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: 31 August 2022; Hits: 1560

Growing insect protein demand by feed makers provides ready market for farmers

By George Munene

“According to our research, 75 per cent of East Africa’s millers are willing to fortify their feed with insects to reduce their costs while up to 95 per cent of fish and pig farmers are actively looking to bring down their production costs by incorporating insects into animal diets, said Dr. Tanga Chrysantus, Head of ICIPE’s Insects for Food, Feed, and Other Uses (INSEFF) program.

Per ICIPE, in laying chicken, insect-supplemented diets have shown to increase laying life by up to 62 per cent.

Despite this, slightly over 1000 farmers in East Africa are engaged in insect rearing, a number that remains low against existing demand.

“We are closely looking into working on upscaling Black Soldier Fly (BSF) production by small farmers. Incorporating insect protein sources in our feeds we believe will go a long way in decreasing our production costs,” pointed out Tunga Nutrition General Manager Harrison Juma.

In April, South African startup Inseco which uses insects to convert waste food and other organic byproducts into proteins, oils, and fertilizer, raised Sh636.2 million ($5.3M) in funding. This was the largest raised initial capital in South Africa with the company looking to use the funding to increase production capacity.

“We found that the demand that we’ve encountered for the products exceeds our capacity to supply the minimum order quantity of some of the larger customers that we’re dealing with,” co-founder and CEO Simon Hazell told AgFunder.

Ecodudu and Insectipro, both based in Kenya, are also upcycling organic waste using insects. Rwanda’s Magofarm produces animal feed ingredients from insects.

According to a recently released Insect Protein Market Size report, the global insect protein market shows great growth potential.

It grew 8.2 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in 2022 securing a valuation of Sh42 billion ($349.2M). It is expected to surpass the Sh100 billion valuation ($838.5M) in 2032 with applications in animal and fish feed as well as food for human consumption.

This insect protein market is also expected to be driven by:

Rising healthcare and environmental concerns regarding the consumption of traditional animal protein sources.

High population growth and rising concerns about environmental sustainability as consumption of animal products such as meat, eggs, and milk rises.

This can be ameliorated by the availability of high protein content, minerals, beneficial fats, and vitamins-- around 2,000 bug species are already consumed as part of a regular diet by humans and domestic animals all over the world.

Rising worldwide awareness of the negative consequences of animal farming is forcing businesses to seek other alternatives. There are many important fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins found in insects.
Cost benefits, production efficiency, and nutritional value supplied by insects.

In global markets, beetles are considered highly nutritious and account for more than a quarter of the market, followed by caterpillars, whose consumption grew 10.2 per cent.

Other profitable bug varieties included grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts.

Europe and North America are expected to account for the largest market share of more than three-fifths of the global insect protein market.

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: 24 August 2022; Hits: 785

Sh18M grant enables Garissa farmer establish thriving grass business

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By George Munene

Through a Sh18 million grant from the Feed the Future Kenya Livestock Market Systems Activity, Dahir Haret, a farmer in arid Garissa County, has been able to diversify his income from livestock rearing to cultivating 40 acres of Boma Rhodes, Cenchrus Ciliaris, and Brachiaria grasses as well as 10 acres of fruit trees.

Chipping in Sh2.6 million of his money through a cost share plan, the 36-year-old from Fafi Sub-County has invested in the construction of a modern hay barn, installed a solar-powered water pump for irrigation, and procured a tractor with a trailer, and hay baler, plow rake, and mower.  

During this dry spate, 500 households have depended on fodder from his farm to keep their livestock alive. He makes hay harvests every two to three months and sells each bale of hay between Sh360 and Sh479.

On his 120-acre family land, pastoralists are also allocated plots to harvest feed and carry it to their animals at a subsidised price. This helps conserve the energy their animals would have spent walking. This has increased herd survival compared to losses during previous droughts.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Efforts, the current drought has left over 4.2 million people in dire need of food, and livestock deaths have surpassed 1.5 million.  

The rains have not fallen for three seasons in Garissa County, a mostly arid area with desert-like terrain.

Because of the farm’s affordable and sustainable production, the county government and the Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organisation use the farm as a model and demonstration site. It is also a fodder seed multiplication center supporting farmers interested in venturing into commercial fodder production.  

Farmers in arid regions are realising the glaring gap in animal feed, especially during periods of drought. Dahir diversified into commercial fodder production to sell grass to pastoralists during drier periods as well as high-quality fodder seeds to sell to other farmers interested in starting fodder production.  

In 2014, he established Kamuthe Young Farmers, a self-help group and family farm, utilising a portion of their family land.

The small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) employs five full-time staff and contracts two labourers, depending on the workload.

The Feed the Future Kenya Livestock Market Systems (LMS) program is a USAID-funded program to create resilient, competitive, and inclusive livestock systems to reduce the prevalence and depth of poverty, household hunger, and chronic undernutrition in Northern Kenya.

The program is present in the five counties of Garissa, Wajir, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Turkana.

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: 16 August 2022; Hits: 1509

Ruiru farmer taps demand for goat milk in urban areas

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By George Munene

On just a 50x100 piece of leased land in Ruiru along the Eastern Bypass, Charles Macharia, more commonly known as Macharia Wa Hay, keeps chicken, ornamental birds, stored hay, and his prized 30 goats.

From them, he milks 18 liters daily retailing at Sh200 a liter. Being in a peri-urban area he says has given him a leg up on his competition as the milk he produces isn't enough to satisfy his demanding clients.

The former dairy farmer, who keeps another 100 goats in Mûkûrwe'inî, Nyeri County, from which he gets another 70 liters daily, explained that he made a conscious effort last year to harness the sprouting demand for goat milk which is prized for its numerous health benefits and fetches a premium, especially around Nairobi and its environs.

The milk from his goats in Ruiru is sold to households in his neighborhood while most of the 70 liters go to a cheese-making boutique eatery in Westlands.

“I pivoted from dairy to goats in 2015. This is because they are less intensive and cheaper to rear. The market for goat milk is also undersupplied,” said Macharia.

Also a hay wholesaler, he never lacks fodder for his goats. However, this need not deter any potential farmer because the maximum amount of dry matter they can consume in a day is three kilograms.

This is supplemented by about 500 grams of concentrate for the top producers (4/5 kg).

“I stick to dry matter feed; hay, lucerne, silage with pollard, soya, and maize germ as concentrates,” he illuminated.

The breeds of goats in his herd include the Toggenburg, British Alpine, German Alpine, Saanen, French Alpine and Kenya Alpine. This he sells as weaned, served and unserved doelings for between Sh8,000 and Sh20,000.

Macharia Wa Hay: 0722587140

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