Importance of Insects as Food in Africa

Huis, A. van

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-32952-5_1

Cited by 13 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…Over many years, indigenous African insect consumers have mastered skills of harvesting edible insects from the wild. Chavhunduka (2) documented several traditional methods used for harvesting edible insects from the wild in Zimbabwe while van Huis (31) and DeFoliart (32) recorded traditional approaches used in different parts of Africa. Documented records provide evidence that most of the traditional harvesting methods are based on knowledge of insect life-history strategies (such as patterns of survival, feeding and reproduction) by local gatherers.…”

Section: Is There Evidence For Good Stewardship Of Edible Insects' Utilization In Ssa? Evidence From Harvesting Methods From the Wildmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Van Huis (6) and DeFoliart (32) provided extensive details on processing methods by indigenous communities in Africa. Evidence from recent documentations in parts of southern Africa (37,42,43), van Huis (31) indicates that several of the old traditions are still being practiced in modern insect consumption activities.…”

Section: Evidence From Insect Traditional Processing and Preparation Methods Of Consumptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stewardship of Wild and Farmed Edible Insects as Food and Feed in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective

Musundire

Ngonyama²,

Chemura

et al. 2021

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Edible insects have gained popularity as alternative food resources in the face of climate change and increasing carbon and environmental footprints associated with conventional agricultural production. Among the positive attributes that make edible insects suitable as food and feed substrates include rapid reproduction, high energy conversion efficiency, wide distribution, diversity, reduced greenhouses gases and ammonia emissions, possibility to reduce waste and high nutritional composition. In Sub-Saharan Africa, considerable scientific data exist on use of insects as food and livestock feed. However, coherent policies regarding safety, sustainability, trade and regulation of insects as food and animal feed are lacking. The benefits associated with edible insects are likely to accrue in Sub-Saharan Africa through use of a combination of approaches such as ensured sustainable utilization of edible insects in the wild, preservation of traditional conservation, harvesting and consumption practices, development of captive mass production schemes and strengthening robust value chains to incentivise indigenous participants. Collectively these approaches are referred to as the steward and use of insects as food and animal feed. This paper examines the policy frameworks that exist to support the use of edible insects as food and feed on the African continent. This investigation employed a literature review focussing on national policies in selected African countries to assess the relevance to edible insects. Using a baseline of more than 10 edible insect species consumed, 10 country cases in Sub-Saharan Africa were used to support our in-depth examination of the policy situation that may support good stewardship of edible insects as food and feed. Focus on how policies encompassing biodiversity, natural resources, culture, education, research, technology development, trade, health and nutrition and how that could be improved to support inclusivity of edible insects is discussed. We conclude by proposing a pathway that may accelerate recognition and valorisation of edible insects as important food and feed resources in Sub-Saharan Africa including improving policies to support good stewardship of these resources for sustainability.

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Section: Is There Evidence For Good Stewardship Of Edible Insects' Utilization In Ssa? Evidence From Harvesting Methods From the Wildmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evidence From Insect Traditional Processing and Preparation Methods Of Consumptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stewardship of Wild and Farmed Edible Insects as Food and Feed in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective

Musundire

Ngonyama²,

Chemura

et al. 2021

Front. Vet. Sci.

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“…Still, it should be stressed that the "international" species seem to have originated from the pet food sector and by chance also resulted suitable for human consumption (Costa Neto and Ramos Elorduy, 2006;Grabowski, 2017;Van Huis, 2020;Magara et al, 2021). Locusts, such as migratory (L. migratoria) and desert (S. gregaria) locusts are traditionally mostly consumed in times of invasion when swarms offer a large amount of available insects.…”

Section: Constraint Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although it is not proven that all productive insects can experience distress and pain (resp. to which extend), it is being suggested that they should be farmed and killed using the precautionary principle, which means that the Brambell's five freedoms (Table 6) do apply to them and must be observed mandatorily, regardless of consumer expectations (Van Huis, 2020).…”

Section: Consumer Awareness and Acceptancementioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Insects—A Source of Safe and Sustainable Food?— “Jein” (Yes and No)

Grabowski¹,

Abdulmawjood²,

Acheuk³

et al. 2022

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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For almost a decade, edible insects have become promoted on a wider basis as one way to combat world hunger and malnourishment, although attempts to do so have a longer history. Contemporary researchers and consumers, particularly those without an entomophagous background, have been rising safety and sustainability concerns. The present contribution seeks a substantiated answer to the question posed above. The possible answer consists of different factors that have been taken into consideration. First, the species and its life cycle. It is mandatory to realize that what is labeled as “edible insects” stands for more than 2,140 animal species, not counting other edible, non-crustacean arthropods. Their life cycles are as diverse as the ecological niches these animals can fill and last between some days to several years and many of them may—or may not—be reproduced in the different farming systems. Second, the level of knowledge concerning the food use of a given species is important, be it traditional, newly created by research, or a combination of both. Third, the existence of a traditional method of making the use of the insect safe and sustainable, ideally from both the traditional and the modern points of view. Fourth, the degree of effectiveness of these measures despite globalization changes in the food-supplying network. Fifth, farming conditions, particularly housing, feeding (type, composition, and contaminants), animal health and animal welfare. Sixth, processing, transport, and storage conditions of both traditional and novel insect-based foodstuffs, and seventh, consumer awareness and acceptance of these products. These main variables create a complex web of possibilities, just as with other foodstuffs that are either harvested from the wild or farmed. In this way, food safety may be reached when proper hygiene protocols are observed (which usually include heating steps) and the animals do not contain chemical residues or environment contaminants. A varying degree of sustainability can be achieved if the aforementioned variables are heeded. Hence, the question if insects can be safe and sustainable can be answered with “jein,” a German portmanteau word joining “yes” (“ja”) and “no” (“nein”).

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“…Eating insects is a part of local culture for at least 2 billion people in about 113 countries [1,2,3,4], and Africa accounts for over 120 million insect eaters [5]. Of the 2,111 edible insect species known globally [6], around 500 species have been reported in sub-Saharan Africa [7,8]. In Africa, edible insects are mainly collected from the wild for household consumption and informal trade [9,10,11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Safety, regulatory and environmental issues related to breeding and international trade of edible insects in Africa

NIASSY¹,

OMUSE²,

ROOS³

et al. 2022

Rev. Sci. Tech. OIE

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Insect breeding or farming for food and feed is an emerging enterprise that can address the ever-growing demand for protein and curb high unemployment rates in Africa and beyond. However, for the sector to prosper, its value chain needs to be regulated to ensure sustainability and safety for consumers and the environment. Although a few African countries, such as Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, have promulgated standards on the use of insects as food and feed, greater efforts are needed in other countries, and relevant policies governing the sector need to be formulated.All over the globe, attention to the regulation of the edible insect sector is increasing, and more investment in the industry is foreseen. Safety issues such as identifying which species should be reared, substrate quality and traceability imposed by importing countries will be critical for expansion of the sector. This paper analyses safety, regulatory and environmental issues related to breeding and international trade of edible insects in Africa and provides case studies and recommendations for sustainable use of insects for food and feed.

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Importance of Insects as Food in Africa

Cited by 13 publications

References 99 publications

Stewardship of Wild and Farmed Edible Insects as Food and Feed in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective

Stewardship of Wild and Farmed Edible Insects as Food and Feed in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective

Review: Insects—A Source of Safe and Sustainable Food?— “Jein” (Yes and No)

Safety, regulatory and environmental issues related to breeding and international trade of edible insects in Africa

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