Rwanda on Thursday launched new standards to guide the emergence of the edible insects sector; and the establishment of the country’s first commercial insect-based animal feed plant.
A statement issued to APA in Kigali said that these landmarks have been achieved through a process facilitated by the Improving Market Systems in Rwanda for Agriculture (IMSAR) project.
It’s an initiative funded by UK Aid through the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); in partnership with the Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), and the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB).
The International Centre of Insect physiology and Ecology (icipe), a globally renowned leader in insect for food and feed and other uses, provided the scientific and technical guidance.
These efforts are part of reality of insects as a transformative force in reshaping our food system into a more sustainable and vibrant circular economy, it said.
Latest scientific finding indicate that globally, insects are increasingly being valued as a green, more affordable and more nutritious source of food for people; as alternative protein components for animal feed; and as a basis for the transformation of economies and livelihoods.
Moreover, insects create the biological foundation for all land-based ecosystems, for instance as pollinators and by recycling organic waste into nutrient rich fertilisers.
They are also the origins of various high value products such as oils, chitin and chitosan, which have diverse uses in the energy, industrial, pharmaceutical, food and crop protection sectors, it said.
Commenting on the new move, Ms Anna Wilson, Development Director, FCDO said:”The use of insects as a source of protein in animal feed has been tested and is now being used in several countries”
“It is great to see such innovations coming to Rwanda and we are happy to have helped pioneer companies to gain the technical know-how and invest in production facilities,” she said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Director General of ICIPE, Dr Segenet Kelemu noted that over the past decade, there has been advanced research and development activities on insects for food, feed and other uses.
“Beyond fostering global knowledge, an important outcome of our endeavours is the evident, transformative impact on national and regional development agenda and aspirations,” he said.
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CU/as/APA