SUSTAINABILITY
Currently, livestock production accounts for 70% of our agricultural land use (FAO 2013). With the increase in human population and the increasing economic wealth of nations, the demand for animal based protein is increasing. However, with the already strained environment, it is simply not sustainable to continue as we are. With the increase of Greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change, changes in land use and changes in water use are putting increasing pressure on the biodiversity of the Earth. Our current methods of farming livestock are unsustainable and need to be fixed. Soon.
Insects are the solution...
Insects are the solution...
ENVIRONMENTALInsects are sustainable as a future food source for a number of different reasons. Firstly, insects require far less feed then other livestock. For example for insects, 1kg of animal only requires 1.7kg of feed whereas chicken requires 2.5kg, pork requires 5kg and beef requires 10kg (FAO 2013). This is because insects are ectotherms so do not waste as much energy due to respiration on homestasis. The feed used can also be produced in a sustainable way. Currently, many livestock are fed on feed which takes up large areas of land and water to grow. Some livestock are also fed food made of fish which is farmed using aquaculture, potentially having devastating effects on the environment. However studies have shown that it is possible to raise insects on organic waste, thereby recycling nutrients and reducing landfill (FAO 2013). And it is not just the feed that takes up a larger area to farm, it is the livestock itself. It is estimated that to make the same amount of protein, cows would use ten times the amount of space as mealworms (Oonincx and de Boer 2012). One of the reasons for this may be because a larger proportion of insects are also suitable for consumption then conventional meat and fish. 85% of a cricket is edible (Nakagaki and DeFoliart 1991) whereas for cattle it is 40%. On top of this, insects produce very little greenhouse gases. Currently, the livestock sector accounts for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions (Steinfeld et al. 2006) and livestock also release ammonia which can lead to acidification and nitrification of the soil (Oonincx et al. 2010). Finally, insects are much less likely to carry diseases harmful to humans such as mad cow disease (BSE) because they are less related to us, so it is harder for diseases and viruses to transfer vectors.
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THE FUTURE
If insects are to become the food of the future, new methods must be developed to ensure they are farmed and harvested sustainably. Insects currently eaten are often collected from the wild, and if there is to be a mass market developed it must be strictly controlled and maintained so that the biodiversity of edible insects doesn't decrease. If the industry is correctly and ethically developed, it may also help to boost the economies of struggling third world countries, and the lifes of thousand, and possibly millions of people.
References
FAO (Huis AV, Itterbeeck JV, Klunder H et al.) 2013. Edible insects- Future Propects for food and feed security. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Nakagaki BJ, DeFoliart GR. 1991. Comparison of diets for mass-rearing Acheta domesticus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) as a novelty food, and comparison of food conversion efficiency with values reported for livestock. Journal of Economical Entomology. 84, 891–6.
Oonincx DG, de Boer IJ. 2012. Environmental Impact of the Production of Mealworms as a Protein Source for Humans – A Life Cycle Assessment. PloS One. 7
Oonincx DG, van Itterbeeck J, Heetkamp MJ, van den Brand H, van Loon JJ, van Huis A . 2010. An exploration on greenhouse gas and ammonia production by insect species suitable for animal or human consumption. PLoS One. 5
Steinfeld H, Gerber P, Wassenaar T, et al. 2006. Livestock’s long shadow; environmental issues and options. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. p414
Nakagaki BJ, DeFoliart GR. 1991. Comparison of diets for mass-rearing Acheta domesticus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) as a novelty food, and comparison of food conversion efficiency with values reported for livestock. Journal of Economical Entomology. 84, 891–6.
Oonincx DG, de Boer IJ. 2012. Environmental Impact of the Production of Mealworms as a Protein Source for Humans – A Life Cycle Assessment. PloS One. 7
Oonincx DG, van Itterbeeck J, Heetkamp MJ, van den Brand H, van Loon JJ, van Huis A . 2010. An exploration on greenhouse gas and ammonia production by insect species suitable for animal or human consumption. PLoS One. 5
Steinfeld H, Gerber P, Wassenaar T, et al. 2006. Livestock’s long shadow; environmental issues and options. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. p414
Katie Cook, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia