Farming with alternative pollinators (FAP)—An overlooked win-win-strategy for climate change adaptation

Climate change has been identified as an additional major risk for pollinators, but pollinators are key species for agriculture, interaction within interdependent ecosystems and climate change adaptation of agro-ecosystems. Though agro-ecologists proved enhancement of crop production by wild pollinators, applied agricultural research and development did not take up such results to increase farm income as an incentive for farmers to engage in protection of wild pollinators. We suggest farming with alternative pollinators (FAP) as an integrated agro-ecological-socio-economic approach and a self-sustaining win-win-strategy for farmers, agro-ecosystems and climate change adaptation. In the course of climate change we regard wild pollinators and FAP as more reliable option than honeybees, particularly in higher elevations.

► There is evidence that wild pollinators increase harvest in economic terms. ► Technology packages including economic benefit for different crops are needed. ► Thus FAP can sustain option value of pollinators for climate change adaptation.