• Denmark’s Insectum plans its first commercial insect protein plant in Ghana.
• The $2.9 million facility will process 8,000 tons of organic waste annually.
• The project targets lower feed costs for aquaculture and poultry.

Danish biotechnology company Insectum ApS, which produces animal feed protein from organic waste, is preparing to launch its first commercial facility in Ghana.

According to international media reports, the project will be developed through a three-party partnership signed on March 4 in Accra between Insectum, Danish investor Michael Bundgaard Holding, and Ghanaian recycling company JSO Waste.

David Munk-Bogballe, chief executive of Insectum ApS, said the company was enthusiastic about establishing its first franchise partnership in Africa and highlighted the strong alignment between the partners from the start of the collaboration.

The planned facility will require an investment of €2.5 million (about $2.9 million). Once operational, it will process 8,000 tons of organic waste each year, converting it into protein for fish and poultry feed, as well as organic fertilizers for agriculture.

Details about the construction timeline and the plant’s location have not yet been disclosed.

A potential boost for feed production

Insectum’s technology relies on black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens). Their larvae consume organic waste and convert it into protein- and lipid-rich biomass suitable for animal feed. The remaining residue can be used as natural fertilizer, supporting crop production while reducing environmental impact.

The project addresses a strategic need in Ghana, where authorities are seeking to revive the poultry sector and expand aquaculture.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), black soldier fly meal offers a more sustainable and potentially cheaper alternative to conventional fishmeal, which is widely used in aquaculture feed.

In a report published in January, the World Economic Forum (WEF) noted that feed constraints raise aquaculture production costs in Africa by 10% to 20% above global averages.

These higher costs stem largely from reliance on imported feed ingredients such as soybean meal—also essential for human consumption—and fishmeal derived from wild-caught fish, due to limited local production capacity.

Reducing feed costs with insect-based alternatives could therefore support the growth of Ghana’s aquaculture industry, which has expanded rapidly in recent years.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, aquaculture production nearly doubled from 52,360 tons in 2019 to 100,000 tons in 2023. The sector now accounts for about 20% of Ghana’s total fish output, which reached 484,412 tons in 2023.

Feed costs also remain a major constraint for the poultry industry. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that Ghana produced 60,000 tons of chicken meat in 2023, meeting only 18% of national consumption, estimated at 330,000 tons.

With its planned investment, Insectum and its partners are positioning themselves in Ghana’s growing animal feed market, as the government seeks to expand domestic poultry and aquaculture production in the coming years.

Stéphanas Assocle