Gugulethu Tarakini

PhD Overview

Insect pollinators contribute tremendously to food security, with about 35% of global food production coming from pollination-dependent crops. Despite their importance, very little is understood about pollinators, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study therefore aimed at determining the impact of human and environmental factors on bee abundance, diversity, and distribution across natural and agro ecosystems of Zvimba district in Zimbabwe. To achieve this, the study specifically 1) assessed farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions towards bees and pollination; 2) determined the abundance and diversity of bees across habitat types; and 3) investigated foraging behavior and forage preferences of bees in different cropping systems.