International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
Encyclopedia
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) is an international scientific research institute, headquartered in Nairobi
, Kenya
which works towards improving lives and livelihoods of people in Africa. icipe was founded in 1970 by a renowned Kenyan entomologist, the late Thomas Odhiambo, with strong encouragement from Carl Djerassi
, a professor of Chemistry at Stanford University
. The center’s main objective is to research and develop alternative and environmentally friendly pest and vector management strategies, that are effective, selective, non-polluting, non-resistance inducing, and which are affordable to resource-limited rural and urban communities. icipe's mandate further extends to the conservation and utilization of the rich insect biodiversity
found in Africa
. Today, icipe is the only international center in sub Saharan Africa working primarily on arthropod
s. icipe focuses on sustainable development
using human health as the bases, and the environment as the foundation for sustainability. icipe works in a holisitic and integrated approach through a 4-H paradigm -- Human, Animal, Plant and Environmental Health, with the aim of improving the overall health of communities in tropical Africa by addressing the interlinked problems of poverty, poor health, low agricultural productivity and degradation of the environment.
, limit the capabilities and outputs of farmers in Africa. The Center therefore focuses on improving the health of people, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, so that they can play the vital role in the society and economy that they deserve to.
. icipe is also one of the few organisations conducting research into the control of ticks and tick borne diseases. In this area, icipe is incorporating indigenous knowledge to develop integrated stragegies which rely on biological control, use of botanicals and behavioural modification of the cues ticks use to find hosts and mates.
, Nairobi
. It has a major field research centre at Mbita Point
on Lake Victoria
. There are four further field sites in Kenya, and one at Port Sudan
in Sudan (on the Red Sea
). icipe also runs a "Biovillage Initiative" in southern Ethiopia.
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
which works towards improving lives and livelihoods of people in Africa. icipe was founded in 1970 by a renowned Kenyan entomologist, the late Thomas Odhiambo, with strong encouragement from Carl Djerassi
Carl Djerassi
Carl Djerassi is an Austrian-American chemist, novelist, and playwright best known for his contribution to the development of the first oral contraceptive pill . Djerassi is emeritus professor of chemistry at Stanford University.He participated in the invention in 1951, together with Mexican Luis E...
, a professor of Chemistry at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. The center’s main objective is to research and develop alternative and environmentally friendly pest and vector management strategies, that are effective, selective, non-polluting, non-resistance inducing, and which are affordable to resource-limited rural and urban communities. icipe's mandate further extends to the conservation and utilization of the rich insect biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
found in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Today, icipe is the only international center in sub Saharan Africa working primarily on arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s. icipe focuses on sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
using human health as the bases, and the environment as the foundation for sustainability. icipe works in a holisitic and integrated approach through a 4-H paradigm -- Human, Animal, Plant and Environmental Health, with the aim of improving the overall health of communities in tropical Africa by addressing the interlinked problems of poverty, poor health, low agricultural productivity and degradation of the environment.
Human health
icipe recognises that an increase in productivity depends on a healthy workforce. The institute considers that, in addition to burdening the health infrastructures, diseases such as malariaMalaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, limit the capabilities and outputs of farmers in Africa. The Center therefore focuses on improving the health of people, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, so that they can play the vital role in the society and economy that they deserve to.
Animal health
Pests and diseases in livestock continue to hold back development in large parts of Africa. icipe supports the prime role of domestic animals by developing and promoting appropriate, environmentally friendly and intelligent technologies for the sustainable management of disease vectors, such as tsetse fliesTsetse fly
Tsetse , sometimes spelled tzetze and also known as tik-tik flies, are large biting flies that inhabit much of mid-continental Africa between the Sahara and the Kalahari deserts. They live by feeding on the blood of vertebrate animals and are the primary biological vectors of trypanosomes, which...
. icipe is also one of the few organisations conducting research into the control of ticks and tick borne diseases. In this area, icipe is incorporating indigenous knowledge to develop integrated stragegies which rely on biological control, use of botanicals and behavioural modification of the cues ticks use to find hosts and mates.
Plant Health
icipe contributes to sustainable food security in Africa through the development of integrated pest management systems for major agricultural and horticultural crops. Such strategies include biological control, use of behaviour modification and arthropod-active botanicals. icipe emphasises control approaches that have no detrimental impact on the environment. These options are always designed to fit the needs of the farmers and are developed on the farm and with farmers’ participation. Key areas of icipe’s plant health research include pests of tomatoes, brassicas, beans, fruits and of staple food crops like maize and sorghum, as well as locusts and other outbreak pests.Environmental Health
icipe's commercial insect-technology packages are designed to assist communities in East Africa to improve their livelihoods through income generating activities like silk and honey production.Capacity Building
Capacity building of individual researchers and institutions in Africa is an integral part of all its research and development activities. icipe's Capacity Building Programme aims to promote the development and utilisation of sustainable arthropod management technologies by enhancing the research and training capabilities of countries in Africa. The centre’s efforts are geared towards three major areas of activity which include the training of African nationals for leadership roles in insect science, enhancing national capacities for technology diffusion, adoption and utilisation and facilitating the dissemination and exchange of information. In turn, these objectives are realized through three key programmes -- postgraduate training at PhD and MSc levels, the professional development schemes for scientists of any nationality and the non-degree training courses for scientists, community members and extension workers. The ARPPIS programme, a partnership with 32 African Universities, with financial support from German Academic Exchange Programme, offers 3-year doctoral research fellowships, aimed at preparing young scholars from Africa for regional leadership roles, as well as internationally competitive research careers, in arthropod-related sciences.Field Stations
icipe's headquarters are located in KasaraniKasarani
Kasarani is a residential area in Nairobi Kenya. It is in the Eastern part of Nairobi, about 10 km from the city centre along Thika Road. It is thought that the name Kasarani originated from a river that flows through the area which has the Kikuyu name Gathara-ini River...
, Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. It has a major field research centre at Mbita Point
Mbita Point
Mbita Point is a rural community in the province of Nyanza, Kenya, on the shores of Lake Victoria. It is home to the Thomas Odhiambo campus of the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology . A public primary school formerly international and a clinic are also hosted by the Centre....
on Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
. There are four further field sites in Kenya, and one at Port Sudan
Port Sudan
Port Sudan is the capital of Red Sea State, Sudan; it has 489,725 residents . Located on the Red Sea, it is the Republic of Sudan's main port city.-History:...
in Sudan (on the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
). icipe also runs a "Biovillage Initiative" in southern Ethiopia.
External links
- http://www.icipe.org/
- Hans Herren and Bernard Löhr, The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Pesticide Outlook (magazine), October 2001 accessed at Royal Society of ChemistryRoyal Society of ChemistryThe Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...
http://www.rsc.org/delivery/_ArticleLinking/DisplayArticleForFree.cfm?doi=b108608c&JournalCode=PO April 12, 2007