Last week, the Institute for Environmental Policy (IEEP), in collaboration with the European Landowners Organisation (ELO), organised a Safeguard project event on the role and the economic, environmental, and social advantages of pollinators within agricultural landscapes, providing insights into farming practices that benefit both pollinators and stakeholders throughout the agri-food value chain.
The science-policy conference “Farming for pollinators: Unlocking economic and ecological gains”, organised as part of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture Annual Conference activities, took place in Brussels on 2 April 2025 and was also streamed online.
Here are the key takeaways from the event:
- Pollination affects the economic output of 75% of the world’s most common crops, increasing yield, improving quality and extending shelf life;
- The total global value of crop pollination is estimated at €213bn–€523bn/year, a demand far too great for honeybees to handle alone;
- The good news is that there is already a growing movement of pollinator-friendly farming across the value chain. These practices not only help pollinators but also bring co-benefits: healthier soils, better water retention, and greater climate resilience for crops;
- Farmers cannot bear the cost alone. If we want widespread adoption of pollinator-friendly practices, the entire value chain, from retailers to consumers, must step up. This raises a key challenge: the drive to keep costs low often clashes with the need to fund these essential practices.
Among the speakers at the event were Safeguard partners Tom Breeze (University of Reading) and Andree Cappellari (Padua University), who shared results from their work on the project. Tom talked about the emerging research surrounding the economic implications of pollination in the agri-food sector, while Andree’s presentation delved into the broader environmental benefits of pollinator-friendly land management.
Learn more about the event and view all presentations, including those of Tom and Andree, here.