Save a forest by fighting protein deficiency

During the last two years, we were informed on the radio that Madagascar is under the threat of serious food crisis. The population grows very fast and the farm space reduces every year due to climate condition or of cultural practices outdated and destructive.  In my area which is around the Makira Protected Area (MPA) in Maroantsetra, Madagascar , people are still practicing tavy " slash and burn " and it concerns large tracts of fields.

This practice has existed for many years. Now, the soil becomes sterile and people move to another field to slash and burn again and again. I realized that if nothing is done, my area have a serious problem of malnutrition. It is for this reason that I and my NGO Sepali Madagascar has decide to exploit varieties of edible insects to meet our nutritional needs.

Last year, SEPALIM introduced to farmers that produced wild silk a new perspective to eat pupae or chrysalis in order to improve our protein intake . For this year, Sepali Madagascar has decided to strengthen its research for other groups of edible insects and exploit them as a source of protein for the population around MPA.

We began our studies by observation of insects attracted by the light source every night. We immediately noticed that he were  many beetle species living in our area. We conducted a search of the larvae by digging the soil around the garden and check in the dead wood. We were very curious to learn the habitat of each beetle species. We found two species of beetles during a search of two days around our house garden. These two species of beetles are reputed to be edible insect in for other places in Madagascar.

Around the MPA, everyone has a little story about knowing or seeing someone that eat insect but as for me, I do not have never met any people who has ever eaten insect . In addition, it is still difficult to demonstrate to people that our diet is terribly low in protein, It was hard to explain why we all have the same health problem such us toothache, skin problem, big belly button… All symptoms of malnutrition have become very familiar and there is not any suspect about the origin or the solution to those problems. I know that the road is still long for Sepali to persuade living around MPA to add insects among each household food list. However, we are sure that, progressively, people will finish by accepting Sepali to be their rescuer against the hunger. It is good to start right now because better late than never.

Links:

• Website for SEPALI Madagascar
• Website for wild silk sales
• Website for CPALI US