Enhancing circular agriculture: insects to connect sustainable livestock and crop production

Insects are a valuable source of protein to feed livestock that can be reared on organic wastestreams.

Whereas the insects are the main products of insect farming, the non-consumed substrate, plus insect feces and moulting skins, called frass, constitutes an important byproduct, which is larger than the insect biomass produced as main product.

The proposed project will assess the fertilizing potential of the byproduct of conversion of organic waste by larvae of the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens to assure nutrient-rich products for soil quality improvement and crop growth. The project will also assess the effect of processed and unprocessed frass on the soil microbial community composition.

Results of the effect of frass fertilizer on nutrient availability, microbial activity and crop growth will be relevant to smallholder producers of insects for feed and crop growers in the context of reduced availability of chemical fertilizers, thus establishing a circular agriculture approach.