To empower agripreneurs, youth, and women to adopt a sustainable agriculture practice in Niger, the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique au Niger (INRAN), the national partner of the BBEST Project in Niger held a training workshop on producing and using black soldier fly (BSF)-based products for the youth, women, beneficiaries of the Decentralized Unit and private BSF Units’ owners on 6 August in Maradi.
The workshop aimed to introduce young entrepreneurs, farmers, and technicians to BSF rearing techniques and using BSF larvae in animal feed and the derived organic fertilizer in vegetable production. In addition, the workshop was organized to (i) strengthen the capacity of participants on insect technology and biology and the mass production techniques of the black soldier fly, (ii) empower farmers to replace imported proteins with BSF larval meal, (iii) strengthen the capacity of the youth to produce and utilize the black soldier fly, (iv) demonstrate to producers the different stages involved in the rearing of the fly, the preparation and use of BSF based organic fertilizer and (v) introduce farmers to the management of decentralized and private BSF production units.
The workshop is led by Dr Laouali Amadou, INRAN entomologist in charge of producing the BSF component of the BBEST project. About 40 people participated in the training, including nine women from Niamey, Maradi, Tahoua, and Zinder regions, all young agro-entrepreneurs and farmers.
The five-day training covered the BSF prototype and the rearing kits of the black soldier fly. Participants were trained on the biology of the fly and the nutritional performance of the BSF-based products. The facilitators also provided information on the nutrition and results of animal feed experiments based on BSF products. The training revolved around the rearing and the production of the BSF larvae and BSF genital production.
Participants, after the theoretical session, were involved in practical activities and learned how to prepare the BSF rearing kit and rearing of the adult flies and the larvae. They also practiced monitoring and maintaining the colony. They were shown the harvesting and post-harvesting of the BSF larvae and the transformation of the BSF larvae. The trainers showcased the use of the BSF products in animal feed. They were taken to the field to gain hands-on knowledge of the preparation of the BSF organic fertilizer and its use.
Idrissa Mohamed, an agro economist who took part in the training, attested to the high cost of chicken and fish feed and its constraints on farming and livestock development in the country. Through the training, he learned how to set up a BSF rearing unit for mass production and affirmed that the BSF technology could easily be learned and adopted.
Mohamed wants to set up a BSF larvae production unit and start the feed formulation later. He mentioned that he would train people interested in the black soldier fly technology. He thanked the BBEST project led by IITA, INRAN, and NORAD for giving them the opportunity to be trained on the BSF technology.
Contributed by Djibrilla Abdou and Francisca Ocloo
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