CABI Blog

An insect rearing facility in Burkina Faso: Insects as a natural feed for livestock can help alleviate poverty and food insecurity

By Solomon Agyemang Duah, Communications Specialist at CABI based in Ghana

Poultry farming is practised by almost all smallholder farmers in West Africa but feed and in particular protein sources are becoming increasingly expensive thereby, affecting meat and egg production, reducing family incomes and, ultimately, putting food security at risk.

Fish farmers are suffering a similar problem. CABI as part of the Insects as Feed in West Africa (IFWA) initiative is promoting the use of insects, which are a natural food source for poultry and fish and endorsed by the FAO, as a tool to alleviate poverty and food insecurity.

CABI is working with partners to develop appropriate methods for fly larvae and termite production based on waste material – using innovations which are safe and socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.

In this video blog Solomon Agyemang Duah, CABI’s Communications Specialist based in Ghana, and Dr Victor Attuquaye Clottey, Regional Representative for CABI’s West Africa Centre, explore the benefits of rearing black soldier flies as a cheaper high-protein option for poultry and fish feed.

The video also features interviews with farmers who were part of a field visit to an insect larvae production site at the CSIR Animal Research Institute near Accra. The visit was jointly organized by IFWA and the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification Research and Learning in Africa (SAIRLA) programme through the Ghana National Learning Alliance (NLA) which is looking into issues such as equity, policy processes, risk factors for smallholder farmers, access to and use of market and agronomic information, and sustainability strategies.

The Ghana National Learning Alliance (NLA), a project under SAIRLA programme, coordinated in Ghana by CABI and CSIR Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI), facilitates social learning and advocacy aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of all smallholder agricultural value chain actors through effective policies and investments in sustainable agriculture.

VIDEO – Exploring Sustainable Alternative Protein Sources for Livestock Feed

Additional information

Find out more about the Insects as Feed in West Africa (IFWA) project, including the full list of funders and partners, from the official website.

CABI project pages

Using insects to improve smallholders’ livestock production and food security in West Africa

SAIRLA Ghana National Learning Alliance