Pollination as natural capital: Accounting for nature’s contribution to agriculture

Abstract

Agricultural production depends not only on purchased inputs such as seed, fertiliser, irrigation, and labour, but also on natural capital that provides essential ecosystem services. Pollination is one such service, supporting the productivity and quality of numerous fruit, vegetable, oilseed, pulse, spice, and seed crops. Yet, unlike conventional farm inputs, the contribution of pollinators is rarely measured or reflected in agricultural accounts. Pollination service accounting can make this contribution visible by linking pollinator-supporting habitats and populations with flower visitation, crop response, pollination-dependent production, and economic value. Such an approach is particularly relevant to diversified Indian farming systems and farm-forest landscapes of the Himalaya, where wild and managed pollinators depend on interconnected habitats. Accounting can also identify pollination deficits and reveal the costs associated with habitat degradation, pesticide exposure, and climate-related disruption. Recognising pollination as natural capital can therefore strengthen farm management, biodiversity conservation, and investment in resilient agrifood systems.