Economic and nutritional value of insect pollination services in Ethiopia

The contribution of insect pollination to crop production, food and nutrition security, and ecosystem stability is significant. Nevertheless, their significance in Africa, particularly in an agriculture-dependent nation like Ethiopia, remains largely overlooked. This study was designed to evaluate the economic and nutritional value of insect pollination in Ethiopia and assess regional vulnerabilities to pollinator loss. Using publicly available data on agricultural production, commodity prices, and nutritional composition of crops, the economic and nutritional value of insect pollination was evaluated using the dependency ratio method. Our results show that between 1993 and 2023 the cultivated area of pollinator-dependent (PD) crops has increased three times, while their production volume has grown twofold. During the same period, the economic value of insect pollination has increased more than fivefold, rising from around US$100 million to approximately US$543.8 million. In 2023, the economic value of insect pollination for crop production in Ethiopia was estimated at approximately US$ 543.8 million, representing 5% of the total economic value of crop production. PD crops contributed 20.9% of the total economic value of crop production in 2023, generating approximately US$ 2.3 billion. On average, PD crops have higher nutrient densities in calcium, iron, zinc, protein, fat, vitamin E and vitamin B12, both per hectare and per 100 g, compared to PI crops. Notably, 71% of plant-based vitamin E, 12.5% of dietary fat, and 6.2% of calcium are directly attributable to insect pollination. In this study, Southern (5.8%), Benshangul (5.3%), Oromiya (4.3%), Amhara (4%) and Tigray (3.44%) regions showed the highest economic vulnerability to pollinator loss. Oil crops had the highest vulnerability to pollinator decline (26.3%), followed by crops such as coffee (21.3%), pulses (12.2%), and fruits (11.4%). Therefore, to ensure food and nutrition security in Ethiopia, it is imperative to protect pollinators and promote sustainable agricultural practices that support pollinator conservation. Future policies should incorporate pollinator protection into agricultural and nutrition strategies, while conservation efforts should be strategic and well-targeted, taking into account the crop- and region-specific vulnerabilities to pollinator decline.