A World without Bees: What Happens to Children First?

Picture a school garden in the middle of spring. The soil is fertile, and the plants are growing, yet the air remains completely silent. Without the familiar movement of bees transferring pollen from one blossom to another, the flowers eventually dry up and fall to the ground, never developing into the fruits or vegetables that children expect. Such a silent garden becomes a warning sign to the deteriorated state of our environment and food systems. 

When experts discuss the ongoing decline of global bee populations, the conversation typically centers on the massive financial damage to agricultural markets or the broad destabilization of wild habitats [1]. However, the reality of this crisis extends far beyond economic models and environmental charts. Long before global supply chains collapse, the absence of pollinators will be felt directly at the dinner table, specifically impacting children and other vulnerable members of society.

Bees and other insect pollinators are involved in the production of nutrient-rich foods, such as apples, almonds, tomatoes, and leafy greens. Nutrient-rich foods are vital for physical development and cognitive development in the earliest stages of life [2]. Although staple crops like wheat and maize can survive without bee pollination since they are mainly wind-pollinated, they will lack nutrient-dense foods necessary for proper physical development and brain development. Without these essential foods, the foundation of the next generation is at risk. Therefore, the first victims of a world without pollinators will be children rather than agricultural markets or distant ecosystems [3].

The absence of bee pollination will lead to an immediate problem of public health. Nutrient-dense foods are the main source of essential vitamins and minerals needed for the proper functioning of the human body. Lack of pollinators will inevitably result in a deficiency of these vitamins and minerals [4]. Lack of vitamins and minerals will weaken the immune system, reduce bone density, and impair neurological health. Thus, a world without bees will exacerbate a nutritional problem referred to as "hidden hunger" [5].

Unlike ordinary hunger that results from a lack of caloric intake, hidden hunger refers to malnutrition caused by a lack of essential nutrients even when caloric requirements are met [6]. Since hidden hunger can be difficult to recognize in its early stages, it might seem that a child is well-fed. However, long-term malnutrition that consists of calories only will lead to poor physical and cognitive development [7].

Apart from the physiological consequences of pollinator decline, the economic stability of farmers will be adversely affected. Millions of smallholder farmers in developing countries rely on the production of high-value cash crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and almonds, as the main source of income [8]. These crops are pollinator-dependent, and a lack of bees will result in a decline in their production and thus in the income of farmers and their families [9]. 

This sudden loss of financial stability will inevitably disrupt household dynamics with adverse consequences for early education. There is evidence that demonstrates a significant correlation between declines in agricultural income and the reduction in school attendance rates in rural areas [10]. If farming families cannot produce enough income because of declining yields, children are likely to drop out of school [11]. This occurs for two reasons. First, parents need to reduce the costs associated with schooling. Second, parents might need additional help in the field to compensate for the low productivity of their land. Therefore, children are expected to work in the field [12].

What are the main factors contributing to bee mortality, you’d ask? With increased industrialization of agriculture around the world, more and more synthetic agrochemicals are being used that constitute the greatest danger to pollinator populations [13]. Pesticides, including systemic neonicotinoids, and intensive fumigation of the crops are aimed at pest eradication but are toxic to all insects [14]. Exposure to fumigants and pesticide residues results in mortality, whereas sublethal doses of pesticides impair navigation, foraging ability, and reproduction [15]. Moreover, the expansion of monoculture farming, when only one type of crop is grown, destroys habitats and replaces biodiverse ecosystems with agricultural lands that lack food for bees [16].

Climate change, in turn, accelerates these processes, leading to compound problems for the next generations [17]. Extreme heat, unpredictable weather patterns, and shifting phenology add stress to the insect population. One of the most devastating consequences of global warming is phenological mismatch, which occurs due to the blooming of flowers weeks earlier than the emergence of bees after dormancy [18]. Consequently, bees lack early-season nectar, whereas flowers remain unpollinated. 

Protecting pollinators is not merely a matter of ecological preservation; it is a fundamental child-rights issue. Securing the future of bees is a biological prerequisite for safeguarding children's right to adequate nutrition, foundational health, and the opportunity to inherit a stable, vibrant world.  

The good news is, the process of pollinator decline is still reversible [19]. 

