The food and nutrition scientists at Makerere University have launched a project of adding value to edible insects like grasshoppers and crickets which are said to be highly nutritious. The project is headed by Dr Dorothy Nakimbugwe together with other scientists at Makerere.
“Insects are very high in protein, we compared the conventional sources of proteins which are chicken, fish and beef, with insects including crickets and grasshoppers and we found that the percentage proteins on dry matter basis of those insects is comparable to those of conventional sources of fish, chicken and beef.” Project manager, Dr Nakimbugwe said after the launch.
Dr Komi Fiaboe, one of the researchers on the project noted that they have high hopes of producing more insects in future than today, “We hope that soon we will be able to make tonnes, but right now were just making grams of the insects,” Dr Komi said.
Dr Nakimbugwe adds that there are many companies in Canada and Europe that produce insects commercially which are also incorporated in foods like bread, chocolates among others.
The project was launched by the Hon.Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture Hon. Christopher Kibazanga at the Conference Hall School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio engineering, Makerere University.
This project is part of the Bio- innovate Africa Phase II Program funded by the Swedish International Development Aid (SIDA).
The project aims to contribute to improved food and nutritional security, job creation and income generation and, reduction of the gender gap for the most vulnerable groups (youths and women) in East Africa in general and specifically in Kenya and Uganda through insect rearing and processing.
It also intends to increase the population’s awareness about edible insects and create a favourable policy environment for edible insects use in both countries.
“In a single laying, compared to a hen laying one egg in one day, an insect when it lays eggs, lays between 300 and 500 eggs a day and it will do the same the following day. If the Ugandans don’t want to eat the crickets, nobody is going to force them, we will export the crickets to the people who want to eat them, and farmers will still get money,” Dr Nakimbugwe added.
