Insect farming is one of the most profitable yet unpopular types of farming in Kenya. This is a gap that Talash Huijbers was quick at filling and is now a proud farmer.

The 27-year-old runs an insect farm –Insectipro –in Nairobi that makes Sh1.9 million weekly, Sh7.7 million monthly, and Sh93 million annually.

Born to a Kenyan mother and a Dutch father, Talash learned about the potential of insects while studying International Food and Agribusiness at HAS University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.

She founded Insectipro in 2018  on her father’s farm in Nairobi. She keeps different types of insects, including the black soldier flies and crickets. Black soldier fly is used in animal feeds, while crickets are for human consumption.

The insects are fed garbage collected in the City streets and take 10 days to reach maturity for the Black soldier and five weeks for crickets.

“The black soldier fly is special because it takes organic waste, so everything, food waste, market waste, and kitchen waste, are converted into high-value protein and fertilizer. The Black Soldier Fly is a small, tiny black fly that has no mouth when it’s an adult, so it can’t spread diseases. It only lives for seven days in sunlit areas; that’s why they’re considered safe.’’ she said.

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Once they reach maturity, the Black soldier insects are harvested, dried, and added to animal feeds. Insectipro supplies insect protein from black soldier flies to four large animal feed mills. Talash notes that their waste products also make good fertilizers.

Crickets, on the other hand, are frozen and sold to people as snacks. The insects can also be used to make high-nutritional powder to use in local products such as porridge.

Talash noted that her company, which has created employment for over 80 people, produces feed for nine million chickens using 120,000 metric tons of waste. Her plant also generates enough fertilizer for 13,000 acres.

She added that the Black soldier fly is a good feed alternative for products such as fishmeal and soya, which are scarce.

The young innovator has, over the years, received more than Sh278 million (2 million dollars) from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

She was also the talk of the town in 2019 after former president Uhuru Kenyatta visited her farm in Red Hill to see first-hand the innovation that could impact Kenya’s food security.