The IITA BBEST project visited the GSA to introduce its dried BSF larvae and start the certification process.

The IITA BBEST Project takes a significant step towards the certification and the commercialization of its products: the dried Black Soldier Fly larvae and its organic fertilizer. In a formal meeting, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) discussed the certification modalities with the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA).

The IITA BBEST project team, led by Dr Richard Asare, IITA Country Representative and Prof Michael Osae, the director BNARI one of the national research partners of the project introduced the BBEST project and its two products namely the Dried BSF larvae, an alternative source of protein used in formulating feed for the chicken, fish and pig and the BSF Frass, an organic fertilizer used in vegetable production to the Director General of the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA).

The team gave an overview of the project, whose overall objective is to improve the livelihood of smallholder chicken, fish, pig and vegetable producers and other value chain actors and contribute to urban sanitation and climate change mitigation and shared key achievements of the project in Ghana which are among other things the establishment of the BSF Central Unit in Kofisah for the mass production and commercialization of the dried BSF larvae and organic fertilizer, and the establishment of the Decentralized units for selected farmers for the production of the BSF dried larvae and organic fertilizer.

The two institutions had a fruitful discussion with Prof Dodoo and gathered the information needed to start the procedures for the certification for the dried BSF larvae.

The project has already taken a step ahead by developing the standard for the dried BSF larvae: GS 1382:2023 - ANIMAL FEEDING STUFF – SPECIFICATION FOR DRIED INSECT PRODUCTS FOR COMPOUNDED ANIMAL FEED at the early stage of the project, which was one of the important aspect of the requirements needed was the standard of the dried BSF larvae.