Alternative Proteins Magazine ISSUE FOCUS October 2025 37 raise animals to market size. For farmers in developing countries in particular, this volatility makes traditional feed sources increasingly unaffordable and unsustainable. TURNING WASTE INTO FEED Black soldier fly (BSF) farming is a promising alternative. It’s a low-cost, environmentally friendly source of protein at a time when farmers are confronted with rising feed and agricultural input prices. The larvae’s protein content rivals or even surpasses the traditional sources like fishmeal and soybeans. The BSF larvae can cope with a wide range of environmental conditions and the adult fly does not spread disease. What makes BSF especially powerful is its ability to turn waste into value using low-cost technologies, which can be produced on-farm or near farming communities. The larvae can feed on a wide variety of organic materials, including food scraps and market waste which are produced in huge volumes in urban and peri-urban areas. As they consume this waste, the larvae grow into protein-rich biomass while leaving behind a nutrient-rich residue. The larvae can then be processed into feed for poultry, fish, and pigs, while the residue serves as a valuable soil conditioner. This adaptability and dual benefit—reducing waste while producing affordable animal feed— makes BSF one of the most promising circular solutions for developing countries. It tackles two urgent challenges at once: the rising cost of animal feed and the mounting problem of organic waste. CAN BSF FARMING PAY OFF? Insights from Kenya’s BSF Enterprises Across Kenya, a quiet insect revolution is taking shape. From Kirinyaga to Nakuru, 14 BSF enterprises are proving that BSF farming can be both profitable and sustainable. These insights come from a financial feasibility study conducted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) under CGIAR’s Multifunctional Landscape (MFL) Science Program, which analyzed BSF operations across five counties in central, eastern, and Rift Valley Kenya. The enterprises vary in scale—small and medium producers process under 15 tonnes of waste a year, while large-scale farms handle up to 700 tonnes. Yet all share a common goal: transforming organic waste into high-value animal feed and fertilizer. From Waste to Value Most enterprises rely on locally available organic waste—market waste, kitchen leftovers, and vegetable farm residues—used by nearly two-thirds of the surveyed farms. Others source from slaughterhouses and hotels. The BSF larvae feed on this waste, reducing its volume while producing nutrient-rich protein and frass (Figure 1). Figure 1. Feedstock used for feeding BSF larvae 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Municipal solid waste Hotel restaurant waste Slaughterhouse waste Livestock waste Market waste Kitchen waste Vegetable waste Percentage
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==