By Thin Lei WinDUBAI, Nov 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A pioneering entrepreneur believes insects can help improve the reputation of the palm oil industry, which for years has been accused of causing widespread deforestation, while slashing commercial farming’s voracious water use. Patrick Crowley, founder of Chapul, the first insect protein foods company in the United States, is proposing a “circular economy” for palm oil farmers so that waste and byproducts are used for farming insects on plantations. Crowley’s insect plan, already being piloted for four years in Indonesia, the world’s biggest palm oil producer, involves using empty palm fruit bunches that are often burned or left to rot after being processed. Natural fungi and bacteria are added to this palm fruit waste to start the fermentation process, increasing its protein content and making it more digestible for insects, he said. Scientists say insect waste, known as frass, is also a great natural fertilizer and can go back into plantations to help boost palm yields, Crowley said.

Source: National Post November 22, 2019 08:15 UTC