Research Programme Background (2016-2019)
Ecological intensification (EI) is an important concept in rehabilitating degraded ecosystems. It is management using ecological principles applied to reconstituting biodiversity and facets of ecosystem functionality. EI is being applied to agoecosystems around the world. For sustainable food and fibre production, pollination has been targeted for EI by international and national initiatives. Most have stressed reconstitution of pollinator habitats for reestablishing functionality of pollination as a crucial ecosystem service. The IUBS Programme, initiated in 2013 EI 3 took the ideas into a specific agroecosystem, coffee production and expanded that into crop protection and production through using managed pollinators to disseminate biological control agents for control of insect and fungal pests on coffee. Field studies in Brazil and Mexico were hampered by factors beyond the control of the investigators (e.g. funding delays and recently drought), but were coupled with successful IUBS programme sponsored webinars and publications as well as major private sector developments. Thus, the programme of the first triennium has added to modest advances for coffee, but major advances in the technology for use on small and tender fruit, greenhouse crops, oilseed crops, orchard health and managed pollinator health. The expanding interest in using managed pollinators for simultaneously boosting crop yields, quality and storability has eventuated, in part, through the IUBS programme. Indeed, there is now a growing scientific awareness of the potential for the technology and now private sector companies (Canada, Belgium, Finland) are using the concepts and technology commercially. Partners from academic, government and private sectors are willing to help this programme develop further. The Finnish government already helps growers to use the technology,
as developed in Finland, with financial incentives! In short, there is now serious follow-up interest
internationally (as listed), for similar R & D initiatives.
The Arthur Dobbs Institute (ADI) proposes to expand its activities to embrace pollination and
biological control of pests in the broader context of Ecological Intensification (EI) in agricultural
ecosystems with more insect-pollinated crops and cropping systems. ADI with its team will become
more involved in education, R & D, and outreach by working with interested partners (academic,
governmental, public, societal, and private) to explain and demonstrate the use of managed pollinators
for crop protection and production as a positive and profitable example of ecological intensification.
Articles published on this topic
Kevan PG, L Shipp, VG Thomas (2014): What’s the buzz? Using pollinators for crop protection.
International Innovation 125 (January): 9-11.
Smagghe G, V Mommaerts, H Hokkanen, I Menzler-Hokkanen (2012): Multitrophic Interactions:
The Entomovector Technology. In: Smagghe G and I Diaz (Eds.): Arthropod-Plant Interactions:
Novel Insights and Approaches for IPM. Progress in Biological Control 14: 127 – 157.
Kevan PG, JP Kapongo, MS Al-mazra’awi, L Shipp (2008): Honey bees, bumble bees, and
biocontrol: New alliances between old friends. In: RR James and TL Pitts-Singer (Eds.): Bee
Pollination in Agricultural Ecosystems. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. pp. 65 -79.