Save the Bees: Why We Need Bees and How They Help the Environment

Why We Need Bees

Honeybees may be small creatures, but their environmental impact is huge. With their taste for nectar and fuzzy legs, these pollinating machines influence farming practices worldwide. It’s estimated that one-third of global food production requires animal pollination and 80-90% of this role is carried out by honeybees.

Here are five reasons why bees are important:

1. Bees are needed for pollination
2. Bees increase fruit and vegetable production
3. Bees are a source of income and food
4. Honey has many health benefits
5. Bee populations are declining worldwide

Beekeeping, also called apiculture, is part of Heifer's work in the area of environmental sustainability.

Farmers who keep bees see increased crop yields, whether they are growing coffee, spices or vegetables. Plus, they are able to harvest honey during the non-growing season to earn extra income, producing 60 pounds or more of honey each year.

The practice of beekeeping protects the environment, and Heifer farmers are trained to adopt climate-smart practices like diversifying their farms and producing organic fertilizers.

How Heifer Helps Bees and Beekeepers

Honeybees can help a family escape hunger and poverty, which is why we have incorporated them into projects in Honduras, Mexico and the United States. Here’s how it works in the Leveraging Success project in Honduras.

1. A family receives honeybees from Heifer International.
2. As expert pollinators, the honeybees double fruit and vegetable yields.
3. The family sells the extra crops — and honey — for additional income.
4. The family uses the new income to expand their farm — and futures.

Click the links below to learn more about Heifer's work with bees and what you can do to help: