ICIPE roots for increased consumption of insects

International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) is vouching for increased consumption of insects. ICIPE says there are business opportunities in the campaign dubbed “insects for feed” in Kenya.

BOILED INSECTS

The safety of the insect is almost guaranteed as insects boiled at 98 degrees Celsius or toasted at 150 degrees Celsius for five minutes were found to be free of aflatoxin, heavy metals, and pesticides residues

In Kenya, ICIPE estimates that dry insects required to replace fishmeal is 90,000 tonnes per year with potential of creating 14,000 jobs. Globally, more than 1,900 edible insect species are consumed by over two billion people.

At least 500 species found in Africa are edible. They include termites, spiders, beetles, mantids, lake flies, plant bugs, wasps, moths, butterflies, dragon flies and grasshoppers.

At the same time, ICIPE says that the declining staple food of maize yield which stands at 2 tonnes per hectare could not feed the African population set to hit 8billion mark by 2100.

TRADITIONAL FOODS

“The crop production is not keeping pace with the population while declining dietary diversity and erosion of traditional foods is a big concern,” said the ICIPE report.

ICIPE states that developing an effective mass rearing strategy with established standards and value additions can have extensive impacts.

“Insects have many nutritional values including higher protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals in comparisons to beef, pork, chicken and fish,” added the report.

Edible insects are also source of high value oil that could be used in other nutraceutical products.

They are also a rich source of vitamin E, while insect oil could cure coronary heart diseases, support immune function, prevent inflammation, promote eye health and lower the risk of cancer.

INCOME

The ICIPE report titled: “Insect for Food and Feed Sub-Saharan Africa” says edible insects could bridge the increasing demand for food and meat which stands at between 50 – 85 per cent.

The edible insects could also become a source of income as termites in Kenya are known to generate good income.

“Women and youth are extensively involved in insects for food value chain,” says the report.

The ICIPE report was tabled during the Kenya Science Congress meeting in Mombasa between November 18 and 20.

The meeting was attended by more than 100 journalists and experts from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Malawi. The meeting was organized by Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture. The report indicated that insects have many advantages in comparison to traditional livestock.

“Livestock such as cows edible part is about 40 per cent while grasshoppers is 80 per cent while protein content is 50 per cent and grasshoppers has 60 per cent protein content,” the report says.

Insects emit less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in comparison to livestock which emit high carbon dioxide.

FEED FORMULATION

The global demand for beef by 2050 is expected to be 106 million tonnes, mutton (25 million tonnes), pork (143 million tonnes), poultry (181 million tonnes) and eggs (102 million tonnes).

To be able to meet the global demand in 2050, feed production must increase by 70 per cent.

The performance of insect based feed formulation in poultry was evident as exotic grower chicken fed on insect based meal gained weight rapidly.

Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organisation improved Kienyeji chicken increased their egg production by 62 per cent while tilapia fed on insect meal increased its weight by 33 per cent.

The quality of African catfish fillet fed on biosafety based feeds improved its protein content while pigs fed on insect based feed get to the market one month earlier when fed with insect based feed compared to conventional fishmeal feeds.