As the world yearns for sustainable farming practices that are cost-effective and affordable for small-scale farmers, Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming is ideal and unsung. Many people see flies as useless creatures, but not knowing there is wealth in them. In this in-depth report, Chowoo Willy writes about one of the daring farmers.
Mr.Olanya Richard the Black Soldier Fly Farmer:
Mr. Olanya Richard, 30 years old, a Ugandan young Innovator, has found life in Black Soldier Fly farming. Mr. Olanya started his journey with poultry farming as a passion in 2016 fresh from University, but his dream was cut short just after two years in the business. Olanya is a University graduate in Agricultural Mechanization and Irrigation from Busitema University.
Mr. Olanya had to close his business because there were no feeds for his chicken, he didn’t know that was another opportunity for him in the offing. He opted to do research about a sustainable way of making livestock feeds for his chicken, by just scrolling on his mobile phone; he came across Black Soldier Fly (BSL) farming on YouTube and Google. This became an efficient and suitable way of his business.
Black soldier Fly (BSF) farming involves using the larvae of the black soldier fly to decompose organic waste or feed on organic waste, which is then converted into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. BSF Larvae are efficient waste managers, cost-saving sources of protein, and an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional livestock feed.
In 2021, Olanya started Black Soldier fly farming as a business after self-learning on YouTube and Google. He opened up, Green GrowthPlus Investment, to help produce Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae or Maggots for livestock feeds for livestock farmers and also he is fighting environmental degradation by making composed or organic fertilizer from decomposed organic food waste.
Green GrowthPlus Investment is currently producing the most costive and reliable livestock feeds for the farmers and also supplying the farmers with organic fertilizer which is very healthy for the soil. They are situated at Mican Cell, Bardege-Layibi City Division, in Gulu City.
Olanya, who has now employed four people at his business, says what motivated him most was the need to create self-employment, and joins the rest of the world in fighting the impact of climate change by providing affordable and reliable organic fertilizer to the farmers which improve on food security.
But two years later, Olanya is now living on top of his dream to support urban gardening by producing 200 kgs of maggots every two weeks and 260 kgs of organic fertilizers to supply his customers who are vegetable growers and poultry farmers in the city. They also earn from fees they charge for training youth who are interested in BSF farming.
“BSF has been a dirty job for many people, but for me, it is a golden opportunity many people are missing in exploring the potential of black soldier fly farming because it offers a lot to the community”,. He reveals.
What BSF brings on Table:
At his Green GrowthPlus Investment Innovation Centre, a kilo of fresh Maggots goes at Sh 2,000 (two thousand Uganda shilling ) while a dried kilo of BSF larvae goes for sh5,000 (five thousand Uganda Shilling), and a kilo of composed fertilizer is sold for sh800. Annually, he gets an average of sh14.4 million clean money from this business.
Olanya adds that “BSF has more good than any business I have started, it has provided me and the people I work with the source of livelihoods”. This business has also earned him travels; he emerged as the second runner-up of the Kigali Start-up festival during the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda and also attended YALI in Nairobi.
But how does he get Larvae or maggots from the black Soldier fly? Here, he explains what is involved in the process
Audio File One Olanya Speaking about how to make Maggots-Eng
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Managing solid waste in the City:
Black soldier fly farming is a silent method that offers hope to soil health, because farmers can rear black soldier flies in large quantities, creating a valuable source of protein for their livestock and fish. And the larvae are highly nutritious and cost-effective, making them excellent alternatives to traditional sources of feed like soybean meal and fishmeal.
The young innovator plans to set up a state-of-the-art production facility within Gulu City to join the Authority in the city in Solid Waste Management.
Gulu City has more than five big markets that produce volumes of solid waste daily. The markets are Gulu Main Market, Cereleono Market, Gulu Modern Market, Lacor Market, and Olayo-ilong Market
Olanya is seeking about half an acre from the City Authority to help him set up a production line in the city Centre that would in reduction of solid waste from the markets in the City Centre. For every 100kgs of solid waste taken as feeds for larvae, the larvae reduce it to 70kgs of organic fertilizer.
The solid waste from food residues like cabbages, avocados, bananas, and jack fruits among others are taken as feeds for the larvae which would decompose into organic waste.
Mr. Olanya notes, “We want to expand his production line city so that we can produce large tune of compose fertilizer and BSF Larvae to meet the increasing demands for his product.”
But one other benefit is Composed of manure or organic fertilizer which is friendly to the environment not like chemical fertilizers which are harmful to the environment and not affordable by many small-scale farmers. Olanya makes the organic fertilizer from Organic waste taken as feeds for the BSF larvae. This is two in one, managing waste in the city and producing organic fertilizer. This fertilizer is affordable, reliable, and accessible by farmers as explained by Olanya.
Audio File two: Olanya on the advantage of Fertilizer -Eng
Working with refugees.
The demand for the products has made Olanya set up a second production line in Lamwo district, the refugee’s host district at Palabek refugee settlement camp, to cater for the refugees who are doing farming and to reduce the impacts of their farming on the environment. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), there were 79,238 refugees settled at the camp as of June 2023.
Video Bite one: Olanya on working with refugee-Eng
Value addition.
As the demand for supply increases, Olanya notes that they tend to begin producing value-added feeds because formulate feeds and sell out processed organic manure to the farmers so that they will not suffer cracking the organic manure.
Much as there is less knowledge on Black soldier farming, it is a sustainable method of agriculture that can benefit both farmers and the environment. Olanya’s success story shows that with a little experimentation and education, anyone can implement this innovative method on their farm to increase their productivity.
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2 Responses
I want to reach out to olanya Richard. Kindly drop his contact
0787825639