China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) Hive Fund has received a request for help from a beekeeper somewhere in western China: at the end of July 2020, due to the impact of COVID-19, the beekeeper was unable to successfully transfer bees. However, the local farmers just sprayed pesticides via drones on the rape fields without notifying him, causing more than 1,100 boxes of bees (80% of bees in each box have died) suffered a serious loss. On August 3, the CBCGDF Hive Fund held an emergency meeting on this matter.
Affected by the pandemic, how should beekeepers and farmers adjust to each other? How should the relevant departments of the local government coordinate? How should the agricultural sector respond? How should social organizations play a role?
How should various departments help beekeepers to reduce their losses without affecting farmers' production and livelihoods? After getting to know the situation of beekeepers quickly, Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, the Secretary-General of CBCGDF combined with the service tenet and practical experience of the CBCGDF Hive Fund, and summed up the following four suggestions and action support:
First of all, it is recommended that beekeepers purchase insurance, and insurance companies should set up special insurance service products for beekeepers.
Second, help beekeepers apply for emergency assistance from the local civil affairs department. Because bee pollination is an important part of agricultural production. And the beekeepers who are currently affected by the pandemic, their long-term beekeeping production activities are also supporting and cooperating with the agricultural production in western China for a long time, and they have an important participation in the local agricultural production process and the value of contribution.
Third: The agricultural sector's support for beekeepers also means support for the development of the western region. For incidental incidents, should follow "special circumstances and special handling". This will not only benefit China's agricultural production and local economy, but also help national unity.
Finally: As a national charity foundation, CBCGDF is eligible for fundraising and will also use fundraising to fully support beekeepers through the difficulties.
China's epidemic prevention and control work and its ability to prevent and control epidemics have been greatly demonstrated. All parts of China have always maintained the "normalization" of epidemic prevention and control. In this context, China has also insisted on forming an "internal cycle", promoting the resumption of work and production, and insisting on "special circumstances and special handling". Therefore, the CBCGDF Hive Fund hopes that the relevant departments will promptly pay attention to the current encounters similar to this beekeeper and give emergency treatment and rescue.
(Photo credit: CBCGDF)
By / Maggie
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