Shortage of pollinators could be killing 427,000 people a year
Inadequate numbers of bees and other pollinators have a huge impact on human health due to lower production of fruit and vegetables, according to a modelling study
Health
21 December 2022
Insufficient pollination of crops poses a human health risk comparable to substance use conditions or prostate cancer, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands worldwide.
Three-quarters of agricultural crop varieties are pollinated by animals, such as insects, birds and bats. Many populations of key pollinators like bees are in decline and their loss results in lower production of fruit and vegetables.
Matthew Smith at Harvard University and his colleagues used data on pollinators, 63 pollinator-dependent crops, international trade, diet and chronic diseases …