Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal.
Department of Plant Health, Faculty of Agronomy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Sci Rep. 2024 Oct 23;14(1):25037. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-75584-x.
Pollination is a key ecosystem service crucial for supporting agricultural production, economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. Understanding the economic value of pollination and its impact on human health and nutrition is essential for effective pollinator conservation and management. This study evaluates the economic and nutritional value of pollination services in Nepal and quantifies historic changes in pollinator reliance. Using public data on agricultural production and commodity prices, in combination with published nutritional composition values, we employ the dependency-ratio method to quantify economic and nutritional value across different regions of the country and through time. We conservatively estimate the annual economic value of pollination services in Nepal at US $477 million, representing 9% of total agricultural revenue. Pollinator-dependent crops, particularly fruits and vegetables are the source of essential nutrients; 40% of plant-based vitamin A and 14% of vitamin C are directly attributable to insect pollination. The cultivated area of these pollinator-dependent crops has increased by 91% in Nepal over 20 years - 3.7 times faster than equivalent increases in non-pollinator-dependent crops. The decline in wild pollinators during the same time period poses a threat, leading to potential pollination deficits and crop losses. Our study underscores the importance of conserving and managing pollinators to ensure sustainable agriculture, food security, and nutrition. Targeted efforts, including policy interventions and conservation strategies, are needed to safeguard pollinator populations and enhance pollination services.
授粉是支持农业生产、经济增长、社会包容和环境保护的关键生态系统服务。了解授粉的经济价值及其对人类健康和营养的影响，对于有效的授粉保护和管理至关重要。本研究评估了尼泊尔授粉服务的经济和营养价值，并量化了授粉依赖的历史变化。我们利用农业生产和商品价格的公共数据，结合已发表的营养成分值，采用依存比率法来量化全国不同地区和不同时期的经济和营养价值。我们保守估计，尼泊尔授粉服务的年经济价值为 4.77 亿美元，占农业总收入的 9%。授粉依赖型作物，特别是水果和蔬菜，是必需营养物质的来源；40%的植物来源维生素 A 和 14%的维生素 C 直接归因于昆虫授粉。在过去 20 年中，尼泊尔授粉依赖型作物的种植面积增加了 91%，比非授粉依赖型作物的相应增长率快 3.7 倍。与此同时，野生授粉媒介的减少构成了威胁，可能导致授粉不足和作物损失。我们的研究强调了保护和管理授粉媒介以确保可持续农业、粮食安全和营养的重要性。需要采取有针对性的措施，包括政策干预和保护策略，以保护授粉媒介种群并增强授粉服务。
