Edible insects have long been touted as a resource-efficient source of protein, requiring less land and water than conventional animals. However, taste and cultural resistance have proven to be obstacles to expanding the practice in many parts of the world. In a move to raise awareness of the substantial benefits of eating insects on paper, a £50,000 UK aid program in the DRC is putting African caterpillars, migratory locusts and black soldier flies on the menu. Workers collect mopane caterpillars and prepare them for sale at the Zambia Cup. Photo: Sue Cunningham/Alamy The initiative is being pioneered in the North and South Kivu provinces of the DRC, where cattle breeding is one of the few livelihoods for rural residents. But as the population in these areas increases, space for livestock is reduced and beef farming puts a strain on water supplies. Twenty-three species of insects are already consumed in the South Kivu region, although the Congolese do not usually farm them, but collect them opportunistically depending on the season. Edible insects commonly consumed in the area include the African palm weevil, beetle, termites and crickets. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod), a charity in England and Wales, hopes that the Congolese will start cultivating insects in an industrialized way. Cafod did not respond to a Guardian question about how she intended to use the money. A street vendor sells mopane worms. Photo: poco_bw/Alamy Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, another development project is underway to use mopane worms in porridge served in schools. The slimy green caterpillars, which turn into emperor moths, are already commonly harvested for consumption from vegetation during the rainy seasons in rural Zimbabwe. With £300,000 of the aid budget, officials plan to feed poor children aged seven to 11 in the southern city of Gwada and the capital Harare, a bug-infested hotbed which they say has the benefits of being rich in critical vitamins and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, sodium, vitamins B1 and B2, and niacin. Project leader Dr Alberto Fiore, professor of food chemistry and technology at Abertay University in Dundee, said Zimbabweans rely heavily on maize, which is low in protein, essential minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. A mopane worm seller places the worms on a metal sheet before leaving them to dry at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Fiore said he and his team have devised a formula that combines locally-raised mopane worms with grains and fruits that don’t need to be imported — a major boon as the war in Ukraine and a strong U.S. dollar make food grown abroad increasingly scarce. more inaccessible. Although he didn’t want to reveal his recipe before the study data were published, Fiore said his insect-based porridge contained grains such as sorghum and millet. He said he was confident the dish was palatable, with his research team having carried out consumer taste tests in Scotland, a country long associated with porridge. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Hitting the bug-based meal is just the first stage of the project. A randomized control trial will be conducted to see if children who eat breakfast perform better at school and become healthier weights. Dr Sarah Beynon, founder of Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire and an academic entomologist, said aid programs promoting edible insects were “a sure way to save lives and improve the diets of the poorest people on planet Earth”. A man cooks mopane worms using firewood at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty He said: “We are also actively encouraging people in the developed world to include insects in their diet. “With a population eager to push far beyond planetary boundaries, and with current agriculture decimating biodiversity and changing the climate, we have no choice but to change the way we produce and consume food… and our views on issue as well.” Both aid projects were funded through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an agency of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. A UKRI spokesman said: “We support specific research projects with funding, but we expect that the knowledge and insights gathered will benefit citizens around the world, regardless of their financial situation. The protein and environmental benefits of eating insects have been widely reported worldwide.”


title: “Let Them Eat Bugs Uk Urges Starving African Nations To Farm Insects Insects Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-25” author: “Cheryl Chiaramonte”


