BLACK SOLDIER FLY FARMING IN THE PHILIPPINES: A NEW SUPERHERO IN SUSTAINABLE FARMING
BLACK SOLDIER FLY FARMING IN THE PHILIPPINES: A NEW SUPERHERO IN SUSTAINABLE FARMING
You may be thinking; “flies as superheroes?” Let us share with you why we think so and why we celebrated this last January 23, 2020.
We have opened our organic farm in Batangas many times before to share the knowledge regarding organic farming and its many fields. Recently we spearheaded another innovative solution to our countries waste management problems. Last January held in Kahariam Farms in Lipa City, we had our “Black Soldier Fly Larvae Product Launch & MOA Contract Signing with ITCPH.”
It was important for us to share the various benefits of these black soldier flies to our esteemed guests. We had various media sources and government agencies attend this event to possibly work together in raising awareness on this valuable insect.
Kahariam Farms owner, Manuel Bagatsing greeting our guests at the Gumamela Conference Hall.
This fly is local to the Philippines and holds incredible solutions for the future of sustainable farming and waste management. By using this technology, farmers are taking part in zero waste practices and organic farming to make sure no more harm is added to our environment.
Larger than regular houseflies, these flies are endemic to the Philippines. Because the flies do not have mouthparts, they do not bite and are not associated with transmitting any diseases. What is great about these flies is that when they are in their larva stage, they can eat biodegradable waste faster than earthworms. Not only are they a key solution to our waste problems but also to our farmers on practicing a more sustainable way of farming. The larvae itself is high in protein and can be an excellent source of animal and fish feed. It is lower in cost than the feeds currently in the market and does not need large spaces of land to produce. Imagine all the land we can save not needing to grow animal & fish feeds but can be used solely for humans instead?
Kahariam Farms owner, Manuel Bagatsing presenting it’s Black Soldier Fly Larvae to our guests. This resealable kraft bag hold 200 grams of dried BSF larvae.
After 3 years of learning how to propagate these amazing flies, we finally celebrated during this event by also touring our guests around the 23-hectare organic farm to share about the stages of production of these black soldier flies and the current experiments we are conducting on using the larvae as feeds for chicken and fish.
Dr Joel Adorada sharing the various stages of larvae to our guests. a BSF fly adult will live up to only 5 to 8 days only.
Did you know that larvae are already the main ingredient in animal feeds? You can find this in the Philippine National Standard on Animal Feeds. Unfortunately, no one in the Philippines is producing these flies in a commercial scale. Kahariam Farms has been known as a zero-waste farm, being able to convert 500 tonnes of agricultural waste into 250 tonnes of vermicast every month. Now with the ability to farm black soldier flies, we can now convert biodegradable waste into animal feeds.
Black soldier fly larvae up close being studied by our guests during the tour
This technology can greatly help our environment in many ways:
• Contributes to waste management solutions and zero waste practices
• Produce animal feeds that are lower in cost, yet high in protein and fat content
• Limits the use of land for animal feed production, allowing us to use the land for human food production
• Produced organically with no use of fossil fuels which is one of the main contributors of climate change
BSF larvae can be used as feeds for fish. Above is our fish pond where we are experimenting BSF feeds on our tilapia.
These superheroes of the environment provide a protein-packed, fast growth rate, inexpensive and high-quality alternative to the otherwise unsustainable feeds on the market. There is a lack of information on the use of this on livestock locally. Currently, Kahariam Farms is undergoing experimentation on the use of BSF larvae for fish and poultry feed.
A group photo with out guests as we tour them around our 23-hectare organic farm in Lipa Batangas.
Though many countries globally are practicing this, we need to conduct more research for our local environment. That being said we are fortunate to partner with the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry for conducting the first research project on BSF as a primary ingredient in pig feeds in the Philippines!
Dra. Ruth M. Sonaco, DVSM Center Chief of ITCPH shaking hands after the contract signing with Kahariam Farms owner, Manuel Bagatsing.
The primary objective of this project is to develop and evaluate an alternative source of protein through black soldier fly larvae as supplementary feeds for fattening hogs. Currently widely used for chicken and fish feeds, our aim through this collaboration is to get necessary data pertaining to the benefits of BFS for pig feed.
Who would have thought that the answer to the Philippines’ biodegradable waste problem can be found in a fly that is native to our environment?
Kahariam Farms is currently offering services for companies wanting to practice zero waste by managing their biodegradable waste responsibly. Click here to learn more.