Edible insects and locusts as more than pests

Throughout history, locusts have been notorious pests causing extensive damage to agriculture worldwide. Efforts to control their outbreaks have primarily focused on suppressing populations and reducing crop destruction. However, it is important to recognize the ecological significance of locusts as extraordinary natural phenomena and vital contributors to ecosystem nutrient cycling, predating settled agriculture. Moreover, locusts have served as a nutritious food source for humans, both in the past and present. With the availability of more environmentally friendly biopesticides as alternatives to harmful synthetic pesticides, incorporating locust harvesting into control strategies becomes more feasible. Despite the existing logistical challenges, a change in perspective could lead to a more sustainable integration of locust outbreaks into regional food systems by using them as fertilizer, feed for livestock, and a valuable source of protein, minerals, fat, and fiber for human consumption.

Locusts as food

In “Nsenene,” the filmmaker Michelle Coomber documents a Ugandan tradition under threat.

Entomophagy, the practice of eating insects can be traced back to ancient times. There is evidence of humans eating desert locusts as early as 2000 BC. There are multiple mentions of locusts being eaten in the Bible for example Leviticus 11:22 and Matthew 3:4. Eating insects was even considered a delicacy of the social elite present at royal banquets. Traditionally, the Khoisan of southern Africa ate grasshoppers and locusts after roasting them on grills. In Brazil, the Nambikwara people regularly consume locusts, both hoppers and adults of Rhammatocerus schistocercoides.Today, locusts are harvested and eaten in many diverse, small-scale ways, Mexico) and also produced in large commercial operations. They have been approved as food and feed in the European Union.

Locusts and grasshoppers are often sold in markets for human consumption, such as here in the Niamey market in Niger. Photo Michel Lecoq, 1986.

An estimated 2 billion people already see insects as food globally. More than 126 species of crickets, grasshoppers, and locusts have been identified as edible in sub-Saharan Africa. Food companies such as Hargol in Isreal and Insectipro in Kenya and many more are farming this protein for use for human consumption. Both insects offer nutritional benefits and have been consumed for centuries due to their abundance, accessibility, and high protein content. Locusts and grasshoppers are rich in essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals such as iron and zinc. They are also relatively low in fat and can provide a sustainable alternative protein source with a smaller ecological footprint compared to traditional livestock. These insects can be cooked in various ways, including frying, roasting, or incorporating them into dishes such as stir-fries, soups, or snacks. As a result of their nutritional value and potential for sustainable cultivation, locusts and grasshoppers are increasingly being explored as viable solutions to address food security and promote sustainable food systems in different parts of the world.

Locusts as fertilizer

Milled desert locusts are high in nitrogen. Photo by The Bug Picture.

Herbivores play a role in transferring energy from plants to decomposers through various means such as plant clippings, feces, and cadavers. Locusts and grasshoppers have the potential to accelerate nitrogen cycling and enhance plant abundance in certain ecosystems by altering the abundance and decomposition rate of plant litter. The ecological impacts of locust outbreaks on a broader scale have received limited research attention. However, locust swarms can distribute nutrients across vast distances, far from the soil where the affected plants originally grew. This characteristic makes locusts significant carriers of nutrients, particularly in arid ecosystems with limited nutrient availability. The influence of a locust swarm on nutrient cycling hinges on the nutrient quantity present in their excrement (frass) or deceased bodies and the timeframe for those nutrients to become accessible to plants. Kietzka et al. (2021) calculated that nitrogen mineralized from the frass and cadavers of a 1 km² area (100 ha) of locusts and their offspring could meet the nitrogen requirements of around 306 ha of rice crops and 59 ha of maize plants.

Harvesting locusts specifically for fertilizer is a more direct way to close the ecological cycle. Their cadavers can be converted into nutrient-rich organic matter. The Bug Picture Kenya in 2021, harvested locusts and tested rudimentary processing techniques for animal feed and organic fertilizer production (see photo) so that harvesters can take direct benefits from the desert locust without external involvement.

Harvesting locusts is often done at night when they are roosting and less active. This can be done using nets or traps, depending on the specific situation and location. After harvesting, locusts can be milled (ground into a fine powder or meal), crushed, or composted.

Locust upcycling projects

In recent years, mechanical control and harvesting have been used as a response to outbreaks although it is not necessarily a desired choice by the community or government. Mechanical control was used in Afghanistan in 2008 and 2023, Pakistan from 2019-2020, Pakistan turns locusts into chicken feed to tackle the invasion, and Kenya in 2021.

