Edible insects for improved food security

First out is Robert Musundire, Chinhoyi University of technology in Zimbabwe talking about their very successful change project about edible insects.

Hi Robert! Can you please give us a brief description of your project?

Our project is aimed at empowering marginalised communities through sustainable food systems. The focus will be on capacity building in edible insect rearing, value-added processing, and entrepreneurial development in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The project approach is to integrate existing food production, processing and consumption systems in these countries with a focus on valorisation of these existing systems for enhancing creation of innovative and highly nutritious food products and creation of business opportunities. Edible insects are widely consumed in southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia, with commonalities among the harvesting from the wild, preparation for consumption and consumption patterns. Thus, this project will focus on developing food products that integrate edible insects as key ingredients while recognising the important value played by other food products such as traditional grains and vegetables.

Hub-leader Robert Musundire, Zimbabwe.

What key learnings do you take with you from phase one and the previous part of phase two?

This project builds upon the successful implementation of two previous projects that were conducted in Zimbabwe from 2018 to 2023. The major key enabling factors included: the good planning processes that were initiated through a “Theory of Change (ToC)” framework of the AgriFoSe2030 flagship programmes. This key step allowed the identification of key and strategic stakeholders and identification of their interests, influence among others. Resultantly, the mapping of the impact pathways allowed for successful execution of project objectives. Additionally, key lessons to take forward include opening the space for innovations, strategic engagement of media for raising project awareness and finally pitching project aims in the interests of stakeholder groups that influence change. It’s always important to involve “change makers” in the execution of project activities.

What are your major expectations in this extended part of phase two?

The current project seeks to build upon this momentum of previous projects buy widening the food products within the Southern African region and in the context of the region’s diverse food ecosystems and traditional cuisines. We expect to introduce new innovative food products with local (national) and international appeal based on shared knowledge practices and innovations in indigenous food processing and preparation in Southern Africa. We also expect small businesses based on indigenous and rural cuisines to be popularised in urban and tourist destinations in Southern Africa based on the project’s mentorship for women and youths especially on food processing, business development, financial literacy, marketing and sustainable management of natural resources.

What do you aim to achieve in your project by the end of this phase?

Knowledge and skills exchange among the participant personnel in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe will enable cultural exchange of traditional food production, processing and consumption practices that are embedded in strong cultural norms and values. This project is expected to harness, share and co-create knowledge, new products and business enterprises based on this rich diversity in the traditional food systems. Scientists from the participating countries will share knowledge and skills and collectively build innovative products specific to their countries and regional circumstances.

The project will also focus on capacity building for supporting the adoption of climate-smart resilient food production practices, through the integration of insect farming as a route to alleviating dependency on wild harvested edible insects. On the other hand, capacity building on climate smart production practices on traditional and dryland food crops such as millet, sorghum, sesame, wild fruits and indigenous leafy vegetables will enhance the preservation of these indigenous food resources.

We expect to contribute towards reduction of poverty among the rural communities in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe through valorisation of indigenous food resources and creation of local and regional sustainable business enterprises with strong foundations of traditional and heritage-based systems.