Farmers in Ndenderu Kiambu county have turned to Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming to provide their livestock with protein.
In what has become a lucrative venture, farmers rear the insects from the egg stage until they are fully grown. Interestingly, the fly can be sold at any stage.
Nancy Njoki, one of the farmers, explained the delicate process of rearing the black soldier fly. According to Njoki, the fly is kept away from birds, kept at 35 degrees, and stored in a greenhouse.
"We rear the black soldier fly to produce proteins for our livestock, this will consequently reduce the price of food," Njoki stated.
Additionally, they are fed a mixture of maize and wheat in different rations depending on the stage.
Njoki noted that one kilogram of worms is sold between Ksh300-500, and a kilo of dried larvae is sold for at least Ksh150. Notably, the price of the insects’ eggs is quite expensive and thus farmers opt to buy the larvae.
“When selling to a person seeking to start the venture, you can sell the larvae at Ksh2,000 a kilo. Within two weeks the insect is fully grown,” she added.
Despite the toil and dirt associated with the insect, the farmers have fully embraced the mode of farming. The greenhouse has hired 10 employees so far.
Interestingly, Njoki and other farmers use smelly substances to attract the flies to the trays where they lay eggs.
She added that in the half-cut jerrycans a blanket soaked in water is lined at the bottom where the insects can get water without drowning.
The black soldier fly is useful to the farmer in all stages. It is used in place of soya and fish which are often expensive to provide proteins to the livestock.
"If you think education is expensive try ignorance, it is important to seek training before raring the black soldier fly and ensure you get the most out of it," Njoki advised new farmers.
In 2021, a scientist from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) encouraged Kenyans to rear the insect.
She argued that the insect plays a key role in waste destruction, especially the kitchen and organic waste.
