Chance to get lowdown on insect farming at free online event

Farmers are invited to find out more about insect farming at a free online event this week.

Zero Waste Scotland is hosting a webinar tomorrow to provide an insight into the insect farming sector.

It is one of three virtual events being organised by the environmental organisation – two further sessions on protein production and the circular bioeconomy will take place on November 19 and 26.

“Insect farming could become the next big thing – a way to plug the predicted protein gap that has real potential to bring S c o t l a n d ’s carbon footprint down at the same time,” said Zero Wa s t e Scotland ’s bioeconomy specialist, Dr William Clark.

“I t ’s also open to everyone , from householders to smallholders, existing food producers looking to

diversify, to companies in the bioeconomy sector, and entrepreneurs with an eye for innovation.

“T h a t ’s because it doesn’t require lots of space – insect farms can range in size from a small shed or a few shipping containers to industrialscale feed mills.

“You need to know how to look after them but, in all cases, you can produce

significant volumes of sustainable protein using a fraction of the resources.”

Dr Clark said the free events, which will be delivered in partnership with Dutch insect company New Generation Nutrition, would explain the benefits of farming insects like mealworm and black soldier fly.

Details are online ngn.co.nl/ukwebinar/ at

Insects like the black soldier fly could be farmed.