Impact Cluster: Insects4Feed - Colombia (Caribbean Fly Feed)

The Colombian Caribbean region, particularly in the departments of Cesar and La Guajira, faces significant socio-economic and environmental challenges. These include high rates of poverty, the aftermath of armed conflict environmental degradation, soil depletion and widespread water scarcity. Although Colombia is an agricultural powerhouse on a national level, the agricultural sector in the Colombian Caribbean region is hindered by systemic issues like inefficient waste management, reliance on expensive and environmentally harmful animal feed sources, and limited economic opportunities for vulnerable populations, including Afro-Colombian, rural, affected by internal armed conflict, immigrants and indigenous communities.

The agribusiness sector in Colombia mainly uses corn, soybeans, and wheat as animal feed due to their high protein content. However, Colombia faces challenges due to its reliance on imports of these commodities, subject to increasing price levels. This scenario has led to increased food inflation, making end products like eggs, meat and fish more expensive to produce.

Annually, Colombia imports approximately USD 1 billion worth of corn meal, 1.5 million metric tons of soy meal, and 12,000 metric tons of fish meal. The reliance on imported cereals and soybeans for livestock feed is unsustainable. Alternative solutions are necessary, ideally those that adopt circular economy principles.

The consortium partners propose the introduction of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae (Hermetia illucens L.) bioconversion facilities through the establishment of two demo farms. The project will address the inefficient use of organic waste and reliance on costly, environmentally harmful animal feed sources. BSF larvae can bio-convert organic waste, like leftover crops (such as coffee and cacao industry by-products), into high-quality protein. This protein can then be used as a more eco-friendly and cost-effective feed for fish, pigs and chickens, compared to traditional options like soy or fishmeal both with an ecological impact on biodiversity losses.