Uganda Airlines Flight 446 from Entebbe to Dubai was temporarily disrupted late last year when two of the passengers started walking crickets in the aisle.
Their companions couldn’t believe their luck: nsenene It is a highly prized delicacy in Uganda, but although November is usually peak insect season, there are hardly any insects around.
Video from the plane went viral; There were complaints about the security breach, but Uganda Airlines seemed sympathetic and saw an opportunity to turn a crisis into an opportunity. “We understand that [nsenene] This season there’s not much, so the excitement. We are considering adding nsenene to our menu for regional and international flights upon request,” it said in a statement.
Nsenene is just one of 2,100 known species of edible insects, a quarter of which are consumed in the United States. Africa. Most are prized – often costing more than beef or chicken by weight – and most are harvested from the wild.
Dorte Verner, lead agricultural economist at the World Bank’s global practice of agriculture and food. They can also be over-harvested or contaminated with pesticides.
However, with food insecurity on the rise, it has become important to protect this nutritious source of protein. “By 2021, 21% of people in countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence will not have access to nutritious food,” Verner said. “Also, food production per capita has been declining since 2014.”
Insect farming is one of the solutions. A recent report, published by Verner and colleagues of the World Bank, on The potential of hydroponics and insect farming in Africa, found 849 farms in 10 of the 13 countries they surveyed. Although still in its infancy – most farms were established in the last decade – the industry has clear potential: not only will it have year-round insects, it will create jobs, help with waste management food, used as animal feed, and insect manure, or mulch, can produce fertilizer.
The World Bank estimates that within a year, farming of black soldier flies (BSF) could produce up to $2.6 billion (£1.9 billion) worth of crude protein and biofertilizers. worth up to 19.4 billion dollars. This process will recycle 200m tonnes of crop waste.
Although most of the existing farms produce insects for human consumption, more and more people are interested in insects for fodder. Demand has tripled in the past decade in Kenya alone, and feed producers are increasingly looking for alternatives to soybeans and fishmeal, which are hampered by high prices. both volatility, change quality and poor environmental profile.
Research shows that animals that eat insect protein, especially BSF, achieve faster growth rates and better meat quality than soybeans or fishmeal. Talash Huijbers, founder of InsectiPro, one of the largest BSF farms in Kenya, says production costs are relatively stable and will come down as operations expand. “With the pandemic, people started to appreciate the value of local protein production,” she said.
Shobhita Soor, head of Legendary Foods, a weevil farm in Ghana, sees a similar trend. Many of her clients want to eat “made in Ghana” products.
Soor’s ambition is to “deliver the nutrition of meat at the right price and with the sustainability of plants,” a mission that has resulted in a relentless search for efficiency. “Last year, we reduced production costs by 40%. If we want to become as popular as chicken, we have a responsibility to do R&D to further optimize our production. “
She is looking to raise $5 million this year to build her first large-scale factory, while InsectiPro is planning an $11 million expansion: it has opened two more BSF facilities in Kenya and wants to expand in Uganda and Rwanda.
Only 16 species are farmed in Africa, but the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya has been learning how to raise different species of insects since 2014 and has trained thousands of “pets”.
Publications such as the World Bank report are crucial to putting insect protein in the sights of governments – insects do not appear in any national food strategy. Other large development financial institutions, such as International Finance Corporation and the US Agency for International Development, are also looking into insect farming. Meanwhile, the World Bank is planning pilot investments in South Sudan, Malawi, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
“From the number of meeting requests I have received since the report was published, I can tell you that [people] Verner said.
