Each point will also be specified in its own text later in this blog.
At the moment, in Western countries, the use of insects as food is quite marginal when compared to their other roles in our lives. Insects have a major role in pollination of plants, soil modification and biomaterial circulation as decomposers. These other roles are almost the only way insects are utilized in the Western world, at least at this time.
Insect foods’ potential has been estimated a lot in the last few years. Evaluators have included major international organizations such as the FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and the EU's agricultural bodies. Both organizations, as well as a number of researchers, have come to the conclusion that the insect economy can achieve significant economic and environmental benefits compared to current livestock practices. I have not encountered any fully negative reviews.
FAO published a book in 2013, on the opportunities of insect-based food for humans, bookmark, where it sums up current information about the possibilities. EU also has its own project, with a network of different research institutes to determine the suitability of insects for livestock feed. Both have come to the conclusion that, when correctly implemented, insects can be a huge benefit for food production, from an ecological and economic efficiency point of view.
The report mentioned above finds the following benefits in particular:
- The use of insects as food would enable food industry climate emission reductions, if it replaced meat consumption. For example, greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for 14.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions, as a summary by the FAO estimated.
- Insect production requires less feed than the traditional livestock economy.
- Insects may feed on material that other livestock can not utilize either at all or very little.
- Insect farming requires less water than traditional livestock farming
- Insect farming requires less space. Insects grow in very modest circumstances, often without the need for light. They are resistant, among others, to temperature changes and poor air quality
- Insect Food production is scalable easier and quicker than meat production. It has been commonly observed that insects convert their food into biomass much faster than even the fastest meat animal production.
- Insect production does not require a huge investment.
- Insect species’ number and selective breeding speed are much higher than in traditional production animals.
- Insects’ ability to be aware of their suffering is lower than that of normally used food-producing animals.
It is good to remember that Western food insect production is very small and undeveloped. Therefore, it is possible, or even expected, that in 25 years from now, its efficiency is much better, and advantages higher compared to traditional food animals.
Santtu
PS. The next article will summarize the problems of the insect economy.