Edible insects have long been touted as a resource-efficient source of protein, requiring less land and water than conventional animals. However, taste and cultural resistance have proven to be obstacles to expanding the practice in many parts of the world. In a move to raise awareness of the substantial benefits of eating insects on paper, a £50,000 UK aid program in the DRC is putting African caterpillars, migratory locusts and black soldier flies on the menu. Workers collect mopane caterpillars and prepare them for sale at the Zambia Cup. Photo: Sue Cunningham/Alamy The initiative is being pioneered in the North and South Kivu provinces of the DRC, where cattle breeding is one of the few livelihoods for rural residents. But as the population in these areas increases, space for livestock is reduced and beef farming puts a strain on water supplies. Twenty-three species of insects are already consumed in the South Kivu region, although the Congolese do not usually farm them, but collect them opportunistically depending on the season. Edible insects commonly consumed in the area include the African palm weevil, beetle, termites and crickets. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod), a charity in England and Wales, hopes that the Congolese will start cultivating insects in an industrialized way. Cafod did not respond to a Guardian question about how she intended to use the money. A street vendor sells mopane worms. Photo: poco_bw/Alamy Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, another development project is underway to use mopane worms in porridge served in schools. The slimy green caterpillars, which turn into emperor moths, are already commonly harvested for consumption from vegetation during the rainy seasons in rural Zimbabwe. With £300,000 of the aid budget, officials plan to feed poor children aged seven to 11 in the southern city of Gwada and the capital Harare, a bug-infested hotbed which they say has the benefits of being rich in critical vitamins and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, sodium, vitamins B1 and B2, and niacin. Project leader Dr Alberto Fiore, professor of food chemistry and technology at Abertay University in Dundee, said Zimbabweans rely heavily on maize, which is low in protein, essential minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. A mopane worm seller places the worms on a metal sheet before leaving them to dry at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Fiore said he and his team have devised a formula that combines locally-raised mopane worms with grains and fruits that don’t need to be imported — a major boon as the war in Ukraine and a strong U.S. dollar make food grown abroad increasingly scarce. more inaccessible. Although he didn’t want to reveal his recipe before the study data were published, Fiore said his insect-based porridge contained grains such as sorghum and millet. He said he was confident the dish was palatable, with his research team having carried out consumer taste tests in Scotland, a country long associated with porridge. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Hitting the bug-based meal is just the first stage of the project. A randomized control trial will be conducted to see if children who eat breakfast perform better at school and become healthier weights. Dr Sarah Beynon, founder of Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire and an academic entomologist, said aid programs promoting edible insects were “a sure way to save lives and improve the diets of the poorest people on planet Earth”. A man cooks mopane worms using firewood at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty He said: “We are also actively encouraging people in the developed world to include insects in their diet. “With a population eager to push far beyond planetary boundaries, and with current agriculture decimating biodiversity and changing the climate, we have no choice but to change the way we produce and consume food… and our views on issue as well.” Both aid projects were funded through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an agency of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. A UKRI spokesman said: “We support specific research projects with funding, but we expect that the knowledge and insights gathered will benefit citizens around the world, regardless of their financial situation. The protein and environmental benefits of eating insects have been widely reported worldwide.”


title: “Let Them Eat Bugs Uk Urges Starving African Nations To Farm Insects Insects Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “Angela Tate”


Edible insects have long been touted as a resource-efficient source of protein, requiring less land and water than conventional animals. However, taste and cultural resistance have proven to be obstacles to expanding the practice in many parts of the world. In a move to raise awareness of the substantial benefits of eating insects on paper, a £50,000 UK aid program in the DRC is putting African caterpillars, migratory locusts and black soldier flies on the menu. Workers collect mopane caterpillars and prepare them for sale at the Zambia Cup. Photo: Sue Cunningham/Alamy The initiative is being pioneered in the North and South Kivu provinces of the DRC, where cattle breeding is one of the few livelihoods for rural residents. But as the population in these areas increases, space for livestock is reduced and beef farming puts a strain on water supplies. Twenty-three species of insects are already consumed in the South Kivu region, although the Congolese do not usually farm them, but collect them opportunistically depending on the season. Edible insects commonly consumed in the area include the African palm weevil, beetle, termites and crickets. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod), a charity in England and Wales, hopes that the Congolese will start cultivating insects in an industrialized way. Cafod did not respond to a Guardian question about how she intended to use the money. A street vendor sells mopane worms. Photo: poco_bw/Alamy Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, another development project is underway to use mopane worms in porridge served in schools. The slimy green caterpillars, which turn into emperor moths, are already commonly harvested for consumption from vegetation during the rainy seasons in rural Zimbabwe. With £300,000 of the aid budget, officials plan to feed poor children aged seven to 11 in the southern city of Gwada and the capital Harare, a bug-infested hotbed which they say has the benefits of being rich in critical vitamins and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, sodium, vitamins B1 and B2, and niacin. Project leader Dr Alberto Fiore, professor of food chemistry and technology at Abertay University in Dundee, said Zimbabweans rely heavily on maize, which is low in protein, essential minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. A mopane worm seller places the worms on a metal sheet before leaving them to dry at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Fiore said he and his team have devised a formula that combines locally-raised mopane worms with grains and fruits that don’t need to be imported — a major boon as the war in Ukraine and a strong U.S. dollar make food grown abroad increasingly scarce. more inaccessible. Although he didn’t want to reveal his recipe before the study data were published, Fiore said his insect-based porridge contained grains such as sorghum and millet. He said he was confident the dish was palatable, with his research team having carried out consumer taste tests in Scotland, a country long associated with porridge. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Hitting the bug-based meal is just the first stage of the project. A randomized control trial will be conducted to see if children who eat breakfast perform better at school and become healthier weights. Dr Sarah Beynon, founder of Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire and an academic entomologist, said aid programs promoting edible insects were “a sure way to save lives and improve the diets of the poorest people on planet Earth”. A man cooks mopane worms using firewood at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty He said: “We are also actively encouraging people in the developed world to include insects in their diet. “With a population eager to push far beyond planetary boundaries, and with current agriculture decimating biodiversity and changing the climate, we have no choice but to change the way we produce and consume food… and our views on issue as well.” Both aid projects were funded through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an agency of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. A UKRI spokesman said: “We support specific research projects with funding, but we expect that the knowledge and insights gathered will benefit citizens around the world, regardless of their financial situation. The protein and environmental benefits of eating insects have been widely reported worldwide.”


