admin | September 11, 2025
In Masaka district, Josephine Nabbanga carefully tends her colony of crickets, a high-protein snack that is gaining popularity across Uganda as both food for people and feed for animals.
Like many small-scale farmers, Mrs. Nabbanga struggled with the high cost of poultry feed, the main option for nourishing her crickets. She explains that it was expensive and often hard to get, forcing her to look for alternatives if she wanted to grow her business.
Her solution came from researchers at Uganda Christian University (UCU), who developed a cricket feed made from locally available food waste. Using scraps such as banana peels, rice, and other discarded food from markets and restaurants, the team turns waste into nutrient-rich powder. The feed is heat-treated, dried, and blended into a product designed specifically for cricket farming.
Lead researcher Geoffrey Ssepuuya says the feed allows crickets to grow in 8–10 weeks instead of 12, and supports high reproduction so farmers can quickly scale up their production.
Josephine Nabbanga says the new feed has been a game changer for her. She says, “We have saved a lot of money. It’s helping with our crickets, and we are even considering using it for our pigs.”
Cricket farming offers a sustainable protein alternative, but costs have long been a barrier. Traditional poultry feed is around US$0.68 per kilogram, limiting farmers’ ability to expand. By using food waste, the UCU project tackles two problems at once: the high cost of feed and Kampala’s growing waste management challenge.
Daniel Nuwabiine, spokesman for the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), notes that only 45 per cent of the city’s 481,000 tonnes of solid waste is collected daily. The rest clogs drains, causes floods, and pollutes the environment. He says, “We need partners and solutions like this.”
Mr. Ssepuuya adds that up to three tonnes of food waste per day could be used in cricket feed production, providing a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to animal-based products. Restaurants and markets supplying waste become part of a circular economy, giving farmers cheap feed while helping the city manage its trash.
Beyond environmental benefits, the project boosts household incomes and nutrition. Mrs. Nabbanga and other farmers can sell more crickets and eggs, generating revenue for their families. The team is now seeking certification from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards before large-scale commercial rollout.
Mr. Ssepuuya concludes, “This innovation is helping farmers, protecting the environment, and creating new business opportunities. It’s a simple idea with a big impact.”
Photo: Lead researcher Geoffery Ssepuuya talks to local suppliers of food waste, which he turns into cricket food. Photo courtesy of John Musenze.
This story is adapted from an article written by John Musenze for SciDev.Net, titled “Uganda’s snack crickets chomp on food waste” To read the full story, go to: https://www.scidev.net/global/supported-content/ugandas-snack-crickets-chomp-on-food-waste/