Professor Steven Belmain completed his BA at the University of Vermont in 1990 before joining the Peace Corps and living in Mali, where his scientific interests became irreversibly entwined with overseas development. He then obtained an MSc and PhD at Birkbeck College, University of London.

Since joining NRI in 1998, Professor Belmain has become one of the leading international scientists researching the ecology of rodents as pests in agriculture and as disease vectors, with research activities across the UK, Europe, Asia and Africa aimed at helping rural and urban communities to overcome their pest problems.

He is a long-term advocate for ecologically-based rodent management, generating information on the impact of rodent pests on people’s livelihoods and health and developing sustainable methods of control without the use of poisons. This work is within a One Health framework that relies on multidisciplinary teams to understand environmental parameters and human behaviour with a view to developing ways of changing behaviours that reduce risk of zoonotic spill-over, crop damage and stabilising habitat biodiversity. Steve’s research on rodents was a key component of a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2019 for the University of Greenwich.

His research has been crucial in understanding the transmission risks of zoonoses as well as understanding the fundamental drivers of rodent population outbreaks. Professor Belmain also carries out research on insect pests and agroecology in the fields of chemical ecology, behaviour, ecosystem services, natural pest regulation and optimising the use of botanical pesticides.

Steve has starred in a nature documentary for the Discovery Channel Swarmchasers: Rats!

He is regularly featured in the news, e.g:

• Eat, spray, love: a day in the life of one of Britain’s 80 million rats | Animals | The Guardian
• The plague of super rats taking over our homes (telegraph.co.uk)
• Rise of the rodent: Is the next pandemic brewing in rats? (telegraph.co.uk)
• There's a lockdown rat boom – and they're bigger and bolder than ever (telegraph.co.uk)
• BBC Radio 4 - Natural Histories, Rat
• BBC Radio 4 - Positive Thinking, Boomtown for Rats
• Will Rats Cause the Next Pandemic?
• Australia's Plague of Mice Is Devastating and Could Get a Lot Worse - Scientific American
• Swarms of Mice Descend on Australian Farms Again (newsweek.com)
• In defence of rats | The Spectator
• The communities on a mission to exterminate rats - BBC News
• Summer of the cannibal rats! Hungry, aggressive, highly fertile – and coming to our homes | Animals | The Guardian

