Climate Change and Drought Linked to Bee Colony Collapse in Morocco

The disappearance of bees could be linked to the weakness and delay of rainfall. This is the hypothesis put forward by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mohamed Sadiki, based on studies conducted by the ONSSA and the Moroccan Interprofessional Federation of Beekeeping (FIMAP).

In detail, the authority cited the increase in temperature and the rainfall deficit, the insufficiency of pastures in quantity and quality, the conditions related to the health status of apiaries and the prevention means used, as well as the conditions related to the practices and management of beekeeping farms.

According to the investigations, this situation is "a new phenomenon" in the Kingdom and concerns "certain beekeepers in specific areas with varying degrees of effects," specifying that multiple laboratory analyzes have ruled out "any presence of known bee disease" that could be the cause of the appearance of this phenomenon.

To address this, the government has taken a series of measures to support the sector, the minister assured. These include strengthening the national system for monitoring and tracking bee mortality and disappearance, conducting scientific research work in relation to this phenomenon, supporting affected beekeepers for the repopulation of hives, organizing transhumance for better management of rangelands and setting up a national database for the registration of beekeepers and their traceability.