Priorities for Research and Development in the Management of Pollination Services for Agricultural Development in Africa

Abstract

It is increasingly recognized that a sustainable future for agriculture must build on ecosystem services. Pollination is an important ecosystem service in all agroecosystems. In much of Africa the main challenge is conserving pollinator biodiversity in traditionally “ecologically-intensive” agroecosystems that are changing to meet different demands for food security and poverty alleviation, rather than safeguarding pollination in transition from conventional agricultural systems, with a high reliance on purchased inputs, to “ecologically-intensive” agroecosystems using natural inputs provided by biodiversity. Priority issues for research and development in pollination services in Africa include, inter alia: quantification and documentation of pollination deficits and finding measures to address these; socio-economic valuation of pollinator-friendly practices; assessment of lethal and sub-lethal effects of farming methods, such as pesticide use, on crop pollinators; identification of habitat management practices that enhance synergies between pollinator lifecycles and crop growing patterns; and policy analysis in relation to drivers and trends in pollination services and management.

Rural livelihood diversity and its influence on the ecological intensification potential of smallholder farms in Kenya

“…Furthermore, pollination of crops is a critical ecosystem service and insect pollinators make a significant contribution to yield and quality of many crops grown by farmers in Kenya (Kasina et al., 2009). Yet little research has been conducted to investigate the potential for improving crop pollination in Kenya (Rodger et al., 2007; Gemmill‐Herren et al., 2014). Furthermore, reduced yields, linked to insufficient pollination, are widespread in smallholder farms, including in Africa (Garibaldi et al., 2016).…”

Insect pollination and sustainable agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…The contribution of insect pollinators to important indigenous crop yields in SSA remains largely undocumented and often depends on unmanaged pollinators, as crop pollination is usually incidental (Tibesigwa 2018;Tibesigwa et al 2019). Poor documentation of pollinator-dependent-crops, lack of data on pollinators (pollinator species diversity, distribution and abundance) (Rodger et al 2004, Gemmill-Herren et al 2014Melin et al 2014), and poor understanding of pollination gaps of pollinator-dependent crops (Stein et al 2017), hampers estimates of the contribution of pollinators in sustainable agriculture in SSA. Apart from limited information on pollination services, the extent to which habitat destruction may affect pollinators, and which methods are most appropriate to conserve pollinator habitats are lacking in SSA (Mushambanyi & Munyuli 2014;Elisante et al 2017).…”

“…The resulting risks to human health and ecosystem services from such poorly regulated pesticide use in SSA are still poorly understood (Bon et al 2014;Amulen et al 2017b). Moreover, the use of these agrochemicals can undermine food security by eliminating food resources for pollinators, reduce nesting material, and lead to the loss of managed and wild pollinators in local areas (Rodger et al 2004;Gemmill-Herren et al 2014;Ndayambaje et al 2019).…”

“…Sustainable agriculture involves maximizing the productivity of the land and improving the well-being of people, under the constraint of minimal damage to natural resources (Pretty 2008;Pretty & Bharucha 2014). It relies on ecosystem services (Gemmill-Herren et al 2014;Lázaro & Alomar 2019), that can replace, complement, or interact synergistically with external agricultural inputs (Martins 2013;Garibaldi et al 2016). Ideally, sustainable agriculture should involve making the best use of agricultural technologies for crops, animals and management of agricultural ecosystems (Godfray & Garnett 2014;Struik & Kuyper 2017;Weiner 2017).…”

The Wasp as a Terrestrial Indicator of Environmental Metal Composition: Evidence from Zimbabwe

“…Increasingly, however, environmental pollution is taking its toll on humans and biota in many places including Africa (Mapanda et al 2005; Ntengwe 2006; Nharingo et al 2015; Pfeiffer et al 2018; Bouwman et al 2019). Although there is a substantial body of knowledge about the impacts pest control agents have on arthropods, far less is known for other compounds and elements (Archer et al 2014; Gemmill‐Herren et al 2014; Feldhaar and Otti 2020; Samways et al 2020). Because very little is known about the ecology of pollination in Africa (only 4% of scientific publications on pollination come from Africa [Archer et al 2014]), it is important to investigate this gap in the context of global environmental change.…”