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

该项目将开发一种黑兵蝇繁殖设施，为全球昆虫饲料生产商提供不断改进的高性能基因。由于人口增长，牲畜和水产养殖对蛋白质的需求正在增加，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。昆虫是家畜和水产养殖饲料蛋白质的另一种来源，其重要性在全球范围内迅速增长。如今，在英国、欧洲、美洲和亚洲，有55多家黑兵蝇生产商。市场计算预测，到2025年，全球将有300个生产设施，年产能为1万吨昆虫蛋白，年收入为21亿英镑。黑兵蝇生产者需要高性能的基因，因为生产设施是资本密集型的。然而，黑兵蝇生产商没有育种资源和专业知识来开发高性能的基因，同时也没有这种基因（育种计划）的供应商。该项目的目标是通过对规模扩大过程进行操作、技术和商业分析，为黑兵蝇繁殖设施制定蓝图。该项目将通过使用BetaBugs的内部专业知识以及部门专家的分包投入来实现目标。这将建立一个设施的蓝图，该设施将处理食物垃圾，生产出可供分销的活幼虫，通过可持续的当地蛋白质生产和新的就业机会，促进公司发展，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。这些好处将反过来提高饲料和粮食生产的效率和韧性，从而应对清洁喂养不断增长的人口的挑战。

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.