Here’s how you can help:

• Modern environmental science suggests effective measures aimed at saving bee populations, such as youth-led community gardens. Do you think you can mobilize your peers and school to start one?
• In urban areas, replacing lawns with wildflower meadows or native gardens is also best for bees. For residential buildings, even small places like windowsills or balconies with flower-pots or vegetable beds in the yard can provide them with a safe space.
• Plant bee-friendly flowers and trees – your group of friends can have fun searching for all native kinds that would support bees both in the spring and in the fall.
• Also make sure to create a safe space to drink – place a shallow dish of water outside with some pebbels and stones so bees can land safely.
• Lastly but not the least, the transition of agriculture to regenerative farming is another key solution that young people are increasingly demanding around the world. We need to reduce or eliminate synthetic pesticides, herbicides and other agrochemicals, opting for nature-friendly solutions.

And a bonus point, when a bee accidentally flies into your home, remain calm and don’t chase it. Bees usually do not sting unless they feel scared or threatened. Open a window wide, turn off your indoor lights, and gently guide them outside with a towel. You can also try the paper and cup method by placing a glass over the bee, sliding a piece of paper under the cup and releasing it outside.

References

[1] Feuerbacher, A. (2025). Pollinator declines, international trade and global food security: Reassessing the global economic and nutritional impacts. Ecological Economics, 232, 108565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2025.108565

[2] Mulungu, K., et al. (2023). Pollinator-dependent crops significantly contribute to diets and reduce household nutrient deficiencies in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientific Reports, 13, 15452. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41217-y

[3] Smith, M. R., et al. (2022). Pollinator deficits, food consumption, and consequences for human health. Environmental Health Perspectives, 130(12), 127001. doi: 10.1289/EHP10947

[4] Sharma, A., et al. (2024). Addressing Hidden Hunger via Improving Soil Health and Crop Nutrients Through Nanofortification. In V. Rajput (Ed.), Nanotechnology Applications and Innovations for Improved Soil Health (pp. 90-108). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1471-5.ch006 

[5] Garibaldi, L. A., et al. (2022). Exploring connections between pollinator health and human health. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 377(1853), 20210158. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0158

[6] Chaplin-Kramer, R., et al. (2023). Global malnutrition overlaps with pollinator-dependent micronutrient production. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 290(2000), 20231799. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1799 

[7] Timberlake, T., et al. (2022). A network approach for managing ecosystem services and improving food and nutrition security on smallholder farms. People and Nature, 4(1), 150-162. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10295 

[8] Timberlake, T., et al. (2024). Agricultural specialisation increases the vulnerability of pollination services for smallholder farmers. Journal of Applied Ecology, 61(2), 245-256. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14732 

[9] Aizen, M. A., et al. (2019). Global agricultural productivity is threatened by increasing pollinator dependence. Global Change Biology, 28(1), 10-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14736 

[10] Chowdhury, S., et al. (2024). Income Shock and Child Labour: Revisiting the Poverty Link. The Indian Economic Journal, 73(3), 400-415. https://doi.org/10.1177/00194662241241870 

[11] Chiodi, V., & Escudero, V. (2025). More is more. Combined livelihood-education interventions and their effect on child labour in the agricultural sector. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 17(1), 118–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2024.2376559 

[12] Bandara, A., Dehejia, R., & Lavie-Rouse, S. (2015). The Impact of Income and Non-Income Shocks on Child Labor: Evidence from a Panel Survey of Tanzania. World Development, 67, 218–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.10.019 

[13] Christen, V., Mittner, F., & Fent, K., et al. (2016). Molecular and sublethal effects of neonicotinoids in honey bees. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(12), 4071–4081. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b00678 

[14] Mamy, L., Pesce, S., Sanchez, W. et al. Impacts of neonicotinoids on biodiversity: a critical review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 32, 2794–2829 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31032-3 

[15] Knauer, A., Adhikari, S., Andersson, G.K.S. et al. Pesticides and habitat loss additively reduce wild bees in crop fields. Nat Ecol Evol 10, 95–104 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02924-z 

[16] Christmann, S. (2020). Climate change enforces to look beyond the plant – the example of pollinators. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 56, 162-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2019.11.001  

[17] Wyver, C., et al. (2023). Climate driven shifts in the synchrony of apple flowering and pollinating bee flight phenology. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 330, 109281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2022.109281

[18] Peng, S., Ellison, A., & Davis, C. (2025). Climate change intensifies plant–pollinator mismatch and increases secondary extinction risk for plants. PNAS, 122(1), e2506265122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2506265122

[19] Moreaux, C., et al. (2023). Distance and Regional Effects on the Value of Wild Bee Conservation. Environmental & Resource Economics, 84(1), 37-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-022-00692-z