Syngenta Hellas

Pollinating insects are crucial for the success of many natural habitats and the production of many food crops. More than 80% of European crop types are directly dependent upon insects for their pollination. However, the numbers of pollinating insects have declined significantly across Europe in recent years – some by dramatic levels. Operation Pollinator aims to provide the essential habitat to boost numbers of crucially important pollinating insects on farmland.

Farmers

The 3-years pilot-scientific project started in autumn of 2010 and was completed in autumn of 2013. It has already started the effort for the establishment and the expansion of the project into commercial farms, while it is ongoing the process of the production of Greek seed mixtures for the program purposes.

Instigated by Syngenta and based on scientific research and the experience of selected farmers, Operation Pollinator has proven to help growers successfully establish and manage pollen rich habitat in key locations around the farm – with dramatic recovery in the fortunes of pollinating insect populations. Based on scientific research and practice, farmers are provided with:

• Targeted seed mixtures.
• Agronomic protocol.
• Training.

Now, building on the success of Operation Bumblebee in the UK, Operation Pollinator is being developed on commercial farms across Europe, with projects running concurrently in France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and UK. Using established techniques, new habitats tailored to local conditions and pollinating insects can be successfully established and managed. Habitat creation for pollinators has been proven by independent monitoring to increase bumblebee numbers by up to 600%, butterfly numbers up 12 fold and other insects more than 10 fold within three years. Guided by Syngenta, Operation Pollinator is supported by a large number of partners such us: Universities, Institutes, Agricultural Associations, Policy makers, NGO'S, Food chain companies. Operation Pollinator gives a practical solution to help growers create valuable on-farm habitat to encourage natural pollinators. Operation Pollinator is a powerful message to create a positive public perception for the farming industry. It importantly demonstrates that commercial farming and positive environmental management can coexist.

Establishment of the pilot project in Greece in collaboration with Benaki Fytopathological Institute (Scientific coordinator). Collaboration also with Greek Gene Bank-HAO Demeter for the production of Greek seed mixtures, in favor of the project and its establishment in Greece.

Employees of Syngneta Hellas are partcipating and collaborating in order to inform the growers on the importnace of such a project and the benefits for the crops and the environment.

More than 15 European countries and the USA

Syngenta Hellas in collaboration with Benaki Institute conducted a 3-years pilot project in olives and grapes. The results of the project were very possitive and encouraging regarding the attraction and the presence of pollinator and beneficial insects in the established flowering field margins. Officialannouncements took place in many conferences from the experts of Benaki. Another project is under developement in watermelon crop, in order to find out the relation between the increasing number of pollinators insects through filed margins and the crop yield/quality.

Greek seed production

Syngenta Hellas in collaboration with the Greek Gene Bank-HAO Demeter, started the effort of the production of Greek seed mixtures from Greek biotypes, under Operation Pollinator, aiming to use native species from the rich Greek biodiversity for the purposes of the project.

This new effort is ongoing and the aim is in autumn 2015 to have available the first quantities of the selected flowering plant species, which will be used in commercial fields under Operation Pollinator project.

Promoting the companies’ corporate social responsibility.