• Carnaghi, M., Belmain, S.R., Hopkins, R.J., and Hawkes, F.M. (2021) Multimodal synergisms in host stimuli drive landing response in malaria mosquitoes. Scientific Reports, 11(1): 7379. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86772-4
• Tomass, Z., Shibru, S. ,Yonas, M., Megaze, A., Woldu, Z., Houtte, N. van, Feleke, G., Belmain, S.R. and Leirs, H. (2020) Season and habitat affect diversity, abundance and reproductive state of small mammals near Lake Abaya, Ethiopia. Mammalia, https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2020-0128
• Manyonyi, Abeid M., Mariki, Sayuni B., Mnyone, Laudslaus L., Belmain, Steven R. and Mulungu, Loth S. (2020) Effects of prescribed burning on rodent community ecology in Serengeti National Park. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 69(2): 20001. https://doi.org/10.25225/jvb.20001
• Filemon, Elisante, Ndakidemi, Patrick A., Arnold, Sarah E. J. , Belmain, Steven R. , Gurr, Geoff M., Darbyshire, Iain, Xie, Gang and Stevenson, Philip C. (2020) Insect pollination is important in a smallholder bean farming system. PeerJ, 8:e10102 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10102
• Krijger, Inge M., Gort, Gerrit, Belmain, Steven R. , Koerkamp, Peter W. G. Groot, Shafali, Rokeya B. and Meerburg, Bastiaan G. (2020) Efficacy of management and monitoring methods to prevent post-harvest losses caused by rodents. Animals, 10(9): 1612. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091612
• Vallès, Xavier, Stenseth, Nils Chr., Demeure, Christian, Horby, Peter, Mead, Paul S., Cabanillas, Oswaldo, Ratsitorahina, Mahery, Rajerison, Minoarisoa, Andrianaivoarimanana, Voahangy, Ramasindrazana, Beza, Pizarro-Cerda, Javier, Scholz, Holger C., Girod, Romain, Hinnebusch, B. Joseph, Vigan-Womas, Ines, Fontanet, Arnaud, Wagner, David M., Telfer, Sandra, Yazdanpanah, Yazdan, Tortosa, Pablo, Carrara, Guia, Deuve, Jane, Belmain, Steven R. , D’Ortenzio, Eric and Baril, Laurence (2020) Human plague: An old scourge that needs new answers. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14(8): e0008251. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008251
• Constant, N.L., Swanepoel, L., Williams, S.T., Soarimalala, V., Goodman, S.M., Massawe, A.T., Mulungu, L.S., Makundi, R.H., Mdangi, M.E., Taylor, P.J., Belmain, S.R., (2020) A comparative assessment on rodent impacts and cultural perceptions of ecologically based rodent management in three Afro‐Malagasy farming regions. Integrative Zoology. 15(6): 578-594. https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12447
• Lorica, R.P., Singleton, G.R., Stuart, A.M., Belmain, S.R., 2020. Rodent damage to rice crops is not affected by the water ‑ saving technique, alternate wetting and drying. Journal of Pest Science. 93: 1431–1442. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-020-01237-3
• Brown, P.R., Singleton, G.R., Belmain, S.R., Htwe, N.M., Mulungu, L.S., Mdangi, M.E., Cavia, R., 2020. Advances in understanding rodent pests affecting cereal grains. In: Maier, Dirk E., (ed.) Advances in Postharvest Management of Cereals and Grains. Burleigh Dodds Series in Agricultural Science. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited, Cambridge, UK. https://doi.org/10.19103/AS.2020.0072.04
• Stevenson Philip C, Belmain Steven R and Isman  Murray B (Eds.) (2020) Pesticidal Plants: From Smallholder Use to Commercialisation. MDPI, Basel Switzerland 184 pages.  https://doi.org/10.3390/books978-3-03928-789-5
• Mkenda, Prisila A., Patrick A. Ndakidemi, Philip C. Stevenson, Sarah E.J. Arnold, Iain Darbyshire, Steven R. Belmain, Jan Priebe, Anne C. Johnson, Julie Tumbo, and Geoff M. Gurr. (2020) Knowledge Gaps among Smallholder Farmers Hinder Adoption of Conservation Biological Control. Biocontrol Science and Technology 30:3, 256-277. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2019.1707169
• Mkindi, Angela G, Yolice L B Tembo, Ernest R Mbega, Amy K Smith, Iain W Farrell, Patrick A Ndakidemi, Philip C Stevenson, and Steven R Belmain. (2020) Extracts of Common Pesticidal Plants Increase Plant Growth and Yield in Common Bean Plants. Plants 9 (2): 149. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9020149
• Phambala, Kelita, Yolice Tembo, Trust Kasambala, Vernon H. Kabambe, Philip C. Stevenson, and Steven R. Belmain. (2020) Bioactivity of Common Pesticidal Plants on Fall Armyworm Larvae (Spodoptera frugiperda). Plants 9 (1): 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9010112
• Mlyashimbi, E.C.M., Mariën, J., Kimaro, D.N., Tarimo, A.J.P., Machang’u, R.S., Makundi, R.H., Isabirye, M., Massawe, A.W., Leirs, H., Mdangi, M.E., Belmain, S.R. and Mulungu, L.S. (2020) Home Ranges, Sex Ratio and Recruitment of the Multimammate Rat (Mastomys natalensis) in Semi-Arid Areas in Tanzania. Mammalia, 84(4): 336–343. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2019-0048