title: “Let Them Eat Bugs Uk Urges Starving African Nations To Farm Insects Insects Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “Leona Alfonso”


Edible insects have long been touted as a resource-efficient source of protein, requiring less land and water than conventional animals. However, taste and cultural resistance have proven to be obstacles to expanding the practice in many parts of the world. In a move to raise awareness of the substantial benefits of eating insects on paper, a £50,000 UK aid program in the DRC is putting African caterpillars, migratory locusts and black soldier flies on the menu. Workers collect mopane caterpillars and prepare them for sale at the Zambia Cup. Photo: Sue Cunningham/Alamy The initiative is being pioneered in the North and South Kivu provinces of the DRC, where cattle breeding is one of the few livelihoods for rural residents. But as the population in these areas increases, space for livestock is reduced and beef farming puts a strain on water supplies. Twenty-three species of insects are already consumed in the South Kivu region, although the Congolese do not usually farm them, but collect them opportunistically depending on the season. Edible insects commonly consumed in the area include the African palm weevil, beetle, termites and crickets. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod), a charity in England and Wales, hopes that the Congolese will start cultivating insects in an industrialized way. Cafod did not respond to a Guardian question about how she intended to use the money. A street vendor sells mopane worms. Photo: poco_bw/Alamy Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, another development project is underway to use mopane worms in porridge served in schools. The slimy green caterpillars, which turn into emperor moths, are already commonly harvested for consumption from vegetation during the rainy seasons in rural Zimbabwe. With £300,000 of the aid budget, officials plan to feed poor children aged seven to 11 in the southern city of Gwada and the capital Harare, a bug-infested hotbed which they say has the benefits of being rich in critical vitamins and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, sodium, vitamins B1 and B2, and niacin. Project leader Dr Alberto Fiore, professor of food chemistry and technology at Abertay University in Dundee, said Zimbabweans rely heavily on maize, which is low in protein, essential minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. A mopane worm seller places the worms on a metal sheet before leaving them to dry at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Fiore said he and his team have devised a formula that combines locally-raised mopane worms with grains and fruits that don’t need to be imported — a major boon as the war in Ukraine and a strong U.S. dollar make food grown abroad increasingly scarce. more inaccessible. Although he didn’t want to reveal his recipe before the study data were published, Fiore said his insect-based porridge contained grains such as sorghum and millet. He said he was confident the dish was palatable, with his research team having carried out consumer taste tests in Scotland, a country long associated with porridge. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Hitting the bug-based meal is just the first stage of the project. A randomized control trial will be conducted to see if children who eat breakfast perform better at school and become healthier weights. Dr Sarah Beynon, founder of Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire and an academic entomologist, said aid programs promoting edible insects were “a sure way to save lives and improve the diets of the poorest people on planet Earth”. A man cooks mopane worms using firewood at his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Photo: Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty He said: “We are also actively encouraging people in the developed world to include insects in their diet. “With a population eager to push far beyond planetary boundaries, and with current agriculture decimating biodiversity and changing the climate, we have no choice but to change the way we produce and consume food… and our views on issue as well.” Both aid projects were funded through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an agency of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. A UKRI spokesman said: “We support specific research projects with funding, but we expect that the knowledge and insights gathered will benefit citizens around the world, regardless of their financial situation. The protein and environmental benefits of eating insects have been widely reported worldwide.”