EIARD Dialogue with icipe - summary (2023)

Date: 19 April 2023

Participants: Segenet Kelemu, icipe’s Director General & CEO; various EIARD members. 

Purpose and summary

The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) is a key international partner for several EIARD members who are providing core or programmatic funding to the centre and/or support national scientists in joint projects. The Dialogue provided an opportunity for the EIARD members to learn more about icipe’s main areas of work, its activities around capacity building, how it engages with partners, and so on.

In her presentation, icipe’s DG emphasized the importance of insect farming for food, feed, and as input into various other products such as fertilizers, chitosan, and oils. In fact, insects can provide a major contribution in addressing poor diets and malnutrition, especially for Africa. Insects have a high protein content while several species are also rich in iron, zinc, and vitamins. Insects can also transform biomass into high quality organic fertilisers. The progress on insect science and the uptake by farmers and small and medium enterprises in Africa have been significant. This has, among other, resulted in job creation opportunities for the youth. Icipe’s other research and product development activities are broad (see, for example, the push and pull technology). The centre also built a substantial footprint across Africa through its capacity building programs. Finally, icipe is working intensely with partners – including the CGIAR – and policymakers with the aim to influence decision making and to have impact at the policy level. 

The information shared by icipe and the EIARD members during this Dialogue will contribute to further discussions how EIARD members can engage more collectively with the centre on certain areas.