The role of pollinators in maintaining agricultural productivity in Ukraine
Abstract
Pollinators are indispensable contributors to global food security, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem stability. In Ukraine, a country with vast agricultural landscapes and a strong dependence on crop production, pollinators-especially honeybees, wild bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and other insects?play a pivotal role in sustaining agricultural productivity. Approximately one-third of Ukraine?s major crops, including sunflower, rapeseed, fruits, vegetables, and forage plants, rely to varying degrees on animal pollination. However, pollinator populations in Ukraine face mounting pressures from habitat loss, pesticide use, monoculture farming, climate change, and emerging diseases, which threaten both ecological resilience and food production. This article explores the ecological and economic significance of pollinators in Ukrainian agriculture, examines the key stressors affecting their populations, and highlights agroecological and policy measures that can safeguard pollinator services. By integrating biodiversity-friendly farming practices, strengthening conservation strategies, and fostering farmer-pollinator partnerships, Ukraine can secure sustainable agricultural productivity while contributing to global food resilience.