HORA Zewdu Ararso

Abstract (taken from original project proposal):

Ethiopia possesses an original, often endemic, flora and fauna. Besides honeybees, which are an important element in the Ethiopian economy, wild bees are poorly studied. However, they are essential in the pollination of plants, among which crops. Some of these are only pollinated by given wild bee species. Farmers as well as agricultural authorities clearly underestimate the importance of wild bees. Therefore, there is a strong need to gain skills about collection management and identification methods of wild bees. The present project will offer me the opportunity to have access to over 5,000 specimens of wild bees from Ethiopia and which were collected in the frame of two GTI projects. I was involved as one of the trainees in both of these GTI projects, and thus, the present project will be their logical and complementary prolongation. Afterwards, I will share my knowledge with colleagues of the institution where I am working.

Training location: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

Zewdu Ararso Hora receiving training in Ethiopia with colleagues from the Holeta Bee Research Center.