Bee Population in Malaysia Declining Due to Rampant Use of Pesticides – CAP
CAP was shocked not to find any bee hive in several areas in Peninsular Malaysia, with many traditional bee keepers admitting that bee colonies were declining in Malaysia. This is largely because bees are losing the food sources that they require to survive.
It is a sad fact that bees, which we equate with efficient or busy work, are gradually disappearing.
CAP found that pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, genetically modified crops and climate change are the main causes of bees becoming extinct.
Another reason is the way our land is developed, which causes significant loss to pollinator- friendly habitats.
It is said that if all the bees were destroyed on this planet, man would not have more than 4 years left to live. This is because bees play an important role in pollination of plants. Without them, plants will not produce fruit.
Their importance cannot be overstated as bees are responsible for 80% of the world’s food supply. 70 out of the top 100 crops that humans consume, which supply up to 90% of the world’s nutrition, are pollinated by bees.
Bees are now on the “endangered species” list and it is estimated that the destruction of bees has increased by 42%. The reason for this bee disaster is that worker bees who go to collect food disappear in droves.
There are many reasons why worker bees get lost like this.
The main reason is that chemicals in pesticides and artificial fertilisers can affect the nervous system of bees and dull their memory. As a result, the way back to the home is forgotten and they fly away and die.
It doesn’t matter if we don’t celebrate a day for bees, which play a major role in the production of food in our lives, but let’s not do anything that destroys them.
Among the ways we can help reverse the situation and prevent a bee extinction are:
> Have more organic farms, because organic farms tend to support higher biodiversity and better bee health.
> Grow some of your own food without using pesticides and synthetic fertilisers. Flowering vegetables, fruits and herbs attract bees.
The drastic decline of the honey bee population is a crisis that is being felt worldwide. Our greatest pollinators are in trouble. Since the introduction of neonicotinoid- containing pesticides, honey bee loss has reached a record high. This is concerning because, without the pollination of the honey bee, humankind will cease to exist.
N.V. Subbarow
Senior Education and Environmental Officer
Consumers Association of Penang
Press Statement, 19 May 2024