Happy Leford Leonard

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), obtained in 2020, and currently work as a Research Assistant at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) in the Department of Research and Innovation, under the Plant Protection section. My work involves collecting, identifying, and preserving insect specimens, as well as analyzing research data.

From 2020 to 2023, I actively contributed as a Research Assistant Volunteer in the ISeBAF and AGROVEG projects at SUA, specializing in trapping, sorting, preserving, and identifying Diptera flies.

I am now an MSc student in the DISPEST_2 project, where my research focuses on understanding insect biodiversity, ecological interactions, and the effects of environmental changes on agricultural ecosystems.

Research Interests

My main research interests include:

• Investigating and forecasting the impact of climate change on the distribution and diversity of threat pests in agricultural zones.
• Assessing how climate change affects the biodiversity of both beneficial and destructive insects in agricultural areas.
• Studying the diversity and ecological preferences of key insect species.
• Exploring the role of agricultural practices in reducing the occurrence of insect vectors of plant diseases.

I am committed to developing innovative and sustainable pest management solutions to enhance agricultural productivity and improve livelihoods.