INSECT FARMING: WHY SHOULD I CARE?

INTRODUCTION

What comes to your mind when you hear the word insect? Ugh! Those houseflies that you can’t just wait for them to go into extinction because they are one great deal of trouble. Or the roaches, goodness, these would crawl on your exposed food as if they own it. And then those mosquitoes that didn’t let you have a blissful night. You just want to get rid of this not-so-innocent species as fast as you can.

Relax.

That’s the beauty of nature!

No matter how annoying you think these creatures are, there is always a bright side to them. Oh, they could spread a whole lot of diseases and could be extremely disturbing but at the same time, they could do you more good things than you think.

Well, don’t worry, I am not here to talk you into adopting those houseflies or accommodating those mosquitoes, never. I just want to tell you that we have edible insects as much as we have inedible ones.

?Yes, that’s right, edible insects.

Insects provide a wild range of usefulness than we could imagine. You think of agriculture and my oh my, you won’t have successful farming without them. You think of silk and those industries would not exist without them. And, do you also know that honey that was so effective in taking care of that ailment is just one of the numerous medicinal use of insects. That’s a big WOW. Those are just tips of the iceberg.

Do you also know that according to various research, the protein content of insects has been proven to be higher than other plants and animals? For example, a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that “insects contain values of between 9.96 and 35.2 grams of protein per 100 grams, compared with 16.8-20.6 grams for meat”. So when you talk about your beef, chicken, fish, maize, soybeans, and lots more, always remember those insects as well who are not only rich in proteins but could also supply lots of vitamins and minerals.

I am a nutritionist and a farmer, so anytime I talk about what you get from the consumption of this or that, I also like to talk about production, which is where the agricultural part of me comes rushing in. So, aside from all these breathtaking nutritional qualities of insects, they are said to be equally more environmentally friendly than other livestock. You talk about land use, lower greenhouse emissions, high feed conversion rate, they miraculously turn organic waste into ranging products of high value, and most importantly, my favorite part of all these is that they can be used to replace fish meal which is scarce and expensive. And not just fish, chickens, pigs, and the likes can also consume these insects.

ENTOMOPRENEURSHIP

Entomopreneurship? What is that? Well, you can see it as simply “insect business”. People must be enlightened on the numerous benefits of insects to man, animals, and equally plants. There should also be a consistent emphasis on having insect enterprise because poor information about its value and usage has made so many entrepreneurs not venture into it. This could provide thousands of people with job opportunities. You are not just getting food, you are also getting money from it.

Nigeria is blessed with so many varieties of these edible insects most of which are directly harvested from the wild which is tasking and often not lucrative. There are also issues of seasonal fluctuations which means that these insects won’t be available always. Therefore, it is also important to create awareness that these insects can be reared the same way you rear other livestock. Rearing would mean that you have more insects that are being harvested at all seasons. Entrepreneurs can easily venture into this enterprise. It will help to reduce unemployment, poverty, and hunger and help to raise the standard of living.

FARMING INSECTS AS ANIMAL FEED

When I started my poultry in 2019, maize was about 90NGN (0.22USD) but now, in 2022, the price is over 200NGN (0.48USD). Soybean was around 140NGN (0.34USD) when I started, now it’s over 300NGN (0.72USD) and extremely scarce. Some feed mills had to stop supplying soybean and I was forced to remove it from my animal feed ingredients because of its unavailability and unaffordability. It is that bad in this part of the world. That is why it is important for there to be an alternative because we cannot continue like this.

The maggot of houseflies has been used as an alternative to fishmeal for a long time now, but some consumers that I have seen have some resentment towards fish that feed on housefly maggots due to houseflies being a disease carrier and the likes. But do you know that aside from houseflies, there are black soldier flies (BSF)? Oh my! I don’t know what know the future of housefly maggots holds, but I know the emergence of black soldier flies maggots would be evolutionary. These are diseases free flies that are not only edible to your livestock but could also be edible for humans. The usefulness of these flies cannot be overemphasized. They look like a new miracle nature has bestowed on man but most of us are not aware of it yet. Nigerians should start seeing BSF farming as a way out. Maybe I will dedicate special writing to BSF someday. Be on the lookout.

Agriprotein a South African country has been developing its insect-based protein products since 2009. It produces billions of maggots fed on organic waste manure – producing a nutrient-rich fertilizer in the process – before being harvested and dried into a natural and sustainable animal feed. Agriprotein’s maggot-based animal feed is estimated to be 15% cheaper than conventional feeds and has been proven to have higher nutritional values for livestock.

So, housefly larvae, black soldier flies, silkworms, yellow worms, grasshoppers, termites, etc., are all examples of insects that can be used as feed for animals.

INSECTS AS FOOD FOR MAN

Son: Mum, I cannot eat those winged termites, I’m afraid they would be flying in my belly when they get them.

Mum: Son, do chickens cock-a-doodle-do in your stomach?

Son: No mum, they are delicious to eat.

Mum: That is true son. So are your termites and every other edible insect. They are not only delicious but extremely nutritious and most importantly affordable.

Son: But mum, I still don’t want to see them on my food. I don’t like how they look, it feels like I am eating houseflies or bedbugs.

Mum: All right son, don’t worry yourself about that. I can ground them into powder and mix them with your food. So that even though you can’t see them, you are still consuming them and getting your required nutrients.

Son: Yay! Thank you, mum. (And they both lived happily ever after).

It is no longer news that the cost of animal proteins is becoming unaffordable to the masses, food insecurity is the order of the day, and population growth is overwhelming, especially in the less developing countries of the world. Therefore, there is an emerging need for alternative sources of protein-rich food. Scientific research has shown that edible insects are a wonderful source of proteins and other nutrients. Hence, insect consumption might help relieve so many foods insecure households and thus replace the conventional animal source.

Acceptability of edible insects could be quite low, perhaps due to urbanization, educational level, and cultural or awareness issues. But the good news is that this could serve as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to come up with various innovations that would remove the “disgust factor” of this insect and make them more appealing and acceptable to the general populace.

Examples of edible Insects commonly eaten around the world include crickets, cicadas, grasshoppers, ants, mealworms, the larvae of the darkling beetle, and various species of caterpillar (such as bamboo worms, mopani worms, silkworms, and waxworms), etc.

In conclusion

Aside from insects being a good source of food for man and animals, insects are also important to pollinate those crops you planted, you think of bees, moths, butterflies, and the others. They are also a good source of raw materials such as cochineal from which the natural dye carmine is derived, and silk obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. Think of insects and composting agents and you derive your organic fertilizers and there are lots more you could do with your insects.

Some inhibiting factors affecting edible insect entrepreneurs in Nigeria are inadequate credit facilities or capital; Poor Education, Knowledge, and Skills of people: Lack of technical know-how on the use of modern technology; Poor extension extensions service, and lots more. With these problems being identified, the solutions are not far-fetched.

Therefore, when you think about insect farming, think about the numerous benefits of insects to man and how you can help contribute immensely to the economy when you venture into it.