Can humble fly solve China’s protein problem as food stocks dwindle?
- Insect farm in Shanghai aims to turn kitchen scraps and other household waste into animal feed and fertilisers
- The technology is already in use in the Netherlands as a nutrient-rich and sustainable source of proteins
Insects nourished by kitchen and other organic waste could be a more sustainable way to provide protein for China’s population, as conventional sources become increasingly scarce, according to Chinese scientists and international industry experts.
The insect-based proteins make a highly nutritious animal feed which is better for livestock health and addresses dwindling fish stocks and the substantial environmental concerns around intensive livestock farming.
Urban residents produce large amounts of biodegradable kitchen scraps and other matter every day which is literally going to waste, according to the Shanghai Observer, a news agency owned by the city’s party committee.
“In Shanghai alone, the average daily output of wet waste was 9,329 tonnes from March to July 2022. Yet the city could only process 8,200 tonnes a day, leaving a deficit of about 1,100 tonnes each day,” it said.
Insect farming technology offers a potential solution to both problems. Worms fed with pre-processed wet waste convert the organic matter into a rich source of nutrients – a process that is efficient, harmless and sustainable.
An insect farm established by the The Shanghai Urban Construction Investment Corporation is testing the process, converting 50 tonnes of pre-processed wet waste into 11 tonnes of protein-rich larvae and 12.8 tonnes of organic fertiliser daily.