Doubling the production of animal feed made from black soldier fly (BSF) larvae will require greater investment, improved access to finance, stronger waste collection systems, more technical skills, and wider adoption of the technology, according to experts. Animal feed made from BSF larvae uses the protein-rich insects as an ingredient in feed for poultry, fish, pigs and other livestock. ALSO READ: Farmers turn to black soldier flies for cheaper fertilizer, feed The larvae are reared on organic waste such as food scraps and agricultural by-products before being harvested, dried and processed into insect meal or incorporated into compound feeds. Studies show that feed containing BSF larvae can cost about 40 per cent less than feed made using soybean meal or fish meal, offering livestock farmers a cheaper alternative while reducing dependence on imported protein. Mupenzi Mutimura, a Senior Research Fellow in Feed Resources and Animal Nutrition at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), said scaling up production will require coordinated action from government and the private sector. He said priorities include expanding farmer training and demonstration sites, encouraging private investment in commercial BSF farming, and establishing multiplication centres to supply quality eggs and starter colonies. Other interventions include promoting public-private partnerships for waste collection and insect production, improving access to affordable credit for youth- and women-led enterprises, developing quality standards and certification for BSF meal, and strengthening research on feed formulation and production systems. ALSO READ: Black soldier flies ‘prove to lower cost of livestock feed’ Technical training, business incubation, access to starter materials, research support and integrating BSF farming into circular economy programmes that convert organic waste into livestock feed and organic fertiliser are also important, Mutimura said. He noted that the country's agricultural transformation agenda and growing investment in livestock feed production provide favourable conditions for expanding the industry. Although BSF farming remains an emerging sector, commercial production is already underway through a small number of private companies, cooperatives and youth enterprises, many of which have received technical support from RAB, development partners and private sector initiatives. No national registry yet Mutimura said Rwanda has no official national registry indicating the number of animal feed manufacturers using BSF or their combined production capacity. However, he said adoption is increasing steadily as more producers embrace the technology. The opportunity is significant. Existing animal feed manufacturers have a combined production capacity of about 163,000 tonnes annually, while national demand is estimated at 15.9 million tonnes. ALSO READ: Kigali’s organic waste problem could be solved by black soldier flies As adoption increases, BSF is expected to contribute a growing share of locally produced protein ingredients for poultry, pig and aquaculture feeds, he said. Why BSF matters Protein ingredients account for the largest share of livestock feed costs, with soybean meal and fish meal remaining expensive because they are largely imported and compete with human consumption. Mutimura said BSF larvae offer several advantages. They can be produced locally using organic waste, require relatively little land and water, reduce reliance on imported protein ingredients and convert waste into valuable livestock feed and organic fertiliser. BSF larvae contain between 40 and 55 per cent protein, depending on the substrate on which they are reared. By comparison, soybean meal contains 44-48 per cent protein, while maize contains only 8-10 per cent because it is primarily an energy source. He stressed that BSF is not intended to replace maize but to partially substitute costly protein ingredients such as soybean meal and fish meal in balanced feed formulations. What producers need Janvier Twambazimana, Manager of Abusol, one of the country's largest egg producers and a manufacturer of BSF-based animal feed, said access to finance, skills development and a reliable supply of organic waste are critical for expanding production. The technology is still new and there are very few players in the sector. We need trained technicians, specialised machinery and financing from different sources, he said. ALSO READ: Rwanda to expand use of black soldier flies to boost poultry production The company currently produces 500 kilogrammes of dried BSF larvae per day. At a five per cent inclusion rate, 100 kilogrammes of dried larvae can produce two tonnes of animal feed, meaning the company's current output can produce around 10 tonnes of feed daily. Abusol plans to increase production to two tonnes of dried larvae per day in the near term, with a long-term target of 50 tonnes daily. Twambazimana said achieving that goal will require financing from government, commercial banks and development partners. Commercial banks are still reluctant to finance BSF production, yet it is a strategic sector. More than 95 per cent of the protein ingredients used in animal feed, such as soybean meal and fish meal, are imported. Increasing local production would reduce that dependence, he said. Improving waste collection Twambazimana said stronger collaboration with waste collection companies and agro-processing industries could significantly reduce production costs. Rather than transporting organic waste over long distances, he said, BSF production units should be located closer to where waste is generated. The larvae can then be harvested while the remaining organic material is used locally as fertiliser. On average, one tonne of organic waste can produce about 200 kilogrammes of larvae. Despite investing in processing equipment, Abusol is operating well below capacity. Our machines can produce up to four tonnes of dried larvae per day, but we are producing only 500 kilogrammes because of limited financing, inadequate waste supplies and a shortage of transport trucks, Twambazimana said. He believes operating at full capacity could reduce animal feed prices by between 40 and 50 per cent compared with conventional feeds. Barthazar Masengesho, Production and Operations Manager at Maggot Farm, said demand for BSF-based products already exceeds supply. Operating on between two and two-and-a-half hectares, the company produces between six and 10 tonnes of organic fertiliser and six to 12 tonnes of protein-rich animal feed each month. Rather than expanding production alone, Masengesho said training more farmers to produce BSF would have a greater impact. If this training centre expands and attracts more people, farmers will no longer struggle to access these products, he said. Instead of producing everything ourselves, we want to train people and provide them with starter stock at an affordable price so they can begin production on their own. Previous studies by the Ministry of Agriculture show that replacing part of soybean meal and fish meal with BSF larvae can reduce feed costs by about 40 per cent while maintaining strong growth performance in broiler chickens. RAB research has also found that BSF larvae can provide a substantial share of the protein required in feed for poultry, pigs and fish, making them a promising locally produced alternative to imported protein sources. Standard operating procedures for BSF farming have also been developed to support wider adoption.