• Mkindi, Angela G., Yolice Tembo, Ernest R. Mbega, Beth Medvecky, Amy Kendal-Smith, Iain W. Farrell, Patrick A. Ndakidemi, Steven R. Belmain, and Philip C. Stevenson. (2019) Phytochemical Analysis of Tephrosia vogelii across East Africa Reveals Three Chemotypes That Influence Its Use as a Pesticidal Plant. Plants 8 (12): 597. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants8120597
• Mkenda, Prisila A., Ndakidemi, Patrick A., Mbega, Ernest, Stevenson, Philip C. Arnold, Sarah E.J., Gurr, Geoff M. and Belmain, Steven R. (2019) Multiple ecosystem services from field margin vegetation for ecological sustainability in agriculture: scientific evidence and knowledge gaps. PeerJ, 7:e8091. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8091
• Arnold, Sarah, Forbes, Samantha J., Hall, David, Farman, Dudley, Bridgemohan, Puran, Spinelli, Gustavo R., Bray, Daniel, Perry, Garvin B., Grey, Leroy, Belmain, Steven R. and Stevenson, Philip (2019) Floral odors and the interaction between pollinating Ceratopogonid midges and Cacao. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 45: 869–878; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-019-01118-9
• Mkenda, Prisila, Ndakidemi, Patrick A, Stevenson, Philip, Arnold, Sarah, Belmain, Steven R., Chidege, M and Gurr, Geoff M (2019) Field margin vegetation in tropical African bean systems harbours diverse natural enemies for biological pest control in adjacent crops. Sustainability, 11 (22):6399. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226399
• Baril, Laurence, Vallès, Xavier, Stenseth, Nils Christian, Rajerison, Minoarisoa, Ratsitorahina, Maherisoa, Pizarro-Cerdá, Javier, Demeure, Christian, Belmain, Steven R. Scholz, Holger, Girod, Romain, Hinnebusch, Joseph, Vigan-Womas, Ines, Bertherat, Eric, Fontanet, Arnaud, Yazadanpanah, Yazdan, Carrara, Guia, Deuve, Jane, D'ortenzio, Eric, Angulo, Jose Oswaldo Cabanillas, Mead, Paul and Horby, Peter W (2019) Can we make human plague history? A call to action. BMJ Global Health, 4 (6):e001984. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001984
• Mkenda, Prisila A., Ndakidemi, Patrick A., Stevenson, Philip C., Arnold, Sarah E. J., Belmain, Steven R., Chidege, Maneno, Gurr, Geoff M. and Woolley, Victoria C. (2019) Characterization of hymenopteran parasitoids of Aphis fabae in an African smallholder bean farming system through sequencing of COI 'mini-barcodes'. Insects, 10 (10):331. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10100331
• Chakma, N., Sarker, N. J., Sarker, S. U., Sarker, S. K. Shafali, R. B. and Belmain, S. R. (2019). Impact of trap barrier systems on rodent damage to upland rice cropping systems during bamboo masting events. Crop Protection, 126: 104939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2019.104939
• Elisante, F., Ndakidemi, P. A., Arnold, S. E. J., Belmain, S. R., Gurr, G. M., Darbyshire, I., Gang Xie, G., Tumbo, J. and Stevenson, P. C. (2019). Enhancing knowledge among smallholders on pollinators and supporting field margins for sustainable food security. Journal of Rural Studies, 70: 75-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.07.004
• Krijger, I. M., Cornelissen, J. B. W. J., Belmain, S. R., Shafali, R. B., & Meerburg, B. G. (2019) Evidence of Toxoplasma gondii in Rodents from Bangladesh. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2019.2440
• Mlyashimbi, E.C.M., Vanden Broecke, B., Marien, J., Kimaro, D.N., Tarimo, A.J.P., Machang’u, R.S., Isabirye, M., Makundi, R.H., Massawe, A.W., Hieronimo, P., Kifumba, D., Leirs, H., Mdangi, M.E., Belmain, S.R. and Mulungu, L.S. (2019) Soil type influences population dynamics and survival of the Multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas in Tanzania. Crop Protection, 124:104829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2019.05.023
• Tembo, Y., Mkindi, A. G., Mkenda, P. A., Mpumi, N., Mwanauta, R., Stevenson, P. C., Ndakidemi, P.A. and Belmain, S. R. (2018). Pesticidal Plant Extracts Improve Yield and Reduce Insect Pests on Legume Crops Without Harming Beneficial Arthropods. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, 1425. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01425
• Stevenson, P. C., Green, P. W. C., Farrell, I. W., Brankin, A., Mvumi, B. M., & Belmain, S. R. (2018). Novel Agmatine Derivatives in Maerua edulis With Bioactivity Against Callosobruchus maculatus, a Cosmopolitan Storage Insect Pest. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01506
• Chakma, N., Sarker, N.J., Belmain, S.R., Sarker, S.U., Aplin, K. and Sarker S.K. (2018) New records of rodent species in Bangladesh: Taxonomic studies from rodent outbreak areas in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Bangladesh J. Zool. 46, 217–230. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjz.v46i2.39055