Resources for Mechanical control

English short title	Year published	Category	Author	Species purview	Geographic purview	Language	Descriptive keyword
Afghan northwest hit by plague of locusts	2008	Media			Afghanistan	English	Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks, Media article
Field guide to grasshoppers of economic importance in Nevada		Guide, Instructional guides	University of Nevada		United States	English	Glossary, Photos, Species identification, Biology, Life cycle, Behavior, Pesticides, Survey, Integrated pest management, Biological control, Culture, Chemical control, Mechanical control, Economics
Grasshoppers and their control		Guide, Instructional guides	Texas A&M University, Carl D. Patrick		United States	English	Species identification, Management, Monitoring, Biological control, Mechanical control, Cultural control, Biology
How war threatens Ethiopia's struggle against worst locust swarm in 25 years	2020	Media			Ethiopia	English	Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Agriculture, Crop health, Food security, Mechanical control, Rainfall, Economics, Emergency alerts, Governance, Aerial control operations, Pesticides, Chemical control, Management, Pesticide management, Livelihoods, Collective movement
In Kenya, this start-up is turning locust swarms into animal feed	2021	Media			Kenya	English	Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks, Video
India combats locust attack amid Covid-19 pandemic	2020	Media			India	English	Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Agriculture, Crop health, Emergency response, Governance, Management, Integrated pest management, Collective movement, Migration, Mechanical control, Early warning, Food security, Economics, Aerial control operations, Chemical control, Spraying, Pesticides, PPE and cleaning
Kenya: A sustainable solution to locust swarms?	2021	Media, Interactive visual tools			Kenya	English	Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Food security, Livelihoods, Crop health, Agriculture, Livestock, Mechanical control, Edible insects, Management, Integrated pest management, Community development, Collective movement
Kenya's farmers struggle as locusts descend	2021	Media	Deutsche Welle		Kenya	English	Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks
Locust Swarms as Big as Cities are Causing a Crisis in Africa	2020	Media			Africa	English	Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Livestock, Grazing, Food security, Early warning, Forecasting, Economics, Collective movement, Climate change, Rainfall, Management, Integrated pest management, Edible insects, Chemical control, Mechanical control
Locust Swarms Ravaging East Africa Are the Size of Cities	2020	Media			Eastern Africa	English	Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Mechanical control, Crop health, Agriculture, Food security, Rainfall, Forecasting, Monitoring, Climate change, Amazing footage, Video, Weather, Economics, Livelihoods, Livestock, Grazing, Morphology, Behavior, Spraying, Pesticides, Emergency response
Locusts have caused problems for quite some time		Guide, Interactive visual tools	Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations		Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Somalia	English	Locusts, Biology, Chemical control, Mechanical control, Spraying, Data analysis
Pakistan turns locusts into chicken feed to tackle the invasion	2020	Media			Pakistan	English	Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks
The Biblical locust plagues of 2020		Media			Eastern Africa	English	Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Food security, Behavior, Ecology, Biology, Migration, Economics, Weather, Management, Integrated pest management, Mechanical control, Chemical control, Pesticides, Pesticide management, Livelihoods, Governance, Aerial control operations, Biopesticide, Biological control, Forecasting, Robotics, Drones, Technology
This Kenyan Startup Is Turning Locust Swarms into Animal Feed	2021	Media			Kenya	English	Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management, Weather, Climate change, Livestock, Grazing, Edible insects, Crop health, Mechanical control, Livelihoods, Integrated pest management, Agriculture, Community development
Villagers In Sumba Chase Away Migratory Locusts With Loud Noises	2022	Media, Interactive visual tools			Indonesia	English	Video, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Management, Mechanical control, Spraying, Pesticides, Chemical control, Governance, Agriculture, Crop health
Why today's biblical locust swarms can't be stopped	2020	Media			Africa, Asia	English	Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Agriculture, Mechanical control, Chemical control, Management, Pesticides, Forecasting, Monitoring, Migration, Pesticide management, Public health, Crop health, Food security, Behavior, Rainfall, Climate change

Organizations involved in edible insects

Organization name	Acronym	Website	Type	Focus	Focus keywords	Geographic purview
Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International	CABI	View	Intergovernmental Organization, Non-profit Organization	Development, Management, Media, Governance	Agricultural Development, Community Development, Control, Coordination, Forecasting, International Development, Media, Monitoring, Policy, Regional Cooperation, Research, Sustainable Development, Technology, Training, Edible Insects	United Kingdom