Six-Legged Solution to World Hunger and Climate Crisis?
Although it may seem far-fetched to those unfamiliar with this particular branch of taxonomy, entomophagy just might play a crucial role in helping to alleviate some of the world’s most pressing problems, including world hunger and climate change. The practice of eating insects not only out of necessity, but also a delicacy, has been around for as long as humankind itself and has always proven a rich and plentiful source of nourishment. Eighty percent of contemporary global cultures outside of North America and Europe continue to take advantage of what is by far the most abundant source or animal protein on the planet, as there are over six million different species of insects that constitute approximately three-fifths of the planet’s total animal life.
Dr. Marcel Dicke, Professor of Entomophagy at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, is an expert on the subject and is convinced that insects are the answer to meeting the ever-growing demands of a booming world population. Dicke spoke just last week at the TED Global Conference in Oxford, England about the vital role he feels entomophagy will play over the next few decades.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that over one billion people—roughly one-sixth of the world’s population—are hungry and undernourished. The global headcount is expected to reach upwards of up to 9-10 billion people by the middle of this century, marking an increment of about one-third of what it is today. This projected increase, however, will require a 70 percent boost in agricultural production in order to feed this future population. Clearly, current agricultural practices and procedures would be under severe strain to yield any such results.
This is precisely where Dicke feels insects can effectively fill the production gap, as he boasts their impressive nutritional output and minimal waste production when compared to traditional livestock alternatives. According to Dicke, just 1 kg of grasshoppers contains the same amount of protein as 10 hot dogs or 6 McDonald’s Big Macs, while sparing consumers all of the saturated fats, preservatives, and high sodium intake that go along with more conventional options.
In terms of productivity, an input of 10 kilograms of animal feed will result in an output on average of just one kilogram of beef, 3 kg of pork, 5 kg of chicken, and 9 kg of locust. The remaining weight eventually takes the form of excrement, which in its own way impacts the surrounding environment as it releases ammonia and methane gases.
Cattle are major contributing factor to staggering amounts of global greenhouse gas emissions—roughly 18 percent of worldwide totals, according to FAO. The UN agency also reports that cattle and livestock production also exacerbate other critical environmental issues, including land degradation, air and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.
The Worldwatch Institute reports that a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study shows that Americans are at the forefront of global beef consumption at an average of 44 kilograms per person annually—a dramatic difference compared to most other nations, where the average person consumes less than 5 kilograms each year. Needless to say, a greater demand for beef at the dinner table necessitates a boost in cattle production, thereby increasing stress on the natural environment.
The contemporary dietary habits of wealthy, developed nations also indicate an impending crisis of available land resources necessary to support such an increase in livestock production. Dicke notes that as both the world’s population and standard of living increase, so too will the demand for protein-rich foods such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish. FAO reports that livestock production presently accounts for 70% of the planet’s total agricultural land, which means raising livestock is rapidly approaching the limit of its production capabilities.
So it turns out that eating insects might not be so preposterous after all. People are already enjoying moth larvae and pupae, crickets, and dragonflies all across Asia; grasshoppers, termites, and caterpillars throughout Africa; and scorpions and tarantulas in South America. So what are countries like the United States and Dicke’s own Holland waiting for? As Jenna Jadin of the University of Maryland points out, “[i]f you have ever eaten a crawfish, lobster, crab, or shrimp then you have already eaten members of the class Arthropoda, of which insects are a part. So popping a big juicy beetle, cricket, or cicada into your mouth is only a step away.” In fact, Dicke refers to insects as “the shrimp of the land”—so it seems that all the fuss around eating insects really just boils down to changing our perspective on insects and their role in the natural world.
What most entomophagy critics don’t know is that whether they like it or not, insects are already a part of their daily bread. Much to their chagrin, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) actually permits legal quantities of insect content in common food and beverage products. FDA’s The Food Defect Action Levels: Levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods that present no health hazards for humans outlines maximum levels of natural or unavoidable defects in commonly consumed food presents no health hazards to human beings.
Take, for example, ground allspice—it contains an average of 30 or more insect fragments per 10 grams. Or canned apricots—an average of two percent or more by count is damaged or infected by insects. Canned or frozen asparagus?—ten percent of the total product is infested with six or more beetle eggs and/or sacs. And what about all the chocolate lovers of the world?—how does a mere 60 or more insect fragments per 100 grams sound?
So the next time you’re brave enough to try bamboo worms, bee pupae, black ants, or silkworms; just remember: 4 down, only some 1,396 more species to go. Hey, if 8 out 10 people around the planet are doing it, why shouldn’t you?
