Kenya is battling some of the worst locust plagues in decades, but start-up The Bug Picture hopes to transform the pests into profits and bring “hope to the hopeless” whose crops and livelihoods are being destroyed by the insects.
Reuters reports The Bug Picture is working with communities around the area of Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu in central Kenya to harvest the insects and mill them, turning them into protein-rich animal feed and organic fertilizer for farms.
According to The Bug Picture's website, communities harvesting the live locusts will receive immediate payment.
The locusts will be processed, using simple replicable techniques, and included in animal feed. There will be eight different formulations fed to broiler chickens as part of the project.
The Bug Picture is intent on finding solutions to environmental challenges in East Africa, with insects as the hero. By sustainably creating animal feed and bio-fertiliser, through the combination of black soldier fly larvae and organic waste, they hope to ‘close the loop’ and create a zero-waste system.
