Insect/Spirulina protein powder

Food insecurity, global warming, deforestation, ever-rising greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, overfishing… Global population growth has created a host of challenges as production must adapt to the increasing scarcity of natural resources, also more than a half of the worldwide fish consumption comes from aquafarming and this percentage is meant to increase with the population growth.

To this end, we propose an agroecology project:

•  the development of a novel food from insect-based ‘powder flour’ and protein-rich spirulina
• domestication, preservation, reproduction, rearing of endangered aquatic animal species

to meet the challenge of sustainable aquaculture.

World population growth (projected to almost 10 billion by 2050); global meat production quadrupled in just the last five years. Overfishing: over 800 million individuals depend on fish to feed themselves, while over half of global fish consumption is issued from fish farms.

To contribute both to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and meeting a rising demand for farmed fish. Indeed, to address climate change inevitably requires a major transformation of our diets.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization defines sustainable diets as "those diets with low environmental impacts that contribute to food and nutritional security and to healthy lives for present and future generations - entomophagy fits this description.

We propose the development of an organic insect meal-based nutriment as an alternative to the usual meal made from small wild fish from the bottom of the food chain, developing a sustainable form of aquaculture which will contribute to the preservation of threatened aquatic species native.

The project responds to several sustainable development goals: food security, environmental and biodiversity protection, gender equality, renewable energy, job creation, education, water access, strengthening of civil society.

Set at the grassroots level, relying on popular support, the beneficiaries of this project are people living in rural areas, the project will first target a remote village (population: about 340 families ~ about 1700 people ) chosen specifically for its limited access to potable water, sanitation and electricity.

Benefits include: direct employment within the farm, professional training in aquaculture, indirect employment through insect farming (340 families) and the collection of spawners (20 local fishermen).

Gender, age and physical and social accessibility taken into account.

The project aims to reduce gender inequality, develop professional diversity and women’s skills in water management and aquaculture. Positive effects should ripple onwards to their children, families, community and to society.

The project is a response to world food insecurity, seeking to establish sustainable agricultural practices in particular a sustainable aquaculture farm based on entomophagy as a low-impact alternative to traditional animal feed. The project will develop a new organic nutrient based on insect-meal low-fat and protein-rich to replace fish meal, a relatively wasteful feed necessitating 4 to 7 kg of wild species to produce one kg of farmed fish. Though the project is rooted in the village community, the solution itself is global, and could be transposed to other species and other countries.

Goal: pioneering in the development of sustainable food, to meet a changing global diet.

2 kg of plant matter needed to produce 1 kg of insects’ vs. 8kg to produce 1 kg of beef. The raw form of the nutrient is already used as part of the human diet in parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The larvae are converted via thermomechanical flavour processes (excluding the use of any chemicals) into 3 finished products:

• Protein, a component of animal feed
• Oil used in the feed also
• A Sustainable fertilising soil amendment

Crickets and grasshoppers are simple to cook, absorbing flavour easily. Insects are a more ecological source of animal protein than alternatives with a high conversion ratio.

Innovation : Insect-meal produced from house crickets (Acheta domestica), finely grinded (with a light and nutty flavour), as a substitute to fish-meal or meat-and-bone-meal – as it is rich in whole protein (7 g of protein per 10 g), easily absorbed and has a high concentration of essential amino acids (including nine amino acids that cannot be produced by the body), as well as calcium, iron, omega 3, vitamin B12 (important for health, especially the nervous system and for the conversion of food into energy) and prebiotic fiber (chitin, which constitutes the exoskeletons of arthropods). Among the most environmentally responsible sources of protein on the planet.

Environment

- The insects needed to produce the feed emit far less greenhouses gas than most livestock (for instance methane is produced by only a small subsets of insects like termites or cockroaches)

- Ammonia emissions, too, are far lower for insect farms than conventional farms.

- Insect does not require land clearing. 

- Since they are cold-blooded, insects convert their food into protein efficiently (crickets need 12 times less food as cattle and half of what is needed to produce the same amount of protein in pork or chicken).

- They can be fed directly with organic waste.

Stages of production of the insect-meal:

• The crickets are first frozen, then boiled and dehydrated.
• Closed farm with a controlled environment. Fed with traceable vegetable feed. 
• Shell life : 15 months.

We will be assisted by the FAO for the agricultural project and we have made contacts with other partners such as the National University of Laos (Nabong campus) for the insects farming project.

