Go forth and multiply: Developing the blueprint for Black-Soldier-Fly genetics scale-up

该项目将开发一个黑兵苍蝇繁殖设施，为全球昆虫饲料生产商提供持续改进的高性能遗传学。由于人口增长，畜牧和水产养殖蛋白需求不断增加，但目前的生产依赖于不稳定和不可持续的大豆和鱼粉进口。家畜和水产养殖饲料的另一种蛋白质来源是昆虫，它们在全球的重要性正在迅速增长。如今，在英国、欧洲、美洲和亚洲有55家以上的黑军蝇生产商。市场计算预计，到2025年，全球将有300个生产设施，年产昆虫蛋白1万吨，年收入21亿GB。由于生产设施是资本密集型的，黑色兵蝇生产商需要高性能的遗传技术。然而，黑兵蝇生产者没有育种资源和专业知识来开发高性能的遗传学，也没有这种遗传学(育种计划)的供应商。该项目的目标是通过对扩大过程进行操作、技术和商业分析来制定黑兵蝇繁殖设施的蓝图。该项目将利用BetaBugs的内部专业知识，加上部门专家的分包投入来实现目标。这将确定一个设施的蓝图，该设施将处理食物垃圾，生产供分发的活幼虫，通过可持续的当地蛋白质生产和新的就业机会，导致公司发展，并为更广泛的农业综合企业部门带来进一步的经济和环境效益。这些好处反过来将提高生产、饲料和食品的效率和弹性，并以此解决清洁养活日益增长的人口的挑战。

This project will develop a black-soldier fly multiplication facility that will supply continuously improving high-performance genetics to insect-as-feed producers globally.Livestock and aquaculture protein demand is increasing due to human population growth, yet current production depends on volatile and unsustainable soy and fishmeal imports. An alternative source of protein for livestock and aquaculture feed are insects, which are rapidly growing in importance globally. Today there are 55+ black-soldier-fly producers in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Asia. Market calculations predict 300 production facilities worldwide by 2025, with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes of insect protein/yr and £2.1B/yr revenue. Black-soldier-fly producers need high-performance genetics because production facilities are capital intensive. However, black-soldier-fly producers do not have breeding resources and expertise to develop high-performance genetics, while there are no suppliers of such genetics (breeding programs).The objectives of the project are to develop the blueprint for a black-soldier-fly multiplication facility by conducting operational, technical and commercial analyses of the scale-up process.The project will deliver the objectives by using the in-house expertise of BetaBugs, coupled with sub-contracted inputs from sector specialists. This will establish the blueprint for a facility that will process food waste to produce live larvae for distribution, leading to company growth and further economic and environmental benefits to the wider agribusiness sector through sustainable local production of protein and new jobs. These benefits will in turn increase the efficiency and resilience of production feed and food and with that address the challenge of cleanly feeding a growing population.