Edible insect lab: Bugs for biodiversity and development in Madagascar

At the intersection of climate change, biodiversity loss, and food scarcity lies an unexpected and abundant resource and solution: edible insects. After spending three decades documenting insect biodiversity in Madagascar, a nation off East Africa estimated to contain 5% of the world's total plant and animal life, our research program changed to address local needs.  Across the island, harsh economic realities force local people to choose between preserving their unique ecological heritage and clearing the landscape to make way for sustenance farming. To address the twin issues of malnutrition and habitat loss, we founded a new research center dedicated to developing edible insects as an alternative protein source. The goal is to create a sustainable, scalable, and locally produced protein solution that can address malnutrition and offer food security for the hungry and growing population of Madagascar while reducing pressure on the remaining natural landscapes.