As a substitute to flour, to add protein to dishes (pastries, sauces, stewed dishes), protein powders for athletes… the applications of insect-meal are many. As a means of reducing hunger in the global South, and through changes in Northern habits, the impact of entomophagy can be global.

The ideal temperature to breed edible insects is between 30 and 32 Celsius. Many production facilities in Europe must spend extra resources on maintaining such temperature, while it is not the issue in Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia’s emergence as production base, decided to set up their production bases in Southeast Asia.

“Capital investment is approximately USD 760 for a breeding area of 60 square meters containing 61 concrete enclosures. Annual costs for food and other consumables at a typical cricket farm are approximately UDD 1,100 and revenues from the sale of the insects, and their eggs can reach USD 2,350 for a net income of USD 1,250 or roughly USD 21 per m2 per year,”.

Crickets are farmed vertically in boxes up to 6 meters high in racks. After 4 weeks, living crickets are harvested and culled by freezing. After washing, crickets are processed into a powder through our spray dryer.

External factors such as water or land pollution due to intense animal farming and overgrazing leading to the degradation of forests and contribute to climate change. New solutions must be found. The contribution of entomophagy to food security and environmental sustainability has the potential to be great.

Recent strong demand and high prices for fishmeal and soybeans as a result of increasing aquaculture production are driving new research into the development of insect proteins for aquaculture and poultry farming. Insect-based food products may have a market similar to that of fishmeal and soybeans, which are currently the main components used in feed formulas for aquaculture and livestock.

Available data suggest that insect-based foods are comparable to formulas based on fishmeal and soybean. The use of insects as feed for aquaculture and poultry farming is likely to become more widespread over the next decade

Live and dead insects already have established niche markets (form of pet food and in zoos).

The European Union has already authorized the use of insects in aquaculture operations – deregulation of its incorporation in human food could be imminent. Given the recent pandemic, with ensuing trends of a return to nature, local agriculture and biodiversity - this project has us poised for a turning point in dietary trends, in a country with no restrictions on the incorporation of insect meal to food.

Insects have high growth and food conversion rates as well as a low impact on the environment throughout their life cycle. They are nutritious, with a high content of proteins, fats and minerals. They can be raised from organic waste such as food waste. In addition, they can be eaten whole or reduced to powder or paste and incorporated into other foods.

• Tackling poverty via the distribution of cricket farming kits to needy families
• Tackling deforestation : jobs related to the farm should replace deforestation activity linked to coal production 
• Renewable energy 
• Solar drilling system 
• Sustainable and organic production at every stage
  
• Protection of terrestrial and aquatic species 
• The insects open up a new outlet for the biological waste used to feed them
  

There is a good reason to believe that promoting insect consumption can help not only combat malnutrition, alleviate food insecurity but also generate new sources of income in Laos as most people the country consume insects at least occasionally.

Set at the grassroots level, relying on popular support, the project targets a remote village (population: ~ 1700) chosen specifically for its limited access to potable water, sanitation and electricity.

Benefits include: direct employment within the farm (15 people), professional training in aquaculture, indirect employment through insect farming (340 families) and the collection of spawners (20 local fishermen).

Gender, age and physical and social accessibility taken into account.

The project aims to reduce gender inequality, develop professional diversity and women’s skills in water management and aquaculture. Positive effects should ripple onwards to their children, families, community and to society.

In five years, we would like to extend this project in other provinces of Laos and thus duplicate it on different watershed of Cambodia and also export this model and product abroad.

The project is to establish an ecological aquaculture farm (construction will begin within the year) that will both protect biodiversity and the environment, while creating jobs and fostering the expertise needed for the project to be sustainable on the long term, managed by the villagers themselves. It is not so much a punctual aid as a restructuring of the community around a soon to be self-financed activity. This community will launch new natural reproduction techniques and formulate a novel food from insect-based ‘powder flour’ to meet the challenge of sustainable aquaculture    

There is potential for exporting excess supply to Vientiane capital (40km form the project). The conversion of excess crickets into food additives [insect flour or paste] could be explored”.

In the next five years our goals is to setup our first manufacturing plant in Laos, commercialize new product, fillet of fresh and frozen organic fish and also launch a new protein kit from insect-based.

With the success made and lessons learnt, the project will ramp up or scale up to other villages to other District to other countries.

The will increase the beneficiaries to over

Approved insects could be distributed and sold throughout the European Union, but also in the United States. Start-up companies recognizing this business opportunity may begin to make themselves known.

In terms of finance, we are currently looking for funding.

