2022 Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge

Selected

Tripple P

Managing food waste using insect technology to provide affordable and eco-friendly animal feed and fertilizer

Team Lead

Gloria Cherono

Short Solution Description:

Tripple P is an insect company that upcycles food waste streams using insect technology to make affordable and eco-friendly animal feed and fertilizer. This process reduces the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills. Food waste is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses. Tripple P’s composting process reduces the production of methane gas in the atmosphere by 47%. 

Insect larvae, which live on food waste, are viable protein sources for animal feed. Larvae have a crude protein level of between 40- 50%, depending on the substrate fed. This is a great substitute for soybeans and fish meal as it takes less land to produce than soybeans, thus freeing land for the cultivation of crops for human consumption instead of animals. It also reduces pressure on marine life, as indicated by overfishing in the water bodies across the globe. By providing a sustainable, affordable, and eco-friendly alternative, Tripple P will provide a low-cost alternative to animal feed and bio-fertilizer.

The Problem: 

Tripple P market research found that farmers in Kenya spend 70-80% of their revenue on the purchase of animal feed. This is due to several factors. First, there is a high cost to the protein sources used to manufacture animal feed such as shrimp, mackerels, and soybeans. Secondly, there is an overreliance on imported fertilizers that have volatile price changes. 

Another problem is poor food waste management. Food production companies have scraps that need to be managed. These companies use waste management companies that dispose of this residue in landfills. Food waste in landfills produces methane and is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses globally. However, by managing the waste through Tripple P processes, scraps are upcycled into fertilizer or animal feed, thus re-introducing the inputs back into the ecosystem, all while reducing methane emissions from the food by 47%.

What barriers currently exist for you to accomplish your goals in the next year?

There are financial barriers related to purchasing equipment, paying the farm managers and casuals, and paying for transportation of the waste and the dried larvae. There are also expensive legal fees related to business registration and licensing, licenses for waste collection, licenses for insect rearing, and licenses for running a waste management facility. Finally, there are market barriers such as finding easy to collect waste that requires minimal waste separation and choosing the best site to run the pilot.

Organization Website: n/a

Social Media Links (if available):

Solution Stage:

Pilot: An organization deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community

Solution Team:

 
 
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