Charles sees value in fly farming pilot project

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Pearnel Charles Jr has expressed support for a regional pilot project to showcase the value of insect farming.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security, said that researchers will focus on farming the black soldier fly.

The FAO said that the farming of flies could lead to a reduction in the reliance on tons of soy and other costly sources of protein for fish and poultry feed.

Asked to comment on what appears to a bizarre project, Charles said that the benefits of fly farming should not be discounted.

"It is an option that we need to explore as a possible affordable alternate for feeding animals in Jamaica versus using soybean meal sources which are all imported," the agriculture minister said.

"Insects are high in protein and other nutrients needed by our animals for sustainable growth and production. This investigation would help us to add a local source of protein which may be more cost-effective," the minister added.

Meanwhile, Dr Renata Clarke, the FAO sub-regional coordinator, said that the black soldier fly has been selected for the pilot because of its abundance in the Caribbean as well as its lack of disease.

Clarke said that the endeavour, which completed its pre-feasibility study earlier in the year, will be entering the next phase of discussions in the coming weeks.

"The next step is a stakeholder meeting schedule for March 24, where the findings of the pre-feasibility study will be discussed, and planned pilots will also be presented for comment by the stakeholders. According to our current timeline, the pilots would commence in the fourth quarter of this year," Clarke said.

Charles, who was previously unaware of the project, told THE STAR that "This is still at the experimental stage and the results will help us to make an informed decision of the role they may be able to play going forward."