Biodiversity’s decline in agriculture

For several decades scientists have been concerned about the decline in the diversity of living species. A major cause of this loss of biodiversity is the intensification of agriculture. However, the agricultural sector realises that it is dependent on biological diversity and that it will have to adapt its practices in the coming years to preserve its resources.

This raises the question: what is the role of biodiversity in agriculture?

The interest of biodiversity in agriculture

Soils alone are home to a quarter of the planet’s biodiversity. The multiplicity of organisms underground releases an important amount of nutrients resulting from the decomposition of organic matter that are then more easily assimilated by plants. Underground organisms also contribute significantly to the texture and balance of the soil. A healthy soil is therefore a rich, living soil that is self-regulating and produces good yields.
In the field, hedges, flowering strips and cover crops provide shelter and food for the auxiliary fauna. There are the natural predators that feed on pests, and the pollinators that ensure the reproduction of plants and the formation of fruits and vegetables. 84% of the species cultivated in Europe, and 30% of our food depend on pollination. Pollination services represent an annual turnover of 153 billion euros, which represents 9.5% of the value of total agricultural food production in the world.

Creating value with biodiversity

Regenerating biodiversity creates value for tomorrow’s businesses and communities. It’s a win-win situation because regenerated biodiversity will give optimized returns. BeeOdiversity prioritizes actions based on quantitative measures. The data collected by BeeOmonitoring allow us to raise awareness, provide expertise and trigger change. They quantify concentrations of pesticides, heavy metals, nitrates and plant diversity over large areas (700 ha). Our vineyard monitoring, for example, has led to significant reductions in the use of pesticides. We support farmers and other stakeholders in their conversion to a sustainable agricultural strategy, which optimizes the use of inputs and improves the biodiversity of agricultural plots.