Save a forest by fighting protein deficiency

Just back from MADAGASCAR!  The purpose of the trip was two-fold – for SEPALI to hold our annual training workshop - more about that in a future report on artisans’ progress - and to meet with individuals and experts interested in promoting insects for food in Africa and Madagascar.  The meeting organizing committee, Brian Fisher, Derrick Golden and Catherine Craig, focused on identifying potential species that could be farmed in Madagascar, how a commercial farming operation might be organized and implemented in multiple sites across Madagascar and what the economic and nutritional potential of insect food might be for Malagasy. Hence the goal of the meeting was to exchange ideas and to learn what other scientists were contributing to insect for food programs in other parts of Africa,

Alan Gardiner filled us in on his work to introduce sustainable harvests of Mopani caterpillars in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Did you know that the Botswana Mopani caterpillar industry is estimated to be worth 18.9 million pula a year (1 pula = 0.095 USD, hence, about 1.8 million USD) and employs 10,000 people?  Another speaker, Charlotte Payne, is working in Burkina Faso doing background research to lean how to break pupil diapause, or the resting period during pupil development, of Cirina butyrospermi, another Saturniidae silkworm. That silkworm feeds on the shea or shi tree leaves (Vitellaria paradoxa, Sapotaceae). Shea trees are not only the silkworm’s host plant but their seeds are the source of oils used in cosmetics. Hence farmers that farm the shea butter tree earn money from silkworms collected for food but also from seed oils. Because the silkworms are seasonal, Charlotte is hoping to figure out how to farm them year around. 

Mamy Ratsimbazafy wowed the group describing the diversity of insects with which the SEPALI team has been working. His findings show that there are always some insect species available to food year around in the Maroantsetra area.  Hence, farming different species at different times of year (instead of simply harvesting them) could make a substantial contribution to their conservation.