By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Universities are contributing to the upscaling of insect-based food and feed systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, which have economic, environmental and social benefits that could support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
These efforts come at a time when the importance of science to secure improved nutrition and food security has been highlighted at dialogues in preparation for the 2021 United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit in September.
Various higher learning institutions from Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe have been taking up the challenge and redirecting resources towards studying the potential of insects for food and feed systems.
In addition to tackling food security and nutrition challenges, the initiatives could also contribute to waste management.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, small-scale farmers in Africa are witnessing a sharp increase in the price of animal feed. At the same time, malnutrition and food insecurity remain a serious problem in Sub-Saharan Africa due to limited access to proteins.
Scientists have now reiterated the importance of edible insects as an inexpensive alternative source of animal protein for humans and livestock due to their nutritional value and efficiency in food conversion.
In Kenya, black soldier fly farming (commonly known as BSF) is gaining momentum. Some experts say it is a pathway to improving livelihoods as farmers struggle to overcome the impact of COVID-19.
The Rockefeller Foundation is supporting the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (or ICIPE) in Kenya with a grant of US$600,000 to test business models for scaling up insect-based feed for poultry and fish farming.
“We have been pioneering this area of research since 2013,” Chrysantus Mbi Tanga, a senior scientist who specialises in research on insects for food, feed and other uses at ICIPE, told University World News in a recent interview.
He added that “since then, we have been training farmers” to rear protein-rich maggots and insects on their farms.
“ICIPE has partnered with many universities,” Tanga said, indicating the central role that higher education continues to play in enhancing food security and nutrition.
The universities involved include Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, University of Nairobi, Egerton University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, University of Eldoret and Meru University of Science and Technology (Kenya), Makerere University (Uganda) and University of Pretoria (South Africa).
Others are Copperbelt University (Zambia), Hawassa University (Ethiopia) and Chinhoyi University of Technology (Zimbabwe).
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