As the global demand for nutrition rises and environmental concerns mount, insect-based livestock feed is emerging as a promising sustainable alternative to traditional methods. This shift is crucial in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing public health threat.
Traditional livestock farming contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, land/water overuse, and AMR due to widespread antibiotic use. Currently, animal husbandry accounts for over half of all antibiotic use globally, projected to increase by 53% to 200,000 tonnes by 2030. The incorporation of antibiotics in feed, intended for disease treatment and growth promotion, inadvertently fosters AMR. These resistant genes can spread into the environment, increasing human exposure and contributing to a projected 10 million deaths annually from antibiotic-resistant infections by 2050.
India is actively exploring insect-based feed. The Indian Council of Agriculture (ICAR) and its centers, like CIBA, have signed MOUs with companies such as Ultra Nutri India and Loopworm to research using black soldier fly larvae in aquafeed for improved growth and immunity in shrimp and Asian seabass. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute also collaborated with Bhairav Renderers.
Forty countries have already approved insect-based feed for animals, utilizing species like black soldier flies and crickets. Insects offer numerous benefits: they are nutritious, rich in fats, proteins, and micronutrients, and have a lower environmental footprint. Rearing insects emits fewer greenhouse gases and requires significantly less land and water compared to traditional livestock, as they efficiently convert organic waste into high-grade proteins. Studies even show that insect-based feeds can be more cost-effective and provide better digestible proteins than fishmeal or soybean-based alternatives.
As the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation projects a 70% increase in food production by 2050, widespread adoption of insect-based feed could be a climate-smart solution, shrinking the environmental footprint of livestock farming and playing a vital role in combating AMR.