During a previous pilot project, we had identified different blocking points.

Potential hurdles, and our plans to mitigate them include:

Power cuts, insufficient water supply, flooding, burglary, disease, reproduction issues, insects, human resources, health accidents, training issues…

Beyond these points, we stress the necessity of understanding the lao language, in order to keep up a good relationship with the laotian administration but also to communicate with the project participants, and to understand local habits and customs. We note likely administrative delays as we seek the necessary authorizations. We need to find the right people with the skills to develop this project, especially during the export project.

Finance: we are currently fund raising

Technical:

Power cuts: an alarm, a diesel backup, solar panels

Insufficient water supply: irrigation canals, holding basins, a water pump on hand, contacts with the personnel working the pumps (Xaythany district), aerators.

Flooding: project situated in a non-floodable zone, but nonetheless – construction of a raised dyke and a protective net, raised buildings, a drainage system (drainage into a canal)

Burglary: CCTV cameras, a watchman with a dog

Disease: natural products to treat both insects and fish, quarantine zones, experience of the procedures. A sample of each species of insect or fish will be stored to be studied.

Reproduction issues: simultaneous couplings to secure egg-laying

Insects: Expand sources by training several families to farm them independently (in addition to the farm’s production)

Human resources: staff available near the farm

Health accidents: a thorough understanding of local medical structures, contacts in case of emergency

Training issues: Partnerships/exchanges with diverse structures to train staff.

We are in process of learning the language and have knowledge of the administrative workings due to a previous project in Laos. We also have a translator assigned to the project. We have surrounded ourselves with a competent team to develop this project.

« Electricians without borders » France 5 people, « Electricians without borders » USA 3 people, 3 people from the association “Mekong Enfants des Rizières” 14 volunteers students and teachers in architecture, translation and digital and finally in Laos 10 people from the lao association “Pa NamKong Lao Community Association”.

The “Mékong Enfants des Rizières” organisation bases itself on previous experience of projects in Laos led by CIRAD, that its president (https://www.linkedin.com/in/franck-s-76b72717/) was involved in.

The expertise needed for the project will thus be brought by the organisation, which will be assisted by the international organisation « Electricians without borders » for technical assistance in electricity supply and for training. 80% of the team has already been involved in missions in Laos (hospital of Vientiane, Phongsaly, Nonghet).

The training will be provided by local partners according to national procedures. An emphasis will be put on empowering local partners.

Probable risks have been studied (including power and water cuts, flooding, illness, human resources, fish reproduction issues, accidents and health, training), as well as the means of facing them.

Complementing the expertise brought by French participants, the project connects with local actors to reinforce its capacities.

« Pa NamKong Lao Community Association” (PNLCA):

Civil society organisation representing the village community benefitting from the project. With our support this community has already participated in numerous projects in hydroponics, rice-fish farming and aquaculture. The organisation will provide land. One of its members studied in France ; she will thus be our interlocutor, alongside the village chief who will be our intermediary for local administration. 

"Association de Soutien au Développement des Sociétés Paysannes" (ASDSP): a formal structure registered by the Ministry of Agriculture that will contribute expertise in organic agriculture.

LARReC will be involved in professional training in aquaculture, which will take place on its premises. 

The National University of Laos, Nabong campus will be involved in training for insect farming.

Field project expertise will be provided by the French civil society organisation « Mekong Enfants des Rizières », which will assist the NGO « Electricians without borders » for technical assistance related to electricity supply  a team of retired executives trained in electromecanics, electro-technics, logistics, experts in photovoltaic. Mr. Gallerne Daniel will be team and project manager and is a permanent member of the ESF project support group, with experiences including: the electrification of villages in Madagascar, Bolivia, Laos, Haiti and Laos. The ESF team enabled us to design the project.

Bibliographical support from the FAO, MRC and administrative support from the French embassy.

B2B and B2C

The project aims to build a sustainable aquaculture farm of endangered species indigenous from the Mekong river, fed on insect-meal produced by families that will be provided by kits. It will contribute to the preservation of natural habitats and the upkeep of the Mekong’s fish population. The farm will follow a sustainable economical model, based on a renewable source of electricity and water supply in the form solar panels for lighting and a solar drilling system, an innovative hatchery design, and insect-based feed as a cheap and efficient source of nutrition. The farm will be made financially self-sustaining and the villagers will be trained before appropriating the farm – a particular emphasis will be put on empowering and enabling the autonomy of communities, as well as the education of youth and promotion of gender inequality.

