As of May 2018, the world population was estimated to have reached a staggering 7.6 billion. As this number is expected to grow, concerned observers have pointed out the dangers of food shortage. Some of the foreseeable consequences include a severe shortage of the meat products we prefer and produce now, loss of agricultural land, and a shortage of dairy products. In other words, population explosion threatens most of our conventional sources of protein. In addition, it may also increase poverty rates and complicate the distribution of food. Therefore, it is necessary to identify alternative sources of protein. In fact, we may already have identified one: edible insects.
Insect Farming: Things to Consider
Insect farming is believed to be more sustainable than livestock production, which is currently one of the most environmentally harmful practices (it has been found that livestock production is one of the main drivers of global warming). However, we are yet to ascertain whether insects can be really edible and safe. Insect farming may also pose unique challenges. For instance, in addition to screening for risks to humans, we must necessarily examine the potential negative effects of insect farming on animals, plants, and the environment. More importantly, we need to identify whether insect farming can adversely affect the planet’s biodiversity. After all, insects are an important part of the food chain. Directly or indirectly, they impact the daily lives of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals—including humans.
On the other hand, we know for certain that insect farming is more sustainable than livestock production. In fact, according to this study, almost one-third of the global cereal produce is fed to animals, especially pigs and poultry raised for human consumption. Conventional meat, therefore, may not offer us a way out of the seemingly inevitable problem of food shortage. In fact, if anything, preparing for livestock production is also part of the problem in that it takes a lot of food to make meat.
Some Arguments for Insect Farming
In addition, with more countries poised to experience significant economic growth, insect farming seems like our safest bet. This is because growth and development typically result in higher demand for meat. Moreover, insect consumption is not as outrageous as it seems. For instance, insects are already an important aspect of Thai diet: locusts, crickets, larvae (of several insects), and spiders are widely consumed in the country. Most of these insects are fried or deep-fried for consumption. Thailand is also known for its innumerable cricket farms, where the insect is raised solely for human consumption. Moreover, Thailand is not the only country where insects are farmed for human consumption. Its Asian counterpart Vietnam is another example. Insects are also consumed in Brazil and Cambodia. However, we are still a long way from replacing conventional meat with edible insects. This process requires active research to determine whether the large-scale farming or production of edible insects is safe for the environment. It also depends on whether people are willing to look at insects as food; the bottom line, however, is that we may have no choice.
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