The need to increase food production to feed the growing population is the major task the world is facing these days. Nutrition crisis is the another matter of concern. Protein requirements are increasing day by day and the so the stress on the meat industry is more. As a result there is a growing burden on the environment through excessive deforestation, carbon footprint, water consumption etc. All these conditions reveal the truth that the goal of sustainable food diet is far away.
Black Solider Larvae Farming has the potential to become the sustainable source of meat .
Biology of Black Solider Fly
- The scientific name of the insect is Hermetia illucens.
- The insect comes under the Dipteran family and is a potential protein supplement.
- They have shorter life cycle (larvae can be harvested in about 13 days) and high reproduction rate which makes them suitable for feed purpose.
- The black soldier fly can be used as a animal feed, they provide a potential sustainable solution to issue of fodder to fish farms and livestock.
- The increasing concerns about the after effects of deforestation happening due to soya production can be addressed amicably by taking this step.
- The population can be grown in minimum are of space and does not require clean water to thrive.
- Larvae’s grow in close proximity
All this means there is less changes to be made in the farming area .It can bring more of chicken and other meat on to the table.
Breeding
The breeding phase includes collection of the eggs laid by the insect and they are then transferred to special trays. This phase needs high temperature and humidity along with fresh flow of air.
In the next phase they requires optimum temperature in terms of temperature, humidity and air.
- With in 9 days they grow into protein rich biomass by consuming all the organic wastes given. Production is carried out using the highly efficient vertical farming method. This means that the larvae are grown in ZOEM racks, minimizing the amount of floor space needed and maximizing the surface area available for growth.
- They generate zero waste and also feeds on all types of materials like organic wastes. The byproducts like manures, food waste ,mold etc. can be given as feed.
- At the harvesting stage the larvae acquires about 40 % to 65 % of protein in their body. They are suitably converted to protein rich larvae meal and sold to animal feed companies.
- One of the biggest concerns for the environment today is the unequal distribution of manure and great amount of organic wastes. This manure is not immediately used as fertilizer for plants or grains. The storage and management of manure is associated with environmental problems such as soil and air pollution, space limitation and odour.
To all this, scaling up of the black solider larvae farming can find the sustainable solution. Developed nations has already taken up this. Its time for the other nations to join this path and move towards the goal of sustainability.