Transforming waste to products with flies

A unique project in Rwanda is using flies to convert food waste into affordable animal feed and fertiliser

Spotted: An estimated 2.5 billion tonnes of food is lost on farms or ends up wasted by retailers or consumers each year, and 15.3 per cent of all food produced globally is lost at farm-stage. Of the food wasted, the vast majority consists of fruits, vegetables, and cereals. However, Rwandan startup Magofarm is working to convert some of this waste into protein and organic fertiliser using insects.

Magofarm’s process begins by aggregating food waste from multiple streams, including farms, restaurants, households, and industry – before it can end up in landfills. This waste is brought to the company’s waste conversion facility and pre-processed to ensure moisture levels and particle sizes are optimum.

The waste is then fed to black soldier fly larvae which convert the food waste into biomass. This becomes a nutrient-rich protein ingredient for animal feed formulation or can be used as a chemical-free organic fertiliser. The protein and fertiliser, which is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, is then supplied to smallholders at an affordable price.

The goal of Magofarm is to create ‘a food waste-free world‘ and help small farmers practice agriculture and animal husbandry in a more sustainable way. The company points out that their solution “ensures constant nutrient upcycling from food waste to eliminate completely methane pollution”.

There have been many innovations looking to reduce food waste all over the world. Springwise has also spotted an indoor composting robot and cement made from fruit and vegetable scraps.

Written By: Lisa Magloff