Profitability of operations

This project will employ the entire community and create many indirect jobs, with an ultimate goal of becoming self-sufficient, functioning without aid. Studies have been carried out on the species to be selected according to their rarity in the natural environment, their market value, ensuring they are of an adequate size to be sold on the markets – based on an inventory of all markets including organic markets in the capital of Vientiane (we are looking also market at the Thai border). Our partnership with ASDSP will allow us to join their cooperative. The sizing of the project will initially be local but may become regional and international.

We aim to respond to population growth by proposing a sustainable change to our dietary habits. This project of economic development transcends the simple conception of our insect/spirulina powder for a sustainable aquaculture: we plan to promote the feed by incorporating it to human meals as a meat substitute. With the help of MIT Solve, we hope to promote and disseminate the innovation, by gaining international exposure and through the benefit of your backing and expertise. MIT Solve would be an ideal platform for us to propagate our project, to obtain the recognition of investors as well as the interest and involvement of a wider public. It is a well-established community, and could play a crucial role to the development of our project; it has the means of bringing together different initiatives and will enable us to overcome practical obstacles. By aiding our project, MIT Solve will participate in a push for dietary change, an initiative that aims to meet the needs of the most deprived, but also of humanity as a whole, that of our planet and of biodiversity.

We need funds to launch the project and for its maturation in line with our aim of eventually reaching financial sufficiency and community autonomy. Our needs are thus mainly in media, exposure and marketing.This nutriment could be used in the United States as we have transposed some breeding methods for use with the channel catfish species (Ictalurus punctatus), which is the most common species in North America, native to the Mississippi valley. There will be no issue adapting the feed which we are currently using on the channel catfish’ Asian counterpart, Hemibagrus wyckioides. 

We thus have alternate growth paths: the breeding infrastructure will be established, we would only need to increase the number of ponds in order to increase productivity, self-financing capacity and the number of jobs, with an ultimate plan of regional export. 

We would be very grateful were MIT SOLVE to enable us to network with foreign organisations and structures, especially those based in the United States  in order to exchange insights, to propose partnerships, to share our experience and our solution, so that it can be recognized,  gain export approval and certification of sustainability and of its organic nature.

For instance, an organisation that already has international visibility, which can sponsor and support us. We have already contacted « Electricians without borders – United States » to work with us on the renewable energy component of our project – hence we have already started the process of internationalizing it.

We would like to work with the French Development Agency (Agence française de Développement, AFD) as well as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This recognition provided by MIT-SOLVE would allow us to accomplish the project, but also to establish some standing: it would act as a guarantee of our organization’s seriousness and credibility in its efforts to respond to a global challenge in line with United Nations sustainable development goals.

We will the Future Planet Capital Prize to promote this solution (Insects / Spirulina Powder)

This project will be duplicate in other countries 

This project will provide numerous direct and indirect employment opportunities People in need whose physical security, basic rights, dignity, living conditions or livelihoods are threatened or have been disrupted and whose current level of access to basic services, goods and social protection is inadequate to reestablish normal living conditions with their accustomed means in a timely manner without additional assistance.

This prize will help us to build partnserships with civil society organisations abroad, research institutes and universities via exchanges.

The project tackles multiple issues (we refer for to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals) in interconnected and overlapping ways:

Supporting entomophagy in cultures in which it is already widespread

• Conduct in-depth research on the ecology of species promoted for consumption and farming
• Raise awareness among consumers on the advantages of entomophagy
• Develop new ways of integrating insects into the diets of a wide range of consumers through the creation of insect-based products
• Promote insects as a feed supplement for farming

Social advantages

Insect collection and farming is a significant avenue of dietary diversification. Insects can easily be collected directly in their wild state. Only minimal investment is needed for harvesting and materials.

• Insects can be gathered from the wild, cultivated, transformed and sold by the poorest and most vulnerable members of society, including women and landless farmers in both urban and rural regions. Such activity can both directly improve diets and provide a source of revenues via the sale of surpluses as street food.
• Insect collection and farming can open up commercial opportunities in all economies: developed, developing and transition economies.
• Insects can be transformed into animal or human food relatively easily. Some species can be consumed whole. Others can be crushed into meal, turned into pastes, or have their protein extracted.

Meals made from insects comply with standards recommended by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the United Nations, the WHO (World Health Organization) and the UNU (United Nations University). Insect-based meals provide for most of the body’s nutritive needs, and may well be an answer to the challenge of feeding humanity.