BUGS-Africa strengthens Black Soldier Fly capacities in Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia

Over the past four months, the BUGS-Africa project has taken important steps toward establishing Black Soldier Fly (BSF) systems as a viable circular solution for organic waste management in Africa. From September to December, project partners organised six workshops across Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia, combining high-level policy exchanges with hands-on technical training.

In each country, the programme began with policy dialogues in the capital cities, bringing together ministries, regulators, municipalities and international organisations. The discussions highlighted the growing relevance of BSF for national waste and climate strategies, with participants exploring regulatory frameworks, standards, business models and the climate benefits of BSF-based systems.

These sessions were followed by practitioner workshops designed to build technical capacity on the ground. Farmers, waste operators, youth entrepreneurs, cooperatives and small enterprises received practical training along the entire BSF life cycle — from breeding and hatching to feeding, harvesting and colony management. The broad participation reflects increasing interest in BSF as a scalable and locally adaptable solution.

Participants of the BSF Workshop. (c) BSF Project

During the workshops, the project team also introduced new learning materials and analytical reports, including draft recommendations for national BSF development pathways. Local partners played a central role in facilitating the trainings and ensuring that the knowledge shared is already contributing to concrete action.

To maintain exchange beyond the workshops, PREVENT continues to host the BSF Community of Practice on WhatsApp, bringing together practitioners, policymakers, researchers and entrepreneurs from across the continent.

As BUGS-Africa enters its next phase, the project will keep supporting local actors in establishing or scaling their BSF units, strengthening national BSF ecosystems and enabling long-term circular impact in the participating countries.

Participants of the BSF Workshop. (c) BSF Project