• Mlyashimbi, E.C.M., Mariën, J., Kimaro, D.N., Tarimo, A.J.P., Isabirye, M., Makundi, R.H., Massawe, A.W., Mdangi, M.E., Kifumba, D., Nakiyemba, A., Leirs, H., Belmain, S.R. and Mulungu, L.S. (2018) Relationships between seasonal changes in diet of multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) and its breeding patterns in semi-arid areas in Tanzania. Cogent Food and Agriculture. 4:1507509. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2018.1507509
• Williams, S.T., Maree, N., Taylor, P., Belmain, S.R., Keith, M. and Swanepoel, L.H. (2018). Camera trap and questionnaire dataset on ecosystem services provided by small carnivores in agro-ecosystems in South Africa. Data in Brief. 18:753-759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.03.071
• Massawe, Apia W., Makundi, Rhodes H., Zhang, Zhibin, Mhamphi, Ginethon, Liu, Ming, Li, Hong-Jun and Belmain, Steven R (2018) Effect of synthetic hormones on reproduction in Mastomys natalensis. Journal of Pest Science. 91(1):157-168.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-017-0894-4
• Williams, S., Swanepoel, L., Keith, M., Maree, N., Taylor, P., Belmain, S.R. (2018) Predation by small mammalian carnivores in rural agro-ecosystems: An undervalued ecosystem service? Ecosystem Services. 30:362-371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.12.006
• Arnold, S. E. J, Bridgemohan, P, Perry, G. B., Spinelli, G. R., Pierre, B., Murray, F., Haughton, C., Dockery, O., Grey, L., Murphy, S. T., Belmain, S. R. and Stevenson, P. C. (2018) The significance of climate in the pollinator dynamics of a tropical agroforestry system. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 254: online first. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2017.11.013
• Krijger, Inge M., Belmain, Steven R., Singleton, Grant R., Groot Koerkamp, Peter W. G. and Meerburg, Bastiaan G. (2017) The need to implement the landscape of fear within rodent pest management strategies. Pest Management Science. 73(12): 2397-2402. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.4626
• Stevenson, Philip C., Isman, Murray B. and Belmain, Steven R. (2017) Pesticidal plants in Africa: a global vision of new biological control products from local uses. Industrial Crops and Products. 110: 2-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.08.034
• Kamanula, John F., Belmain, Steven R., Hall, David R., Farman, Dudley I., Goyder, David J., Mvumi, Brighton M., Masumbu, Friday F. and Stevenson, Philip C. (2017) Chemical variation and insecticidal activity of Lippia javanica (Burm. F.) Spreng essential oil against Sitophilus zeamais Industrial Crops and Products. 110: 75-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.06.036
• Mkindi, Angela, Mpumi, Nelson, Tembo, Yolice, Stevenson, Philip C., Ndakidemi, Patrick A., Mtei, Kelvin, Machunda, Revocatus and Belmain, Steven R. (2017) Invasive weeds with pesticidal properties as potential new crops. Industrial Crops and Products. 110: 113-122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.06.002
• Green, Paul W. C., Belmain, Steven R., Ndakidemi, Patrick A., Farrell, Iain W. and Stevenson, Philip C. (2017) Insecticidal activity in Tithonia diversifolia and Vernonia amygdalina. Industrial Crops and Products. 110: 15-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.08.021
• Swanepoel, Lourens H., Swanepoel, Corrie M., Brown, Peter R., Eiseb, Seth J., Goodman, Steven M., Keith, Mark, Kirsten, Frikkie, Leirs, Herwig, Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa A. M., Makundi, Rhodes H., Malebane, Phanuel, von Maltitz, Emil F., Massawe, Apia W., Monadjem, Ara, Mulungu, Loth S., Singleton, Grant R., Taylor, Peter J., Soarimalala, Voahangy and Belmain, Steven R. (2017) A systematic review of rodent pest research in Afro-Malagasy small-holder farming systems: Are we asking the right questions? PLoS ONE, 12 (3):e0174554. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174554
• Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa A. M., Monadjem, Ara, McCleery, Robert and Belmain, Steven R (2017) Domestic cats and dogs create a landscape of fear for pest rodents around rural homesteads. PLoS ONE, 12 (2):e0171593. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171593
• Labuschagne, L., Swanepoel, L.H., Taylor, P.J., Belmain, S.R. and Keith, M. (2016). Are avian predators effective biological control agents for rodent pest management in agricultural systems? Biological Control. 101: 94-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2016.07.003
• Stevenson, P. C. and Belmain, S. R. (2016). Pesticidal plants in African agriculture: Local uses and global perspectives. Outlooks on Pest Management. 27(5): 226-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1564/v27_oct_10
