CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Bees are the most important pollinators globally, but despite this great potential of bees in the environment, they have faced a lot of threats in the recent decades as a result of climate change and excessive use of toxic agrochemicals. Bees live in a symbiotic relationship with melliferous plants whereby, they collect nectar and pollen for food and useful plants substances to make propolis use to fill gaps in their hives. Plants equally need bees for pollination of flowers so as to enhance fruits development especially to those plants which depend solely on insects pollination.

Unfortunately, bee populations have recently been declining by as much as 30% per year. There were twice as much honeybee colonies in 1959 as there are today. This decrease in population, caused by climate change will cause humans to lack all benefits from these species that have been taken for granted. Climate change is causing temperature shifts which are leaving bees unable to pollinate in time. Bees are severely vulnerable to extreme weather; climate change has caused flowers to emerge and bloom earlier. Because bees are unable to pollinate flowers and thus do not obtain nectar for their hives to use during their harsh winter months. Stephano de maria (2017); The impacts of climate change on bees.

In the past decades, beekeepers had to cope with a new threat to their business: agrochemical pesticides, which are scattered over large areas of crops, fruit groves, forests and other environments for the control of insect pests, weeds, vermin and plant disease. From the begining, chemical insecticides represent a serious threat to bees for a simple reason that bees are insects thus susceptible to any poisons.

Francisco Sanches-Bayo and Koichi Goka (2016): impacts of pesticides on honeybees.

In spite the challenges encounter by bees nowadays due to extreme climatic conditions and excessive use of chemical insecticides, the good news remains that, this write-up will go a long way to lessen these threats on bee species within the municipality of Buea.

1.2 Problem Statement

The concern for pollinators is growing worldwide with increasing evidence that pollinators are in crisis. Evidence suggests that global climate change and impacts of agrochemical has only amplify the decline in bee populations, threatening ecosystem resilience and food security at local and global scale. This exists because of the mutualistic relationship which exist between bees and melliferous plants and thus impact of climate change and agrochemicals have led to an indirect effect on melliferous plants. Human populations are not exempted from this present day climatic and agrochemical impacts on bees since they depend on bees and melliferous plants for food, medicine etc, thus this problem needs to be urgently address so as to avert this present crisis that has befallen bee communities so as to keep benefiting from them.

1.3 Objective

To know various species of melliferous plants and effects of agrochemicals and climate change on pollinators (bees)

1.4 Specific Objectives

1. To access melliferous plants varieties
2. To access a sociological survey of agrochemicals on pollinators.
3. To access the level of honey production by bee farmers within Buea Municipality.
4. To access the impact of climate change on bees.

1.5 Significance Of Studies  

The findings of these studies will be of enormous significance to the people of Buea Municipality and the world at large taking into consideration the important role bee play in the environment. These benefits will comprise of:

• Introduction and improvement of sustainable agricultural techniques with zero impact on bees.
• It will unveil sustainable environmental practices which will intend to reduce the impact of climate change and subsequently improve bee health and honey production in the municipality of Buea.
• Numerous varieties of melliferous plants will be improved and subsequently human beings and other animals will benefit a lot since improvement on bee health boost food and medicine productivity.
• Introduction of sustainable apicultural techniques