Farmers cash in on tasty, healthy crickets

By Lillian Kiarie

Kenya: Mr Otieno Alula, a cricket farmer in Bondo, is accustomed to people turning up their noses at his trade.

In July 2012, when the Kisumu Agricultural Show opened its gates and gave thousands of farmers a chance to showcase their products, Mr Alula was among them. 

Though many thronged his stand, he couldn’t help but notice how skeptical they were of his products.

“I have heard even paupers say they would rather die of hunger than try eating fried crickets, but I dare anyone to try them and see if they won’t smack their lips with relish after biting into just one crispy piece. How I wish people would get over some stereotypes and be open to diverse experiences,” he says.

Export market

Alula says one can start breeding crickets with less than Sh500, and earn as much as Sh5,000 a day.

The middle-aged farmer started rearing crickets when looking for a meal that would supplement his diet. Today, cricket rearing is his main activity.

“There is a huge market for crickets not only in Kenya, but also in Europe and Saudi Arabia. What began as a small-time side job has slowly become my main hustle and I now have thousands of crickets.”

During the show, there were other farmers displaying different items made with crickets, which included sausages, cookies, cakes and biscuits. The insects can also be used to make rich soups, or bait fish.

Alula says crickets are easy to trap and available all year round. They are rich in zinc, iron, copper and proteins.

Food security

A visit to Uganda’s capital, Kampala will expose you to an interesting scene. Unlike most Kenyan hawkers in Nairobi who focus on selling smokies and eggs, the streets of Kampala are full of hawkers selling fried crickets and grasshoppers.

Because of the huge supply, the product is sold at low prices, with a 30-gramme pack of fried crickets retailing at Sh10.

But Kenyan streets may soon resemble Uganda’s. Bondo University’s Department of Food Security in Kisumu has been training farmers to rear crickets to enhance the country’s food security.

Alula says farmers have formed groups and rear the crickets, dry them and work with the university and other stakeholders to access export markets.

Crickets are easy to breed and require minimal space. A one-square-foot box can hold about 1,200 crickets.

You can involve children in breeding them, and even turn the activity into a school project, especially in kindergartens and primary schools.

However, remember that crickets chirp all night, so keep them in an area where they will not disturb you or your neighbours.

Each female cricket lays five to 10 eggs a day in her lifetime, which means the insects are constantly available. They also require little feeding and attention.

Alula says the insects can keep for more than three months when dried and stored in a cool place.

One of the most popular ways to capture crickets is to use large shiny iron sheets lined up vertically into a bucket, with a bright bulb suspended between the sheets.

Confined space

At night, the insects will be attracted to the light and begin to circle the bulb until they fall onto the sheets and slide into the bucket. It is hard for them to escape once they are in the bucket.

Alula, who got his training from Bondo University, says he rears his crickets in a small bucket that has a source of light to keep the insects lively. He covers this bucket at the top with a transparent mesh to let in air.

Ensure the storage bucket you use is large enough for all your insects because if the insects breed in a very confined space, they may begin to eat each other.

Crickets also require a high-protein diet, so feed them on things like dried fish or cat food. You can supplement this diet with vegetables.

Wait for the eggs to hatch, which takes about a week, and once they have done so, avoid touching the baby crickets but make sure you keep them warm. They will mature in about two to three weeks, and at this stage, are ready for market.

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