Open AccessInsect pollination and sustainable agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author(s) -
Tesfaye Kumsa,
Gavin Ballantyne
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of pollination ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1920-7603
DOI - 10.26786/1920-7603(2021)615
Subject(s) - pollinator , pollination , agriculture , population , agroforestry , sustainable agriculture , natural resource economics , ecology , biology , geography , economics , pollen , demography , sociology
We are currently seeing an expansion of pollinator-dependent crops in many parts of the world, but also growing evidence for pollinator population declines and loss of pollinator habitat. Climate change and population growth will place additional demands on crop production, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the wealth of evidence that improved management of insect pollinators can lead to substantial gains in crop yield, agricultural improvement strategies in SSA still emphasize the manipulation of abiotic factors and do not fully exploit the value of pollinators. In this article we review the importance of pollination services in sustainable agriculture, how global perspectives can inform our understanding of the situation in SSA, discuss successful pollination management, highlight where research and development are required, and suggest possible solutions to enhance the contribution of pollination services to sustainable agriculture in the region.