• Arnold, S. E. J., Stevenson, P. C., and Belmain, S. R. (2016). Shades of yellow: interactive effects of visual and odour cues in a pest beetle. PeerJ. 4:e2219 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2219
• Mulungu, L. S., Ngowo, V., Mdangi, M. E., Katakweba, A. S., Tesha, P., Mrosso, F. P., Mchomvu, M., Massawe, A. W., Monadjem, A., Kilonzo, B., and Belmain, S. R. (2016). Survival and recruitment of the multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis (Smith 1834), in a rice agro-ecosystem. Mammalia. 80(2): 205–210. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2014-0150
• Stevenson, P.C., Green, P.W., Veitch, N.C., Farell, I., Kusolwa, P. and Belmain, S.R. (2016). Nor-hopanes from Zanha africana root bark with toxicity to bruchid beetles. 123: 25-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2016.01.008
• Mgode, G., Machang'u, R.S., Mhamphi, G.G., Katakweba, A., Mulungu, L., Durnez, L., Leirs, H., Hartskeerl, R.A. and Belmain, S.R. (2015). Leptospira serovars for diagnosis of leptospirosis in humans and animals in Africa: Common leptospira isolates and reservoir hosts. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 9(12): e0004251. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0004251
• Mkenda, P., Mwanauta, R., Stevenson, P.C., Ndakidemi, P., Mtei, K. and Belmain, S.R. (2015). Extracts from field margin weeds provide economically viable and environmentally benign pest control compared to synthetic pesticides. PLoS ONE. 10(11): e0143530. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0143530
• Mkenda, P.A. Stevenson, P.C. Ndakidemi, P., Farman, D.I. and Belmain, S.R. (2015) Contact and fumigant toxicity of five pesticidal plants against Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in stored cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. 35(4): 172-184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S174275841500017X
• Arnold, S. E. J., Stevenson, P. C., and Belmain, S. R. (2015). Responses to colour and host odour cues in three cereal pest species, in the context of ecology and control. Bulletin of Entomological Research 105(4): 417-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007485315000346
• Belmain, S. R., Htwe, N. M., Kamal, N. Q., and Singleton, G. R. (2015). Estimating rodent losses to stored rice as a means to assess efficacy of rodent management. Wildlife Research 42(2): 132-142. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WR14189
• Mulungu, L. S., Sixbert, V., Ngowo, V., Mdangi, M., Katakweba, A. S., Tesha, P., Mrosso, F. P., Mchomvu, M., Kilonzo, B. S. and Belmain, S. R. (2015). Spatio-temporal patterns in the distribution of the multi-mammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, in rice crop and fallow land habitats in Tanzania. Mammalia 79(2): 177–184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2014-0006
• Mulungu, L. S., Lagwen, P. P., Mdangi, M. E., Kilonzo, B. S., and Belmain, S. R. (2014). Impact of spatio-temporal simulations of rat damage on yield of rice (Oryza sativa) and implications for rodent pest management. International Journal of Pest Management 60: 269–274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09670874.2014.967326
• Stevenson, P. C., Arnold, S. E. J., and Belmain, S. R. (2014). Pesticidal Plants for Stored Product Pests on Small-holder Farms in Africa. In ‘Advances in Plant Biopesticides’. (Ed D. Singh.) pp. 149–172. (Springer India: New Delhi). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2006-0_9
• Sola, P. Mvumi, B. M., Belmain, S.R., Ogendo, J. O., Mponda, O., Kamanula, J.F., Nyirenda, S. P. and Stevenson, P.C., (2014) Botanical pesticide production, trade and regulatory mechanisms in sub-Saharan Africa: making a case for plant-based pesticidal products. Food Security. 6(3): 369-384. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12571-014-0343-7
• Grzywacz, D., Stevenson, P.C., Belmain, S.R., Wilson, K. (2014) Improving food security in Africa: A new approach using indigenous ecological resources for pest control. Food Security. 6(1): 71-86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12571-013-0313-5
• Arnold S.E.J., Peralta Idrovo, M.E., Lomas Arias, L.J., Belmain, S.R. and Stevenson, P.C. (2014) Herbivore defence compounds occur in pollen and reduce bumblebee colony fitness. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 40(8):878-881. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10886-014-0467-4
• Jancloes, M.F., Bertherat, E., Scheider, C., Belmain, S.R., Munoz-Zanzi, C., Hartskeerl, R., Costa, F., Denis, J. and Benschop, J. (2014) Towards a “One Health” strategy against leptospirosis. Planet@Risk>. 2(3): 204-206. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/42389743.pdf

