Mexico Launches Pollinator Conservation Project in Schools

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) is launching a pollinators conservation project in educational institutions affiliated with the General Directorate of Agricultural Technological Education and Marine Sciences (DGETAyCM). The initiative includes the installation of floral strips in agricultural areas, recognizing the essential role of pollinators in food security and ecosystem functioning.

According to SADER, the project, led by the General Directorate of Policies, Prospection, and Climate Change, involves planting native flowering plants in strips 10 to 20 m long along the edges of agricultural plots. This provides pollinators with nesting, refuge, and food sources.

Pollinators are crucial for the propagation and production of over 60% of cultivated plants, including avocado, chili, tomato, squash, coffee, citrus fruits, watermelon, blackberries, and mangoes, which significantly contribute to farmers' income. The economic value of plants dependent on pollinators in Mexico is estimated at MX$43 billion (US$2.2 billion).

In its initial phase, the project will involve students and teachers from Agricultural and Forestry Technological Education Centers (CBTA/CBTF) collecting native seeds. They will receive training from specialists at the College of Postgraduates (COLPOS) and the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO).

National training for teachers will begin in October, enabling them to disseminate seed collection techniques and information about the project’s objectives and benefits among students. This phase is crucial for preserving the genetic diversity of wild plant species adapted to specific climatic conditions, providing habitat for various arthropods, including bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, and arachnids, as well as amphibians, reptiles, and birds.

This initiative aligns with the National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Pollinators (ENCUSP), which outlines the federal government's actions to conserve these vital species for sustainable agriculture and the ecosystem services it relies upon.

Professionals from the National Service for Health, Safety, and Quality Agri-Food (SENASICA) and COLPOS will collaborate with national and international organizations to guide producers in establishing floral strips during the project's second phase. Floral strips promote regional biodiversity, enhance environmental services in agricultural landscapes, reduce soil erosion, increase organic matter, naturally regulate pests and diseases, and act as natural barriers.