Science FOOD SECURITY
Human consumption of insects
FARMING EDIBLE INSECTS CAN HELP IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY
AND BOOST DEVELOPING ECONOMIES
Abstract
Food insecurity may emerge from climate change, extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts and floods, ongoing global supply chain problems, and unpredictable geopolitical conflicts. In particular, the growing populations of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) will require more accessible, affordable, and sustainable nutrition.
To this end, upscaling traditional agriculture and livestock production is not a sustainable solution because these industries are themselves a driver of the climate crisis.
The growing popularity of vegetarianism and veganism and the shift to plant-based or lab-grown meat are commendable efforts to solve these problems, but they may not be applicable or practical for every country. Farming insects for food generally requires much less resources compared with meat production. Edible insects can also supplement other diets by providing a different roster of nutrients and present an opportunity to improve food security.
RELATED PERSPECTIVE
