Finally, microorganisms and pollinators receive much needed support: Technical working group formed by FAO

Subject: Environment

Section: Biodiversity

Context:

A new intergovernmental technical working group on microorganism and invertebrate genetic resources (MIGR) was set up during the 19th regular session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA), which was held July 17-21, 2023 in Rome, Italy at the FAO headquarters.

Details:

The commission is a scientific and technical body that provides policy guidance towards conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and genetic resources specifically geared towards food and agriculture.
Microorganisms help in bioremediation and nutrient cycling in the soil along with those that are relevant to ruminant digestion (livestock such as cattle).
In the case of pollinators, biological control agents and bio-stimulants, they recommended setting up a global pollinator platform to respond to the situation.
However, parties hope to use the evidence created by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’ Assessment Report on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production, and the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services which provide evidence of biodiversity loss due to current agriculture practices such as use of pesticides and fertilisers, and monocultures.
Members also discussed overlaps, or ‘mission creep’, between the commission’s work with that of Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Global Pollinators Watch:

The goal of Global Pollinator Watch, a home-based citizen science program, is to equip members of the public with the training and resources they need to collect data that will help us to better understand pollinator presence and abundance in regions around the world.
These data will enable us to track the critical timing of pollinator activity and the host plants that they rely on for part of their life cycles, and ultimately, to help reduce pollinator decline.

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity (IBPES):

It is an independent intergovernmental body, established by member States in 2012.
It strengthens the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development.