In Ethiopia, Kenya and Mali, a UNEP-GEF project on the conservation of Gramineae and associated arthropods for sustainable agricultural development in Africa focuses on increasing understanding of the relationships between specific grasses and insects and promoting the practical application of this knowledge.

The immediate objective of the project is to identify and implement conservation and management measures necessary to prevent loss of biodiversity of specific Gramineae and their associated insects and to conserve these valuable genetic resources in and around agroecosystems in Ethiopia, Kenya and Mali for self-regulatory pest management and sustainable agriculture.