Musungu Arnold L, Muriithi Beatrice W, Ghemoh Changeh J, Nakimbugwe Dorothy, Tanga Chrysantus M
Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Genscherallee Str. 3, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Agric Food Econ. 2023;11(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s40100-023-00272-9. Epub 2023 Aug 9.
Globally, crickets are gaining recognition as a valuable alternative protein source for human consumption due to their lower resource requirement and ecological footprint compared to traditional livestock. In this paper, we examine strategies that may expedite the sustainable domestication of crickets as a food source. Using survey data from 306 households in western Kenya, we find that supplying cricket production starter kits, granting access to credit facilities, encouraging participation in farmer groups, and fostering partnerships can enhance the adoption of cricket farming. Moreover, we provide new evidence that institutional training significantly increases cricket yields while embracing cricket consumption (i.e. entomophagy) increases market supply. These findings underscore the importance of technical training, provision of production starter kits, and raising awareness about entomophagy to achieve sustainable mass production and adoption of cricket farming.
在全球范围内，蟋蟀正逐渐被认可为一种有价值的人类食用替代蛋白质来源，因为与传统家畜相比，它们所需资源和生态足迹更低。在本文中，我们研究了可能加速将蟋蟀可持续驯化为食物来源的策略。利用来自肯尼亚西部306户家庭的调查数据，我们发现提供蟋蟀生产启动套件、提供信贷便利、鼓励参与农民团体以及促进伙伴关系可以提高蟋蟀养殖的采用率。此外，我们提供了新的证据表明，机构培训显著提高蟋蟀产量，而接受蟋蟀消费（即食用昆虫）则增加市场供应。这些发现强调了技术培训、提供生产启动套件以及提高对食用昆虫的认识对于实现蟋蟀养殖的可持续大规模生产和采用的重要性。
