MAF-Livestock-HN Project Promotes Livestock Farms that Support Bees and Biodiversity

• Through a specialized workshop, the project strengthened the capacities of livestock sector technicians to promote silvopastoral practices that contribute to pollinator conservation.

Bees and other pollinators play a fundamental role in food production, natural forest regeneration, and the maintenance of biodiversity. However, the loss of tree cover, declining floral diversity, the inappropriate use of agrochemicals, and the impacts of climate change are reducing the resources these species need to survive, putting essential ecosystem services at risk.

To strengthen knowledge about the importance of pollinators for sustainable livestock production, the Transforming the Honduran Livestock Sector toward a Low-Carbon Economy (MAF-Livestock-HN) project, implemented by CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) and funded by the Mitigation Action Facility, organized the workshop "Pollinators in Livestock Systems" in San Marcos de Colón, Choluteca, Honduras, for technicians and stakeholders involved in livestock farm management.

productivity of livestock systems and explored management practices that contribute to their conservation. The training began with a participatory assessment to identify participants' level of knowledge, previous experiences, and the presence of pollinators on the farms where they work.

Based on this exercise, participants discussed topics related to the pollination process, the diversity of bee species found in Honduras, the importance of trees and native vegetation as sources of food and shelter, and the role of livestock farms in biodiversity conservation.

One of the workshop's main outcomes was the presentation of project findings on the diversity of bee species and tree species found on livestock farms. These results provided practical evidence of how livestock landscapes can support pollinator conservation. They also served as a starting point for participants to identify actions that can be promoted through technical assistance, including conserving trees within pastures, protecting water sources, maintaining flowering vegetation, reducing the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals, and promoting silvopastoral systems.

Arely Flores, a consultant with CATIE's Livestock and Environmental Management Unit (GAMMA), emphasized that conserving trees and protecting forests within livestock landscapes not only benefits bees and other pollinators but also contributes to the food security of rural families by maintaining the availability of fruits, useful plant species, shade, water, and other natural resources that are essential for life on farms.

The MAF-Livestock-HN project continues to promote sustainable livestock production practices that incorporate pollinator-friendly management criteria, creating opportunities to generate multiple environmental co-benefits.