This is a Dudu World

Abstract

THE SERIES of ICIPE Annual Public Lectures will be devoted to the general theme of "The Status of Insect Science in the Tropical World'', In it the ICTPE Director will each year examine the problems and progress of insect scientific research in all its many manifestations, but especially in the way it contributes to national development in Tropical Africa. The ICIPE Is interested in investigating new frontiers of insect science, in using this knowledge to design novel methods for pest control on a long-term basis, and in building up the capabilities of the African scientific community in meeting these challenges. The inaugural lecture in this Series was delivered on Wednesday 4th June, 1975. In this lecture Professor Thomas R. Odhiambo examines the important role the rich insect fauna of tropical Africa has played in its history, health and economic life. He contends that a more imaginative look needs to be taken of this bludgeoning biological presence. With national sensitivities raised by the prevailing environmental stance, the shortage of fertilizers, and the impending shortage of synthetic pesticides, new challenges are before mankind to discover new management practices for this crucial portion of our biological world. Professor Odhiambo sets the scene for subsequent annual lectures which will exarnlne the new successes, the promising lines of investigations, and the emerging areas of ignorance. Professor Thomas R. Odhiambo came to Nairobi in July I 965 after spending six years at Queens' College, Cambridge, during which he obtained his degrees of B.A., M.A. and Ph.D., the latter in insect physiology. His years in Cambridge were crowned by many scholastic adventures, and were financed by a scholarship from the Uganda Government. Previous to that, from .rrtid-1959, Professor Odhiambo worked in Uganda as an Assistant Agricultural Officer, with special duties in Entomology. He was born in Mombasa, started formal schooling at Kisumu and Ngiya, before going to Maseno for his secondary education. He entered the then Makerere College in 1950, and spent four years there, the last two of which he used to specialise in Entomology, Nematology, and Soil Biology, He then joined tbe Tea Research Institute of East Africa at Kericho, where he worked as a Technical Officer for eighteen months before joining the Uganda Ministry of Agriculture. He joined the University of Nairobi in 1965 as a Special Lecturer in Zoology, under the Rockefeller Foundation scheme for staff training. Two years later he became Senior Lecturer, and in 1968 he was appointed to a Readership in Zoology in recognition of his research achievements. On the establishement of a new Department of Entomology in early 1970, he became its first Professor of Entomology and Head of Department. In April 1970, he also. became the first Dsf the newly established Faculty of Agriculture. Professor Odhiambo bas served in many capacities in Kenya, as a Board member in many institutions, and has participated in many international forums discussing technical advances in science as well as science policy. Professor Odhiambo is the Director of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, which, though an independent institution, is closely associated with the University and is located on its Chiromo Campus.