Locusts turned into animal feed - 15th March 2021

In 2020, East Africa experienced its worst locust swarms in 70 years.

Billions of insects feasted on crops and destroyed farmland. The swarms are set to return in similar numbers this year. This puts the livelihoods of millions of people at risk.

However, Kenyan NGO The Bug Picture has come up with a solution to the threat. Affected communities are being trained and paid to catch the locusts, which are then processed to make animal feed and fertiliser.

The best time to hunt for locusts is at night, says The Bug Picture's Albert Lemasulani. “They are sleeping, they are weak, they can’t move. They can just be picked or you can shake the trees.”

Once they have been collected, the locusts are weighed and the harvesters receive payment. The insects are then crushed, dried and processed into powder, which is used in feed for fish, chickens, cows and pigs. Locusts are rich in protein, which is the largest and most expensive part of animal feed, so using the powder keeps farmers' costs down.

Over two tonnes of locusts have already been harvested. However, that is only a tiny fraction of the total population of the pests.

Further locust swarms are expected in 2021, but The Bug Picture hopes its scheme will help farmers deal with the pests.