Entomophagy, which future

EuropeAid Unit C1 organised on Tuesday 18 February 2014 a lunch conference on “Entomophagy, which future” at the DEVCO infopoint. Opened by the head of Unit C1 –Jean-Pierre Halkin- and attended by 62 people coming from 6 different DGs and several international, private and civil society organisations, the conference aimed at providing the participants with a clear picture on insect as novel food.

The speakers - Prof Joop van Loon, Entomologist at the University of Wageningen and Mrs Marian Peters, CEO of New Generation Nutrition (NGN) & Chairperson Dutch Insect Breeders Association (VENIK)- illustrated the present state-of-the-art of insect breeding and research in Europe and developing countries; shared experiences in small scale insect rearing in developing countries (projects in Kenya and Uganda); and explained the potential of insect breeding: benefits, opportunities and constraints. Insects protein production is much more efficient in terms of use of natural resources than meat (for example, one kilogram of insects requires 1,7 kg of feed, whether one kilogram of beef required 10 kilogram of feed) and does not produce greenhouse gas. Insects could be used as a human food, or to feed other animal, like poultries (which naturally eat insects) or fishes from aquaculture. The Head of Unit Innovation and Sustainability at DG SANCO -Chantal Bruetschy- disclosed the position of DG SANCO on this novel food and the needs in term of legal framework, quality control and production patterns. 

An interesting discussion and the tasting of 3 different insect-based dishes closed the conference. The dishes were succulent nuggets and muesli. It was impossible to guess that is was insect based as it does not looks nor taste insects.

It was indeed a very interesting and enriching event. The participants expressed their will to know more about this promising topic and eventually to visit a/some farm(s) in The Netherlands. The presentation given by Marian Peters during the conference will be posted soon on Capacity for Dev. An international Conference on “Insects to Feed the World” co-organised by The University of Wageningen, FAO and the Dutch Government will be held in Wageningen from 14 to 17 may 2014.

For more information on this event and for interviews with the two speakers, please read the Voices & View: The Future of Entomophagy.