according to a survey released last year, It is harmful to bees.
While European countries are re-evaluating and restricting the use of pesticides, Brazil in recent months has encouraged the release of pesticides. Regarding the bees, the issue remains neglected, even before the impact of the extinction of these species may have.
“Despite all the efforts, we still can not sufficiently sensitize the general public and the government itself about the importance of working to protect bees. Already events were held on the subject, meetings explaining the importance of bees and public policy suggestions, but we still need to advance in the effective actions”, emphasizes Pereira.
Satller has similar view. “The situation is quite serious, but you can still reverse”, says researcher, defending the questioning of the current agribusiness model in the country and restricting the indiscriminate use of pesticides.
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Deutsche Welle is the international broadcaster in Germany and produces independent journalism 30 Languages.

Original article:
https://www.dw.com/pt-br/por-que-o-brasil-deveria-se-importar-com-a-morte-de-abelhas/a-47941758