“A problem identified is half-solved.” — Anonymous

The IITA insect center in Bénin houses one of the largest reference collections of arthropods and microorganisms in West Africa. An insect identification hub, it plays the role of a “gatekeeper” by facilitating the discovery and monitoring of invasive pests in the region. The resulting information helps to locate the probable area of origin where promising natural antagonists may be found.

Entomologist Georg Goergen, IITA-Bénin. Photo by IITA

Several invasive insect pests have recently been identified by the center, among which are fruit flies, whiteflies, and moths. An example was when a myriad of caterpillars and moths invaded Liberian farms early this year, providing entomologists a puzzle. The identity of this pest that devastated crops and contaminated water supply in northern Liberia had been established through the joint efforts of FAO, IITA, and CABI. It was later identified as Achaea catocaloides by Georg Goergen, IITA entomologist and biosystematist. The insect is a member of the Lepidoptera group and known as a fruit-sucking moth.

Goergen says that proper identification is a starting point for any basic or applied research and a prerequisite for any successful biocontrol program. “Any biocontrol approach without proper identification of the insect pests will fail,” he says.

Rapidly accelerating human trade, transport, travel, tourism, and porous borders have dramatically contributed to the introduction, ease of movement, and spread of invasive pests thereby overwhelming the capacities of quarantine services in West Africa.

IITA works with national and international partners to control the spread of these invasive species. In addition to its role of identifying insects, the center is also helping scientists to unravel and conserve the rich diversity of African insects.

Through the identification of insect specimens, scientists get more insight on the species richness of the African insect diversity in various ecosystems, the structure of their populations, their interrelationships, and interactions with their habitats.

Insect collection, IITA Bénin. Photo by IITA

Insects represent the majority of living organisms, accounting for about two-thirds of all living animals on earth and filling many niches in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They thus play an important regulatory role in all ecosystems including agricultural environments. Many of them can become notorious pests of agricultural, medical, and veterinary importance.

However, existing knowledge on insect diversity is still inadequate for large parts of the globe and no one knows exactly how many species of insects exist. The situation is worse in Africa where much of the planet’s biodiversity occurs, but where traditionally the scarcity of biosystematists is the strongest.

Goergen says, “Biosystematics is important in all phases of a control program starting from a reliable pest identification, assessment of native antagonists, monitoring faunal changes following the use of exotic beneficials, and detection of eventual nontarget effects. To do that, you need to have a reference collection such as the one we have here in Cotonou.”

IITA has developed a strong regional capacity in biosystematics through the West African Network for Taxonomy, BioNET-INTERNATIONAL.

The center continues to attract students from different parts of the world while offering capacity building and ensuring a requisite contribution to countries seeking to comply with the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement of the World Trade Organization and to fulfill the objectives anchored in the Convention on Biological Diversity.