Two aid projects, suggesting support for farming edible insects in certain African countries, have received the backing of the UK government.
The first one, allocating some 50,000 pounds ($57,590) to grow African caterpillars, migratory locusts and black soldier flies in the DRC, is being led by the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod) and started in March 2022, The Guardian stated.
The project, listed among several initiatives supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, aims "to promote the production of insects for human food and for use in the manufacture of animal feeds". However, Cafod later clarified for the newspaper that under their project, insects will be farmed for feeding fish to enrich them with proteins for further consumption by the locals.
Another project, which received £300,000 ($345,540) in funding, seeks to inject various insects directly into the diet of Zimbabwean children. The project's leader, Dr Alberto Fiore of Abertay University Dundee, has suggested turning locally gathered mopane worms – a type of green caterpillar – into a gruel (with the addition of extra components) that will be served to school children in Zimbabwe.
He explains that it is rich in vitamins, minerals, amino and fatty acids that are required for a body's proper nutrition and development. At the same time, farming caterpillars is not limited by the country's agricultural capabilities, although until now, no one has tried to farm them systematically, with locals occasionally gathering them during high season.
Caterpillars, crickets and other insects have long been considered viable and less environmentally damaging sources of protein, especially when compared with cattle. However, their flavor and lack of appeal as a food source by some nations have so far largely impeded turning them into a replacement for beef.