South Africa: This Man Becomes the First to Earn a PhD in Mass Insect Farming

Michael Wood Holding Some of Insects He is Rearing.
Photo Credit: iol of South Africa

Almost everybody  know and understand what livestock farming is. But not many people have heard or known anything about insect farming. Many people might even argue about it, thinking how is insect farming or rearing possible. But whether you believe it or not  there are numerous opportunities in this new area of farming.

The numerous opportunities in the insect farming is one of the reasons this South African man pursue a doctorate degree in the course therefore becoming the first to earn a PhD in mass insect farming from Stellenbosch University.

Michael Wood, a 27 years old who grew up in Saldanha earned the PhD in mass insect farming at a graduation ceremony held on December 12, 2019.

According to an interview Michael Wood granted iol of South Africa, he said many opportunities in the mass insect farming is one of the reasons he pursue a PhD in the subject.

Michael said," We are increasingly realising the value of insects as a food source for farm animals and humans, to control pests and invasive plants, and to help us get rid of waste food and abattoir waste without it having to land on landfills."

Mass insect farming has to do with raising, breeding and eating insects as livestock for the commodities they produced or for themselves to be used as food, feed or otherwise.

He said further "It’s the fastest-growing agricultural industry in the world right now.”

On his opinion on the rearing of the so much insect, Wood who also earned his bachelor and master degree from Stellenbosch University said,"To raise insects is quite similar to intensive livestock production. Nutrition plays a major role in the success as well as the cost of insect production."

He added by saying “Just like chickens and pigs, insects need certain nutrients to thrive,”

Doctorate research work of Michael Wood details how best to care for and feed insects to make rearing them in commercial quantity possible.

Wood and his team were able to adapt the existing hydrolysis process to extract fat, protein and chitin as separate by-products from the insects. These by-products can then be used in animal feed or in nutritional supplements for human. They were able to achieve this using a kind of specially formulated enzymes.