Edible Insect Supply Chains in African FCV-Affected States

• Establishing a BSFL industry in Africa could create 15 million jobs. • The industry would prevent 86 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) emissions, which is the equivalent of removing 18 million vehicles from the roads. • In all of Africa, BSF farming could produce a market value of crude protein worth up to US$2.6 billion and fertilizer worth up to US$19.4 billion.

The purpose of this chapter is to understand the required processes for mainstreaming insect farming into a circular food economy. Mainstreaming insects can be understood in two distinct ways. First, it could refer to establishing commercially viable insect production systems, like those in the Republic of Korea and some other countries. Second, it could refer to cultural acceptance and the integration of insects into dietary practices, as is happening in many African countries, including those affected by fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV). The first section describes the general supply chains of edible insects, finding that they differ among insects and countries and are often informal. The second section looks at edible insect markets and finds key differences between urban and rural markets. The third section examines the factors that drive the market and establish costs. It finds that these factors differ for rural, small-scale operations and larger, commercial operations. The fourth section examines the value chains for crickets and BSF and the specific production systems of six types of insects, including houseflies, crickets, mealworms, silkworm chrysalids, palm weevil larvae, and BSF, finding value in the production of each insect. The fifth section models the potential mainstreaming of BSF production in Zimbabwe and other African countries by calculating specific social, economic, and environmental benefits.

EDIBLE INSECT SUPPLY CHAINS IN AFRICAN FCV-AFFECTED STATES

Insect supply chains are largely informal in Africa, but they are slowly becoming an established part of the food system. Informal markets and supply chains for wild insects have been a common part of the food supply chain in many African countries, including FCV countries. With the rise in urbanization, traditional supply chains for edible insects are becoming slightly more formalized as traders form relationships with rural farmers and collectors to meet the growing demand for selected edible insects in urban markets. In Zimbabwe, for example, a relatively robust supply chain for wild insects with differentiated stakeholders has evolved (figure 4.1).

The supply chain for wild harvested mopane caterpillars in Zimbabwe is an example of the types of distribution channels through which farmers sell their harvests. These include the following four distribution channels. (1) Collectors sell to local shopkeepers who sell the insects directly to local consumers or transport and sell the insects to urban market retailers.1 (2) A family member

FIGURE 4.1 Zimbabwe’s Wild Harvested Mopane Caterpillar

Supply Chain

Informal agentsa

Rural farmer/ collector

Local shop owner (rural)

Transborder trade Packer/distributor (urban)b Transporter (own truck) Consumer (rural)

Wholesaler (urban) Retailer (urban)

Source: Original figure for this publication. a. Family and friends, sales commission. b. Distribute other agricultural products. Local markets (urban)

Consumer (urban)

or friend acts as the collector’s informal agent to sell the mopane caterpillars for commission to an urban packer or distributor.2 (3) The collector sells the insects directly to a packer or distributor, who in turn sells the insects to consumers in urban markets through existing agricultural product distribution channels. Alternatively, if packers or distributors have existing cross-border distribution channels, they may leverage the channels to export the caterpillars. (4) The collector sells to a transporter who collects the caterpillars from the collector’s village and has distribution arrangements with urban wholesalers and retailers. For this fourth channel, the collector must consolidate enough insects for the transporter to cover the costs of travel.

The supply chain structure for edible insects in other countries is different from the wild harvested mopane caterpillar supply chain in Zimbabwe. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, peak insect season harvests are bountiful, causing insect supply surpluses (figure 4.2). As a result, wholesalers of wild caught insects in the Democratic Republic of Congo store dried insects for short periods to normalize the supply-demand imbalance. This allows wholesalers to manage transborder trade with regional markets. In non-African FCV-affected states, other unique supply chains exist. In Papua New Guinea, rural farmers and collectors share their wild insect harvests, free of cost, directly with local communities or their immediate tribal group. The farmers sell to urban wholesalers only when there is sufficient surplus. The wholesalers then sell the surplus to local vendors in urban markets (figure 4.3).