Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa

IntroductionBlack soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are increasingly promoted as cost-effective, and environmentally friendly source of protein in animal nutrition. However, there is limited information about farmers' adoption rates and the factors influencing their adoption decisions in Sub-Saharan Af...

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Main Authors: Dieu-Merci Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa, Shiferaw Feleke, Paul-Martin Dontsop Nguezet, Dioukou Sissoko, Bokar Moussa, Abel-Gautier Kouakou, Seydou Zakari, Tahirou Abdoulaye, Victor Manyong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Economics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frevc.2025.1519767/full
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author Dieu-Merci Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa
Shiferaw Feleke
Paul-Martin Dontsop Nguezet
Dioukou Sissoko
Bokar Moussa
Abel-Gautier Kouakou
Seydou Zakari
Tahirou Abdoulaye
Victor Manyong
author_facet Dieu-Merci Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa
Shiferaw Feleke
Paul-Martin Dontsop Nguezet
Dioukou Sissoko
Bokar Moussa
Abel-Gautier Kouakou
Seydou Zakari
Tahirou Abdoulaye
Victor Manyong
author_sort Dieu-Merci Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionBlack soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are increasingly promoted as cost-effective, and environmentally friendly source of protein in animal nutrition. However, there is limited information about farmers' adoption rates and the factors influencing their adoption decisions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This article assesses livestock farmers' actual and potential adoption rates of BSFL and determinants of their adoption decisions.MethodsIn this paper, we used the treatment effect framework approach on data collected from 1,885 fish, poultry, and pig smallholder farmers in five cities of four West and Central African countries, including Kinshasa and Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Accra in Ghana, Bamako in Mali, and Niamey in Niger.Results and discussionThe results show that about 20 percent of surveyed farmers are aware of BSFL as a protein source in animal feed, and the actual adoption rate of BSFL is four percent. However, the treatment effect analysis showed that the adoption rate could quadruple if all farmers were aware. This result suggests that successful awareness creation can boost the actual adoption of BSFL, which currently stands at four percent. The awareness creation should target educated livestock farmers with access to group membership, credit, extension services, and diversified income sources to influence their decisions to adopt BSFL as a source of protein in animal feed.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2813-2823
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publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Environmental Economics
spelling doaj-art-d3ea4109ea8247f8b44b1811232218432025-02-06T17:07:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Economics2813-28232025-02-01410.3389/frevc.2025.15197671519767Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan AfricaDieu-Merci Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa0Shiferaw Feleke1Paul-Martin Dontsop Nguezet2Dioukou Sissoko3Bokar Moussa4Abel-Gautier Kouakou5Seydou Zakari6Tahirou Abdoulaye7Victor Manyong8Institute of Agricultural Policy and Market Research, Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen, Giessen, GermanyDepartment of Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar es Salam, TanzaniaDepartment of Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of CongoInstitut d'Économie Rurale, Bamako, MaliInstitut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger, Maradi, NigerDepartment of Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Bamako, MaliDepartment of Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Niamey, NigerDepartment of Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Bamako, MaliDepartment of Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar es Salam, TanzaniaIntroductionBlack soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are increasingly promoted as cost-effective, and environmentally friendly source of protein in animal nutrition. However, there is limited information about farmers' adoption rates and the factors influencing their adoption decisions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This article assesses livestock farmers' actual and potential adoption rates of BSFL and determinants of their adoption decisions.MethodsIn this paper, we used the treatment effect framework approach on data collected from 1,885 fish, poultry, and pig smallholder farmers in five cities of four West and Central African countries, including Kinshasa and Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Accra in Ghana, Bamako in Mali, and Niamey in Niger.Results and discussionThe results show that about 20 percent of surveyed farmers are aware of BSFL as a protein source in animal feed, and the actual adoption rate of BSFL is four percent. However, the treatment effect analysis showed that the adoption rate could quadruple if all farmers were aware. This result suggests that successful awareness creation can boost the actual adoption of BSFL, which currently stands at four percent. The awareness creation should target educated livestock farmers with access to group membership, credit, extension services, and diversified income sources to influence their decisions to adopt BSFL as a source of protein in animal feed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frevc.2025.1519767/fullenvironment-friendly technologyblack-soldier fly larvaelivestock farminganimal nutritiontreatment effect frameworkadoption
spellingShingle Dieu-Merci Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa
Shiferaw Feleke
Paul-Martin Dontsop Nguezet
Dioukou Sissoko
Bokar Moussa
Abel-Gautier Kouakou
Seydou Zakari
Tahirou Abdoulaye
Victor Manyong
Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
Frontiers in Environmental Economics
environment-friendly technology
black-soldier fly larvae
livestock farming
animal nutrition
treatment effect framework
adoption
title Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_full Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_fullStr Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_full_unstemmed Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_short Perspectives on the adoption of black-soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_sort perspectives on the adoption of black soldier fly larvae for animal feed among livestock farmers in sub saharan africa
topic environment-friendly technology
black-soldier fly larvae
livestock farming
animal nutrition
treatment effect framework
adoption
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frevc.2025.1519767/full
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