Little attention is given to insect pollinator diversity and their role for ecosystem service and food security by policy makers, farmers and wider public at large in Ethiopia. Dr. Zerihun Girma and his team at Hawassa University developed their JRS funded project: Insect Pollinator Diversity under Different Land Uses in and around Kafa Biosphere Reserve and Bale Mountains National Park  to generate information on the understudied insect pollinator diversity and to enhance expertise on insect pollinators’ diversity to inform conservation in Ethiopia.   This three-year project has just successfully completed its first year in the lab and out in the field.

Despite challenges in surging fuel costs, study site topography issues, and limited available equipment, Dr. Girma and his team have made steady progress in their insect pollinator diversity assessment and collections around the Kafa Biosphere Reserve (KBR) and Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP).

The project has recently added two M.Sc. students who are involved in the assessment, collections, preservations and voucher specimen preparations.  The team will continue to collect, identify and prepare specimens from KBR and BMNP and we look forward to sharing publications and new data that arise from this resourceful project.

Read more about the Hawassa University’s JRS project Insect Pollinator Diversity under Different Land Uses in and around Kafa Biosphere Reserve and Bale Mountains National Park here.