Honey could become a scarce commodity.
At issue: global warming.
Six days before COP26, the World Meteorological Organization warns: if we continue this momentum, the world will not respect the commitments made in Paris, namely a maximum temperature limit of 2 ° C.
Among the consequences of this climate change, the disastrous honey harvests in France, but also in Sicily.
The increasingly hot summers disrupt the agricultural production of this island, located in the extreme south of the Italian peninsula.
This summer, beekeepers in the region bore the brunt of this situation, causing heavy losses for the entire industry.
A phenomenon that worries the scientific and environmental world, because bees depend 84% on the pollination of flowering plants.
"The beehives have turned into ovens"
"Look at these hives: all empty ... Completely abandoned by the colonies that I had here", laments Piero Anello, beekeeper met by France 24. For him, it's unheard of. He is one of some 2,000 Sicilian beekeepers and lost more than half of his bees when a heat wave of unprecedented force hit the whole region. "This summer, it was a tragedy, because of the excessive heat. The temperatures approached 50 ° C: the bees died or fled the hives which turned into ovens."
Consequence of record temperatures: fires ravaged the region.
Several thousand hectares of land were devoured by the flames, destroying in their path vegetation essential for bees, and vice versa.
It is indeed on these insects that the pollination of three quarters of the crops intended for human consumption depends.
"All these conifers are destroyed forever: everything will have to be replanted", laments Giovanni Caronia, president of the regional association of Sicilian beekeepers, at the microphone of France 24. "The destruction of a wood like this leads to the disappearance of wildlife and essential pastures for bees, as these fires destroyed late summer and early fall blooms. "
Artificial nutrition to compensate for the lack of nectar
Without flowering, no nectar to feed the bees.
So to save the survivors, Fortunato, a beekeeper for 28 years, has no other choice: for the first time, he opts for artificial nutrition.
"This is a sweet preparation. We put it in to compensate for the lack of natural food. Otherwise the bee colony may die during the winter"
This will not save this year's Sicilian honey production, however, which has fallen by 70%.
An unprecedented crisis which pushed the authorities of the region to declare a state of calamity for the beekeeping sector.
The summary of the week
France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you!
Download the France 24 application
google-play-badge_FR