Published as a WLE/IWMI Op-Ed in Globe Post
A black soldier fly buzzes over a pile of food waste salvaged from the leftovers of fruit and vegetable markets in Ghana’s bustling capital. As its name suggests, the fly and its counterparts are on a mission, albeit an unexpected one.
The Ento-Prise research project in Ghana is breeding these flies to reduce pressure on the country’s waste systems whose resources are becoming increasingly stretched by rapid population growth and urbanization.
These problems, however, are not unique to Ghana and are straining infrastructure and food systems all over the world. In perhaps an unlikely move, researchers and industry are turning to the humble fly as a potential solution.
How Do Flies Fight Waste?
Farmers and entrepreneurs can feed flies with organic waste, harvest the larvae, and then use or sell their biomass as livestock feed. This can generate new income by creating a feedstock that can replace soy or fishmeal, which have contributed to…
