Led by Letícia A. C. Lara Livestock and aquaculture protein demand is increasing due to human population growth, yet current protein supply depends on volatile and unsustainable soy and fishmeal imports. An alternative source of protein for livestock and aquaculture feed are insects, which are rapidly growing in importance globally. Black soldier fly is emerging as an insect of choice for the production of insect-as-feed protein. Today there are 55+ large black soldier fly producers globally. Market calculations predict 300 production facilities worldwide by 2025, with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes of insect protein/yr and £2.1B/yr revenue. Black soldier fly producers need high-performance genetics to increase production and leverage investment in their capital intensive facilities. However, high-performance genetics for black soldier fly is not yet available. In this project we will work on designing a breeding programme for black soldier fly and breeding tools required for such a breeding programme. This article was published on 2024-09-02