With rodents transmitting more than 60 diseases to people and domestic animals, damaging food production systems and exacerbating sanitation problems, few would argue that society's rat problems have been solved. But overcoming the challenges posed by rodents to our livelihoods is possible. A new paradigm of research, ecologically-based rodent management, is gaining momentum. Improving rodent management particularly in Low and Middle Income Countries of the world could be one of the most important interventions of the 21st century to reduce poverty and improve people's livelihoods.

His work in agroecology aims to help farming communities reduce their use of harmful synthetic pesticides, particularly by helping to develop natural alternatives using botanical extracts to control insects and crop pathogens and increase environmental resilience through conservation biological control, agrobiodiversity and empowering smallholder farmers through farmer research networks.

Steve is Centre Leader for research centre Sustainable Agriculture for One Health and leads the Behavioural Ecology research group

Leads the Biology undergraduate module Animal Science and Environmental Physiology and contributes to NRI’s Master’s degree in Agriculture for Sustainable Development

A One Health approach to managing rodent pests impacting human health and wellbeing in South African townships: OHRatSA

This (£600,000 project (2025-2028) is jointly funded by UK Medical Research Council and the South African Medical Research Council and aims to understand complex problems caused by rodents in South African townships, particularly the threat of rodent borne infections on human health, nutritional security and mental health and wellbeing. The project will innovate methods of uncovering neglected problems and generate unique information on how current rodent management practices may be exacerbating the rodent problem through negatively impacting personal and community agency and wellbeing.  We will take a One Health ecologically-based approach to resolving rodent pest issues through the evaluation of innovative technologies collaborating with community and public authorities to assess social and environmental efficacy and sustainability.

Our research questions are:

1. What is the impact of rats on food and nutrition security in urban environments? This will focus particularly on the disease threats from urine and faecal contamination within household food stores and leftover cooked food, the promotion of aflatoxins, and nutritive losses from rodents selectively eating the seed germ.
2. What is the impact of rats on mental health and wellbeing in South African townships? We argue impacts on mental health and wellbeing are likely to be severe in African contexts, particularly where social stigmas within communities can lead to reduced personal agency and erosion of social capital. Rodent pest issues can be perceived as something to be ashamed of, where often taboos, community pressure and public perceptions may increase mental health problems amongst the most vulnerable members of a community suffering from rodent pest problems.
3. Can new innovations in ecologically based rodent management be safer and more socially accepted than current reliance on poisons for public and environmental health programmes? We will take advantage of new innovations in rodent fertility control to evaluate stakeholder (public, private sector, local authority) acceptability of rodent contraceptives and how contraceptives may reduce risk of disease transmission when compared to using rodenticides. 

One Health approach to tick-borne disease control through manipulation of reservoir host communities at landscape scale

This (£1,250,000 project (2023-2026) is funded by UK Research and Innovation and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs One Health approach to vector borne diseases programme. The project partners are the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Forest Research, University of York, University of Salford.  The UK's Net Zero 2050 policy contains bold plans to plant millions of trees each year to expand landcover in woodlands and forests, not only helping to sequester carbon but also helping to lower local temperatures as the climate changes. While this is a valid ambition, such changes in land use may have implications for the spread of unwanted non-native species and disease. As such these plans must be evaluated to develop a robust strategy and avoid unintended consequences from our interventions to mitigate climate change and achieve a net zero society. The grey squirrel is an invasive species in the UK, with detrimental impacts on the conservation of the native red squirrel and with bark stripping damage to trees and forests that is estimated to cost the UK economy £37 million per year. Grey squirrels, now distributed through most of Great Britain, are the dominant small mammal in many habitats and important hosts of ticks that feed on them. The ticks that feed on grey squirrels can pick up infections in the squirrel's blood and can transmit these infections to people bitten by infected ticks, notably Lyme disease. The number of people contracting Lyme disease is growing in all parts of the UK, with hotspots in Scotland, the southwest of England and southern England. Efforts to control grey squirrels are under way in many parts of the UK, to help the native red squirrel populations which are under threat by greys. This programme has wide public support and is trying to control grey squirrels humanely using contraceptives. Some experts have argued that the removal of grey squirrels by itself could result in a reduction in Lyme disease risk, but this has not yet been proven. This is because other wild animals can be fed upon by ticks, and it is not clear what will happen when grey squirrels are removed in terms of disease risk.

