A new study shows that insects like bees are incredibly important for growing food in Ethiopia. Researchers looked at 30 years of farming data and found that crops that need insects to pollinate them have become much more valuable—jumping from $100 million to over $540 million. These pollinator-dependent crops also provide important nutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamin E that people need to stay healthy. The study warns that if we lose these helpful insects, it could hurt food security and nutrition across Ethiopia, especially in certain regions and for crops like coffee and oil seeds.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How much economic value and nutritional benefit insects like bees provide to Ethiopian agriculture by pollinating crops
  • Who participated: This wasn’t a study of people—researchers analyzed 30 years of public data about crops grown in Ethiopia, their prices, and their nutritional content from 1993 to 2023
  • Key finding: Insect pollination added about $544 million to Ethiopia’s crop production in 2023, and crops that depend on insect pollination provide most of the vitamin E and significant amounts of calcium and fat in the Ethiopian diet
  • What it means for you: Protecting bees and other pollinating insects is essential for keeping food affordable and nutritious in Ethiopia. If these insects disappear, food prices could rise and people might not get enough important nutrients. This matters especially for people who depend on crops like coffee, oil seeds, and pulses for income and nutrition

The Research Details

Researchers used a method called the ‘dependency ratio method’ to understand how important insect pollination is to Ethiopian farming. They gathered 30 years of public information about what crops were grown, how much was produced, what prices farmers received, and what nutrients were in different foods. Then they calculated how much of the economic value and nutritional benefit came specifically from crops that need insects to pollinate them versus crops that don’t need pollination.

The study looked at all of Ethiopia’s different regions and many different types of crops to see which areas and which crops would be most affected if pollinating insects disappeared. This approach allowed researchers to measure something that’s usually hard to see—the hidden value that insects provide to farming and food security.

This research method is important because it shows the real-world value of something we often take for granted. Most people don’t realize that many of the nutritious foods we eat depend on insects doing their job. By putting a dollar amount on this service and showing which nutrients come from pollinated crops, the study makes it clear why protecting pollinators should be a priority for government and farming policies.

This study used publicly available data that was already collected by governments and agricultural organizations, which makes it reliable. The researchers looked at a long time period (30 years), which helps show real trends rather than one-time changes. The study was published in Scientific Reports, a well-respected scientific journal. However, the study didn’t directly measure pollinator populations or conduct experiments—it analyzed existing data—so the results show relationships and patterns rather than cause-and-effect proof

What the Results Show

Between 1993 and 2023, the amount of land used to grow crops that depend on insect pollination tripled in Ethiopia. The amount of these crops produced doubled during the same time. Most importantly, the economic value of insect pollination grew more than five times—from about $100 million to about $544 million. In 2023 alone, insect pollination was worth $544 million, which is about 5% of all the money Ethiopia makes from crops.

Crops that need insect pollination are particularly valuable—they made up about $2.3 billion of Ethiopia’s total crop value in 2023, or about 21% of all crop income. This shows that these crops have become increasingly important to Ethiopia’s economy.

When researchers looked at nutrition, they found that crops needing insect pollination have more important nutrients than crops that don’t need pollination. Specifically, these pollinated crops provide 71% of all plant-based vitamin E, 12.5% of dietary fat, and 6.2% of calcium in the Ethiopian diet. This means that if pollinators disappeared, people would have a harder time getting these essential nutrients.

The study identified which regions of Ethiopia would be most hurt if pollinators disappeared: Southern region (5.8% economic vulnerability), Benishangul (5.3%), Oromiya (4.3%), Amhara (4%), and Tigray (3.44%). Oil crops were found to be the most dependent on insect pollination (26.3% vulnerability), followed by coffee (21.3%), pulses like beans and lentils (12.2%), and fruits (11.4%). These findings suggest that conservation efforts should focus on protecting pollinators in these specific regions and for these specific crops to have the biggest impact.

This is one of the first studies to measure the economic and nutritional value of insect pollination specifically in Ethiopia. While other countries have done similar research, Ethiopia’s agriculture-dependent economy and diverse crops make this study particularly important for African nations. The findings align with global research showing that pollinator-dependent crops tend to be more nutritious than crops that don’t need pollination, but this is the first detailed look at Ethiopia’s situation.

The study analyzed existing data rather than directly measuring pollinator populations or conducting experiments, so it shows what crops depend on pollination but doesn’t directly prove how many pollinators are actually present. The researchers couldn’t account for all the ways that losing pollinators might affect farming—for example, farmers might switch to different crops or use different farming methods. The study also didn’t look at the costs of protecting pollinators, only the benefits. Finally, because this is a new analysis, the findings haven’t been tested by other independent researchers yet

The Bottom Line

High confidence: Protect and conserve pollinating insects like bees through sustainable farming practices, reducing pesticide use, and preserving natural habitats. Medium confidence: Include pollinator protection in government agricultural and nutrition policies, especially in the five most vulnerable regions. Medium confidence: Farmers should consider planting pollinator-friendly crops and practices, particularly those growing oil crops, coffee, pulses, and fruits. These recommendations are based on strong economic and nutritional evidence, though more direct research on pollinator populations would strengthen them further

This matters most to: Ethiopian farmers who grow crops that depend on pollination; government officials making agricultural and food security policies; people concerned about food prices and nutrition in Ethiopia; and anyone interested in sustainable farming. This is less directly relevant to people in countries where pollinator-dependent crops are less important to the food system, though the principles apply globally

The benefits of protecting pollinators would likely appear gradually over several years. Farmers might see improved crop yields within one growing season if they improve pollinator-friendly practices. Broader impacts on food prices and nutrition security would take several years to become noticeable as farming practices change across regions

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly consumption of pollinator-dependent foods (coffee, oil-based foods, pulses, fruits, nuts) and monitor how often you eat foods rich in vitamin E, iron, and calcium. Users could log servings and see how much of their daily nutrient needs come from pollinated crops
  • Users could commit to buying locally-grown pollinator-dependent crops from Ethiopian farmers, or if outside Ethiopia, choose foods from sustainable sources that protect pollinators. They could also track their support for pollinator-friendly farming by noting purchases from certified sustainable sources
  • Long-term tracking could include monthly assessments of diet diversity (how many different pollinator-dependent foods are eaten), seasonal awareness of which crops are in season and depend on pollinators, and awareness of regional food security by tracking prices of key pollinator-dependent crops like coffee and oil seeds

This research analyzes agricultural and nutritional data rather than providing medical advice. The findings show the importance of pollinator-dependent crops for nutrition and food security in Ethiopia, but individual nutritional needs vary. If you have specific health concerns or dietary questions, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian. This study does not replace professional agricultural or environmental policy advice. The economic values presented are estimates based on available data and may not reflect all costs and benefits of pollinator conservation