Experts approve national strategy on endangered pollinators

Experts have approved a two-year work plan that will improve protection of pollinator populations and mainstream pest management into biodiversity policies as well as action plans.

The eggheads met at a two-day National Trialogue on Pollinator-Friendly Land Degradation Neutrality Country Action Plan organised by the Department of Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Under the programme, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net) will provide seed fund to support the implementation of the action plan priorities in Nigeria and promote the uptake of Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) assessments into national policy in line with national biodiversity priorities.

Specifically, the national project will be implemented for two years. While catalytic financial support of $346,455.45 will be allocated to the UNDP Nigeria through the BES-Net II’s BES Solution Fund. Additional $10,000 has been issued as a preparation grant for the development of the two-year work plan.

The Technical Officer at BES-Net, Marlyn Omondi, said the programme is an off shoot of the Anglophone Africa Regional Trialogue held in Nairobi, attended by Nigeria and five countries, with the objective of raising awareness of the key messages of the two inter-linked IPBES Thematic Assessment Reports on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production and Land Degradation and Restoration.

She stated that the work plan promotes policy/science/practice uptake of the reports’ recommendations in the Anglophone Africa region in line with the ongoing efforts towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and other Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets.

The meeting coordinated by the ministry’s focal point, Sikeade Egbuwalo, agreed to embark on strengthening national BES platform, scoping assessment of pollinators and pollinator services and threats to pollinators in three selected sites.

They also adopted the development of a pollinator app, web-based illustrated identification guide and pollinator Information Management System (PIMS) to promote awareness and advocacy for pollinators, development of a national pollinator strategy and integrated pest management (IPM).

The experts also validated plan for capacity development for community-based participatory approach plant-pollinator conservation as well as agro-ecological practices for the management and development of pollinator ecosystem services.

Earlier, the Team Leader, Climate Change/Environment, UNDP, Muyiwa Odele, said the meeting is one of the areas that UNDP has strongly advocated for BES-Network in Nigeria as it sits within existing national priorities.

“So, we invited a few people, who in their own right are experts to share with you some of the cutting-edge work that they are doing that has implications for our BES-Network. We can draw inspiration from some of these activities.

“The Federal government is currently working on a medium to longer term development goal and food security is one of the focus areas.

“And the reality for Nigeria is to transit from oil-based economy to a greener one. We have opportunities to site our work into ongoing national priorities and I will be counting on all of you to share some experiences with us on how we can do this.”