Our project plans to answer this question by determining what happens when grey squirrel populations are being reduced, and how this affects ticks and diseases. We plan to look at novel ways of controlling or monitoring ticks by determining what attracts and repels them. We also plan to develop predictive models on what would happen as the UK becomes more covered in woodlands and forests in the future where climate is also changing, and what this would mean for grey squirrel populations, and the ticks and diseases they host. Finally we plan to engage with the public, particularly those trying to save the red squirrel, but also the wider public and their attitudes towards squirrels, ticks and infections such as Lyme disease to ensure we understand people's concerns and how best to deal with a changing environment and climate.

Farmer Research Networks for Ecological Pest and Disease Management

This is the fifth project phase of funding ($520,000) (2023-2026) received from the McKnight Foundation, an independent private philanthropic charity established by the McKnight family in the United States to improve the quality of life for present and future generations. See: https://www.ccrp.org/  The foundation has been funding NRI’s collaborative research to develop sustainable pest management options for smallholder farmers since 2009, and this project (2023-2026) builds on 14+ years of previous funding provided by McKnight, providing the continuity to address complex issues related to improving access to high quality ecosystem services for pest management in smallholder crop production. The project involves partners at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology in Tanzania, and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Malawi.

The next step in the development of pesticidal plants has farmer researchers at the core of agro-ecological research where we try to develop landscape level research activities that help improve pest regulation.  This involves increasing botanical diversity to help provide habitat and food for natural enemies and pollinators and increasing the adopting of natural products for pest control so that insect diversity can be maintained.

Developing effective rodent control strategies to reduce disease risk in ecologically and culturally diverse rural landscapes

This £2 million research project (2021-2024) is funded by the UKRI MRC Global Challenge Research Fund on global health.  Besides NRI, the project involves partners from the University of Aberdeen, University of St. Andrews, Pasteur Institute Madagascar, Vahatra Association Madagascar, Sokoine University of Agriculture Tanzania and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Tanzania. The ultimate aim of the project is to reduce the risk from rodent-borne infections, and improve health and well-being by increasing the capacity to develop rodent-control measures that are applicable, sustainable and resilient given local ecological, epidemiological, agricultural and socio-cultural contexts. The project will focus on rural landscapes in Tanzania and Madagascar, using exemplar case-study host-pathogen systems with contrasting ecological and epidemiological characteristics. We will exploit high quality existing data and conduct new experimental studies, integrating these with state-of-the-art statistical and modelling approaches, as well as ethnographic and social science studies, in order to inform the co-development of effective rodent management strategies with communities and stakeholders. Community co-development and engagement will take place from the start of the project, with community representatives involved in decision making processes, in the implementation and collection of data and interpreting impact.

Future rodent management for pig and poultry health (RodentGate)

This project (2020-2024) is part of a European consortium funded through the ERA-NET International coordination of research on infectious animal diseases https://www.icrad.eu/ The project works across Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom with a total project value of €1,750,000, with UK funding of €500,000 from UKRI BBSRC. The project aims to maintain or improve the health of pigs and poultry with respect to rodent-borne diseases in a situation where rodenticides are no longer accepted as a major tool for rodent management. The specific objectives are 1) to document changes in disease risk for pigs and poultry when classical rodent management around farms is prevented and rodent populations around farms change in abundance or composition and 2) to propose appropriate evidence-based and economically sustainable strategies for the ecologically-based management of rodents and rodent-borne infections around farms.

Current PhD Students

• Allan Baino

• Hope Okon

• Samantha Beaudoin

Research Centre Leader Sustainable Agriculture for One Health

• Lifetime Recognition of Excellence Award in Rodent Biology awarded in 2022 from International Society for Rodent Biology and Management
• Contributions to the University’s Queen’s Anniversary Prize 2019 on innovative pest management
• Fellow, Royal Entomological Society (FRES)
• Fellow, Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Member of the British Ecological Society
• Committee member of the World Health Organisation's Global Leptospirosis Environmental Action Network
• Coordinating member of the International Society of Zoological Sciences
• Associate Editor, Wildlife Research
• Editorial Board, Biopesticides International
• Executive Committee Secretary for the International Conference on Rodent Biology and Management
• International Committee for the African Small Mammal Symposium