Pollinator-Integrated Agriculture: A Policy and Extension Framework

Abstract

Pollinators are vital ecosystem-service providers that support biodiversity, crop productivity, nutrition, and food security. In Nepal, the cultivation of pollinator-dependent crops increased by 91% over the past two decades, creating greater reliance on pollination services even as pollinator populations decline. Field studies from Chitwan and Makwanpur districts demonstrate significant yield gains through managed pollination, increasing rapeseed yields by 27–54% and buckwheat yields by 25–40%. However, climate change, habitat loss, and pesticide misuse threaten these benefits. Despite supportive national policies, a critical implementation gap persists at the local government level due to a honey-centric policy bias, limited technical capacity, and the lack of actionable metrics. Drawing on comparative household surveys (n = 240), field studies, and policy analysis, this paper addresses this “pollination paradox” through two complementary frameworks: the PEAR–IEDM–CEAL Integrated Action Framework and the Pollinator-Integrated Local Extension Framework (PILEF). Designed for municipal governance under Nepal’s federal system, these frameworks integrate practical indicators, including the Pollination Dependence Index (PDI), a yield-gap metric derived from caged versus open-pollination trials, and the Pollinator-Friendly Habitat Score (P-FHS), the percentage of farm area under floral strips or hedgerows. By incorporating gender-responsive and indigenous-focused strategies, PILEF offers a scalable pathway to strengthen productivity, food security, and ecological resilience in Nepal’s smallholder farming systems.