Can the restrictive harvest period policy conserve mopane worms in southern Africa? A bioeconomic modelling approach

Akpalu, Wisdom; Muchapondwa, Edwin; Zikhali, Precious

doi:10.1017/s1355770x0900518x

Cited by 33 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Larvae undergo five instar stages of development over six weeks during which each larva may consume >40 g of dry leaf material and gain 4000 times its original mass (Styles , Akpalu et al . ) and then pupate in soil beneath a tree. Depending on rainfall, a second generation may emerge about March and follow the same developmental process.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Insect outbreaks alter nutrient dynamics in a southern African savanna: patchy defoliation ofColophospermum mopanesavanna byImbrasia belinalarvae

2018

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Invertebrate herbivore outbreaks have important impacts on system biogeochemical cycling, but these effects have been poorly documented in African savanna ecosystems. In semi‐arid African savannas, outbreaks of the lepidopteran Imbrasia belina (mopane worm) affect discrete patches of the dominant Colophospermum mopane trees; larvae may completely defoliate trees for up to six weeks during each of the early and late growing seasons. We studied the impact of mopane worm outbreaks on the availability of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) within mopane savanna by quantifying major nutrient pools in defoliated and non‐defoliated savanna patches, including leaves, leaf litter, worm frass, and the soil beneath trees. Within an outbreak area, approximately 44 percent of trees were infested, supporting ~29,000 worms/ha, leading to ~640 kg/ha dry weight frass deposition at 1.4 g of frass/day‐individual (fourth or fifth instar), compared with an average 1645 kg/ha dry weight of leaf on trees most of which should be deposited by litterfall at the end of the growing season. Frass had twofold higher P, 10 percent higher K, but equivalent N content than litter. Taking frass and litter deposition together, the N, P, and K contents added due to the outbreak event at our study site were 0.88, 5.8, and 2.8 times those measured in non‐outbreak patches, a pattern which was reflected in the nutrient contents of soil surfaces beneath defoliated trees. Invertebrate herbivory appears to be an important driver for mopane savanna but has been largely neglected.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mopane worms are a valuable protein source to local communities; however, populations are in decline in southern Africa due to overharvesting; a number of areas that used to have regular outbreaks have not experienced an outbreak for several years (Akpalu et al . , Gondo et al . ).…”

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confidence: 93%

Insect outbreaks alter nutrient dynamics in a southern African savanna: patchy defoliation ofColophospermum mopanesavanna byImbrasia belinalarvae

2018

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“…Therefore, some communities restrict harvesting to certain time periods and impose a fee on harvesters. Communitybased natural resource management systems need to be institutionalized to make this successful (Akpalu et al 2009). …”

Section: Edible Caterpillars Threatened In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

The environmental sustainability of insects as food and feed. A review

Huis

Oonincx

2017

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

655

381

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With a growing world population, increasingly demanding consumers, and a limited amount of agricultural land, there is an urgent need to find alternatives to conventional meat products. Livestock production is, moreover, a leading cause of anthropogenic-induced climate change. To mediate this, more sustainable diets are needed, with reduced meat consumption or the use of alternative protein sources. Insects are promoted as human food and animal feed worldwide. In tropical countries, edible insects are harvested from nature, but overexploitation, habitat changes, and environmental contamination threaten this food resource. Therefore, sustainable harvesting practices need to be developed and implemented. We provide examples of (1) aquatic insects whose populations are threatened by pollution, (2) caterpillar species in Africa that are disappearing due to overexploitation and habitat change, (3) edible insects species that are considered pests in agro-ecosystems, and (4) edible insect species that can be conserved and enhanced in forest management systems. Insect farming can be conducted either on small-scale farms or in large-scale industrialized rearing facilities. We review the environmental sustainability of insect farming compared to livestock production. The major environmental advantages of insect farming compared to livestock production are as follows: (1) less land and water is required; (2) greenhouse gas emissions are lower; (3) insects have high feed conversion efficiencies; (4) insects can transform low-value organic by-products into highquality food or feed; and (5) certain insect species can be used as animal feed or aqua feed. For instance, they can replace fish meal, which is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive.However, edible insect species intended for production should be screened for risks to humans, animals, plants, and biodiversity.

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“…Insects, being heterotrophs like all animals, require exogenous nutrients for both tissue construction and satisfaction of their energy requirements. Overexploitation has been documented in South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and DRC (Akpalu et al, 2009;Leleup and Daems, 1969;Thomas, 2013). To meet these nutritional requirements, a large array of ingredients are exploited and used for artificial diets (Anderson and Leppla, 1992;Ekesi and Mohamed, 2011;Ochieng'-Odero, 1994).…”

Section: Mass Rearing Harvesting Technique and Technological Upscalingmentioning

confidence: 99%

African edible insects for food and feed: inventory, diversity, commonalities and contribution to food security

Kelemu

Niassy

Torto

et al. 2015

JIFF

295

201

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This paper reviews entomophagy as practised in Africa within the context of food and nutritional security by providing an inventory of the various species of insects that are consumed on the continent and suggests a research for development (R4D) agenda for sustainable utilisation of insects for food and feed. Our survey showed that over 470 species of insects are eaten in Africa. The Central African region remains the most important hotspot of having a culture of entomophagy. The insects mostly eaten in the continent are dominated by the orders Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Coleoptera. Commonalities were observed across the majority of the insects consumed across Africa, providing opportunities for related R4D activities. An R4D agenda and pathways for using edible insects suggest that socio-economics and marketing studies should address issues of communities' perceptions, based on their cultural background, income and beliefs. Cost-effective rearing, harvesting and processing technologies are required to prevent depletion and ecological perturbations while ensuring continuous availability of insect-based products. Indigenous reports assert that some edible insects harbour medicinal properties; thus, the need to undertake nutritional and bioactive chemical characterisation of main edible insects along the value chain and to investigate food safety issues such as diseases, allergies, and toxicological and chemical hazards. The use of insects for waste conversion into animal feed and fertiliser requires judicious choice of substrate in view of concerns regarding contaminant loads and pathogens occurrence. Responding to these research needs and opportunities, icipe has recently established an Insects for Food, Feed and Other Uses Programme with well-defined work packages oriented towards attainment of its Vision and Strategy 2013-2020 document, with a strong orientation towards R4D and a focus on activities that lead to adoption and impact on end users, through broad based complementary linkages and partnerships with agriculture and livestock extension services, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and advanced research institutes, non-governmental organisations and the private sector.

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Can the restrictive harvest period policy conserve mopane worms in southern Africa? A bioeconomic modelling approach

Cited by 33 publications

References 11 publications

Insect outbreaks alter nutrient dynamics in a southern African savanna: patchy defoliation ofColophospermum mopanesavanna byImbrasia belinalarvae

Insect outbreaks alter nutrient dynamics in a southern African savanna: patchy defoliation ofColophospermum mopanesavanna byImbrasia belinalarvae

The environmental sustainability of insects as food and feed. A review

African edible insects for food and feed: inventory, diversity, commonalities and contribution to food security

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