Crop Production and the Pollinator Deficit Some Initial Survey Results

Professor Iain Fraser, University of Kent

There is much discussion and research examining and measuring the pollination deficit for a wide array of crops. However, it is unclear the extent to which farmers consider or even understand the potential for a pollinator deficit to exist. To examine this important issue, we undertook a survey in the UK to examine farmers attitudes about pollinator management for crop production as well as wider environmental objectives. In particular, we wanted to understand the degree to which farmers consider the current level and quality of pollinator activity and its impact on production.

Our reason for examining this issue is that there is little evidence that the pollinator deficit is a problem being reported by farmers. We also wanted to understand what land use activities are being implemented to support wild pollinators. Fundamentally, there has been little research examining farmer understanding of pollinators, how this informs on-farm monitoring and management and the adoption of land-use activities to support wild pollinators.

Our survey was undertaken online in two waves during 2021 and 2022. In total, we collected 228 responses. When we asked farmers about the relationship between pollination and several aspects of crop production, our results revealed some interesting insights about pollination deficits. For example, when asked if crop yield was lower than it could be because of insufficient pollination, less than 20% of respondents answered positively. We also found very low responses in terms of how insufficient levels of pollination negatively impact crop quality and financial returns.

However, when we examine the responses in more detail there is a difference in terms of responses for fruit farmers compared to arable farmers. Fruit farmers appear to understand the link between the importance of pollinators and crop quality and quantity, they also actively monitor for pollinators and support pollinators by adopting various farm level management practices, although these results are statistically weak.

Thus, although our results indicate that many farmers do not think that they are suffering from a problem as a result of there being a pollinator deficit, there is a difference for the type of crop being grown. These findings raise an interesting question regarding the discussed pollinator deficit:

Either certain groups of farmers are generally unaware of the pollinator deficit and its impact on production or the significance of the pollinator deficit is of far less importance to certain farmer groups compared to other aspects of crop production?

Our respondents also provided extensive feedback on survey. With regard to crop yield and pollination, the responses provided are revealing. Several respondents assess yields (compared to historical levels or national averages) and suggest any deficit might be due to a pollinator deficit but several also note that measuring a pollinator deficit is very difficult in practice.

“Very difficult but think that the crop could always yield better and maybe it is down to not enough pollinators”

“I think it is very difficult to assess how I can say how much the yield is down due to pollinators”

“Very difficult to assess yield deficit”

Overall, our results indicate that identifying a pollinator deficit at the crop level is difficult and is maybe considered less important than other yield limiting factors that can affect output on an annual basis. This finding highlights the need to inform farmers that current levels of crop pollination may not be optimal and there are practical steps that they can take to remedy this limitation. In particular, the Beespoke project is generating extensive crop level resources (videos and information sheets) to enable farmers to identify pollinators and to better gauge the magnitude of pollinator deficits.

For any readers interested in undertaking the survey (UK, Belgium and Netherlands) please follow the links provided here ->