2025 ReSAKSS - Insect farming innovation: A Pathway to self-reliance in agrifood systems in Africa: Dr. Zewdu Ayalew Abro

Dr. Zewdu Ayalew Abro, Impact Assessment Economist, icipe

Transcript

1. www.icipe.org January 21, 2026 Insect farming innovation: A Pathway to self-reliance in agrifood systems in Africa Dr. Zewdu Abro Innovation Adoption and Impact Assessment Economist International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)
2. www.icipe.org Research team Dr. Menale Kassie Economist Ermias Engida Modelling expert Dr. Chrysantus Tanga Insect farming expert Dr. Shaphan Chia Insect farming expert Dr. Dennis Beesigamukama Insect farming and organic fertilizer expert Dr. Subramanian Sevgan Environment and biodiversity expert Dr. Julius Ecuru Innovation diffusion and learning expert
3. www.icipe.org Objectives of the chapter • Demonstrate circular economy benefits of waste valorization using insect farming innovations • Review emerging innovations within the insect farming industry • Identify barriers and opportunities in the industry @ShewitK @icipe
4. www.icipe.org Conceptual framework for circular economy benefits
5. www.icipe.org Conceptual framework for circular economy benefits To estimate these potential benefits, we used a CGE model Akademiya2063 FAST mapping tool Continent wide extrapolation using a similarity index
6. www.icipe.org Direct benefits of BSF farming Total potential municipal biowaste for BSF farming in Africa 99 million tonnes per annum 82 kg of dried larvae per tonne of biowaste 472 kg of frass fertilize per tonne of biowaste 8 million tonnes per annum 76% of soybeans supply in Africa (11 million tonnes) N: 1.34 million tonnes (33% of current supply) P: 0.74 million tonnes (44%) K: 1.10 million tonnes (121%)
7. www.icipe.org Potential contribution to economic growth Africa wide benefits: • $211 billion annually • 2% of GDP
8. www.icipe.org Job creation and poverty reduction potential Job creation potential: • 17 million full-time equivalent jobs annually • 36 million unemployed per annum in Africa Lifting people above the poverty line: • 22 million people annually • 464 million people below the poverty line
9. www.icipe.org Greenhouse gas emission reduction potential GHG emission reduction: • 77 million tonnes of CO2e • GHG emission from Agrifood system waste disposal is 177 million tonnes of CO2e in Africa Economic value in CCM: • USD 6.34 per tonne • USD 486 million USD annually
10. www.icipe.org Challenges of the Industry
11. www.icipe.org Policy options • Improve waste management and sorting organic waste • Research and development on substrate development and optimization • Ensure safety and nutritional quality • Policy development and enforcement • Consumer awareness • Make insect-based products competitive • Insect farming is knowledge intensive - training and capacity building • Targeted subsidy to partially address finance issues • Increase the species of insects farmed
12. www.icipe.org Thank you www.icipe.org zabro@icipe.org +251 913 60 14 94 (What’s Up/Telegram) +254 114 34 97 32 (Direct call)