Foundation launches insect farming training centre in Rivers

In a strategic move to revolutionize agriculture and drive sustainability, the Agricultural Social Entrepreneurship Foundation (ASEF International), in collaboration with the Rivers State Cooperative Federation (RCF) and Everand Business Support Services (EBS), has launched the Nonachi Insect Farming Training Centre in Rivers State.

The unveiling of the initiative, hosted at Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, marks the beginning of the ambitious Project Waste4Meal—a circular agricultural model designed to empower 23,000 women and youths through sustainable insect farming.

The Waste4Meal initiative is supported by the Netherlands-based New Generation Nutrition (NGN) and seeks to create 25,000 jobs over the next four years. At the heart of the project is the Black Soldier Fly, a high-efficiency insect species capable of converting organic waste into high-protein livestock feed, organic fertilizer, larvae slurry, edible oils, and chitosan.

With an investment target of ₦20.45 billion, the project will integrate poultry, aquaculture, rabbitry, and greenhouse systems into a multi-sectoral agricultural ecosystem designed to minimize waste while maximizing productivity.

Speaking at the launch, Mrs. Rosemary Adebayo, Chief Executive Officer of ASEF and head of the Waste4Meal project, underscored the potential of insect farming to address feed cost and protein shortages in Nigeria’s livestock value chains.

“Black Soldier Flies are highly efficient in converting organic waste into high-value products. Their larvae are rich in protein and can significantly reduce the cost of livestock feed while supporting sustainable practices,” she explained.

According to Mr. Azeez Oluwole, panel moderator and a project partner, the program will feature 100 clustered larvariums—each privately owned by cooperative members but integrated into the broader waste-to-value system. Each unit is expected to produce 1.5 metric tons of larvae and 6 tons of organic fertilizer monthly, totaling 150 tons of larvae and 600 tons of fertilizer per month.

Mr. Afonwa Charles, Chairman of the Rivers State Poultry Association, lauded the innovation, citing the high cost of feed as a major challenge for livestock farmers.

“Our demonstration farms have shown that insect meal is a viable supplement. This project offers a timely solution to our feed challenges,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Maurice Ogolo, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to fostering public-private partnerships that support youth engagement in agribusiness.

Hon. Brilliant Amadi, President of the Rivers State Cooperative Federation, emphasized the cooperative’s role in scaling the initiative through resource mobilization and grassroots investment.

In closing remarks, Commander Chikeziri, CEO of Everand Business Support Services, assured stakeholders that adequate security measures and long-term investments would be implemented to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.
Source- Tribune Online

Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
The launch of the Nonachi Insect Farming Training Centre under the Waste4Meal initiative represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward climate-smart, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural development. As global attention turns toward alternative protein sources and circular economy models, the strategic vision behind this project has important implications for agribusiness stakeholders, policy actors, and development partners alike. Below are key insights:

1. Catalyzing Inclusive Agribusiness through Youth and Women Empowerment
   Training 23,000 youths and women in insect farming is not just a livelihood opportunity—it’s a deliberate move to decentralize agricultural value creation and build local capacities. By integrating cooperative ownership with technical training, this project fosters community-driven enterprise development, helping beneficiaries move from informal survival-level ventures to structured agribusinesses with growth potential. The initiative aligns with national youth empowerment goals and has the potential to transform rural livelihoods through technical know-how and asset ownership.
2. Disrupting Feed Economics in Livestock Production
   Feed represents the most significant cost in livestock production, often exceeding 70% of total inputs. The inclusion of insect meal—especially Black Soldier Fly larvae—offers a local, nutrient-dense, and cost-effective alternative to fishmeal and soy-based feeds. For poultry, aquaculture, piggery, and rabbitry value chains, this could mean improved margins, better nutritional outcomes, and reduced dependency on imported feed ingredients. This model brings Nigeria closer to self-sufficiency in animal nutrition inputs.
3. Scaling Circular Agriculture and Climate-Smart Practices
   The project is a textbook case of circular agriculture in action. By converting organic waste into high-value outputs such as protein, fertilizer, oils, and chitosan, it closes the loop in waste management while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This not only helps address food security and environmental degradation but also supports the country’s climate change adaptation strategies. Moreover, the integration of larvariums within cooperative networks ensures scalability while embedding the practice into community structures.
4. Boosting Public-Private Cooperation in Agrifood Systems
   The Rivers State government’s commitment to this PPP-led model signals increasing openness to innovation-driven agriculture. With stakeholders ranging from foreign technical partners to local cooperatives and private investors, the project exemplifies a well-coordinated multi-sectoral partnership. This enhances its potential to attract blended financing, international development support, and follow-on investments in infrastructure, processing, and logistics.
5. Creating a Replicable Model for State-Level Agri-Industrialization
   The projected ₦20.45 billion investment and 25,000 job creation target over four years positions the Waste4Meal project as more than just a pilot—it’s a blueprint. Its integration of insect farming with poultry, aquaculture, rabbitry, and greenhouse systems illustrates how states can pursue holistic agricultural development while fostering entrepreneurship, value addition, and circularity. States with similar waste burdens and high youth unemployment could adopt this framework, adapting it to their local realities.
6. Transformative Potential for Input Markets and Food System Resilience
   Beyond feed, the production of organic fertilizer and other bio-products from larva processing can enhance soil health, reduce input costs for crop farmers, and encourage regenerative agricultural practices. These ripple effects could contribute to a more resilient food system, where productivity is enhanced sustainably and locally sourced inputs reduce the shocks from global supply chain disruptions.

Conclusion:
The Waste4Meal initiative is a clear signal that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation lies not only in large-scale mechanization or export-oriented production, but also in smart, inclusive, and environmentally responsive models. Stakeholders across the agrifood ecosystem—particularly in input supply, feed manufacturing, rural enterprise development, and sustainability-focused investments—should watch this space and explore entry points into this emerging insect protein economy.”