Don wins Sh106 million grant to research on pollinators

Senior Lecturer in Agroecology Dr. Mark Otieno (second left). He believes that the study will have a significant impact on food security in Africa. [Murithi Mugo, Standard]

A senior lecturer at the University of Embu Dr Mark Otieno has been awarded a Sh 106 million research grant by the German Research Foundation (DFC).

The grant is towards how both night and day pollinators function and complement each other in Taita Hills.

Dr Otieno, is a Senior Lecturer in Agroecology in the Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management WARM at the university.

Speaking while at a research lab in the institution, Dr Otieno said the research will investigate; "The functional complementarity between nocturnal and diurnal pollinators along a land-use gradient in Taita Hills biodiversity hotspots in Kenya."

He noted that the research aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Kenya Vision 2030.

"By studying the impact of human activity on pollinators and plant reproduction this research can inform sustainable agricultural practices that support biodiversity and promote food security," Dr Otieno pointed out.

The three-year research will run from next month to May 2026, and will be jointly implemented by a panel of researchers including Dr Otieno, and Prof Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, a professor of spatial ecology, from the University of Wuerzburg in Germany.

Dr Otieno observed that the study will look at night flying pollinators in the reproduction of coffee and papaya crops while noting that there has been a worldwide trend in the decline of pollinators due to several factors that involve human activities.

"The day pollinators that include bees have received a lot of attention while little knowledge and attention has been put on the night flying pollinators like moths in the tropical systems like in Kenya that have a big diversity of the night flying moths," Dr Otieno said.

He also revealed that there was a lot of emphasis on large-bodied pollinators, who are very selective and move to flowers that have bigger heads and are better smelling with little attention to other crops that do not fit into this category.

"Moths are one subset of insects that become hardy with regards to visiting the flowers not visited by the more charismatic pollinators like honey bees and therefore, important to pay attention to night flyers pollinators (moths) to understand what role they play with regards to effecting crop production," Dr Otieno added.

He noted that the use of synthetic agrochemicals has a huge impact on pollinators adding that some chemicals are still used in Kenya despite their ban in the US and Europe.

"The use of fertilizers, tillage and field management has an impact on the pollinators like field bees that nest within the field," he said.

Dr Otieno opined that the research will enhance sustainable development goal number two (Zero hunger) since pollinators increase the quality and quantity yield of the crop.

"Coffee and papaya are two economic crops that fetch quite a lot of money and if these pollinators can be enhanced to increase the yields, then it means more money to farmers," Dr Otieno said.

He believes that the study will have a significant impact on food security in Africa, by increasing the number of pollinators, which is crucial for the reproduction of many plant species.

Dr Otieno, who is the director of Research and Extension at the university, decried a myriad of challenges facing researchers."Research clearance is fragmented, we must make research easier by having one-stop clearance," he said.

He emphasised the need to invest in research infrastructure (laboratories and libraries) and connect research and policymakers where major decisions must be supported by research findings.

Embu University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Daniel Mugendi noted that the research grant will put the University on the world map.

"It is an opportunity for our researchers to benchmark with the best research institutions internationally," Prof Mugendi said.

He further noted University has other grant projects on course to the tune of Sh190 million in the year 2023 adding that the core mandate of the University is teaching, research and extension.