Assessing Indigenous Edible Insects is Essential Due to Their Potential as Valuable Food, Animal Feed, Therapeutics, and Nutritionally Rich Products in Regions Lacking Sufficient Protein

Abstract

The assessment of Indigenous edible insects is crucial because they represent a powerful solution to food security and protein deficiency. Their exceptional potential as nutritious food sources, animal feed, and health-enhancing products must be acknowledged to effectively tackle food insecurity in underserved regions. Embracing these insects is not just beneficial; it is essential for a sustainable future. Questionnaires were administered in 11 towns/villages in six out of 13 Local Government administrative Areas in Ebonyi State, South-eastern Nigeria. Respondents included 48.2% male and 51.8% female respondents. Roughly 24.55% males and 30.0% (i.e. 54.55% of the respondents) practice entomophagy. The most popular/frequent edible insects include termites, field crickets, locusts, African palm weevils, honeybees, green grasshoppers, yam beetles, and wax worms. Emperor moths, cockchafers, variegated grasshoppers, and brown grasshoppers are also eaten. Methods of collecting insects included handpicking, light+water traps, light traps, nets, pursuing, and digging the substrates/nests. Frying and roasting were the major methods of preparing the insects. Respondents were aware that insects are a potential source of feed (36.46%), income (36.46%), medicines (17.43%), indigenous products (25.24%) and industrial products (23.37%). Hints of negative traits (including taboos (11.64%) and insect consumption-induced illness (11.01%) were suggested. Second phase of the analysis based on locations showed that views on edible insect-related traits were significantly not uniform in all locations. More females, in half of the locations, consume insects so entomophagy is not a gender-biased practice. Consumption of insects can alleviate the scarcity of food, feed, protein, and therapeutics in the region.

Keywords: Comestible insects; Entomoceutics; Food security; Insect farming; Meat sources