Abstract
Food security is threatened by the global increase of human population, climate change, inequality of wealth distribution, the state of natural resources, peace and sustainability, among others. Aquaculture has become an important part of the food supply, hence contributing to food security. Sustainable fish production, which represents an important affordable protein supply, should therefore involve feed formulation and production techniques that are not dependent on fish meal as the protein source. It is on this basis that bioeconomy becomes very important to promote the resourceful use of biomass for feed, food, biomaterials, and bioenergy. This study presents housefly maggot meal as an efficient alternative protein source to fishmeal and a valuable bioresource. Clarias gariepinus fingerlings (male and female) were fed maggot meal supplemented diets for 24 weeks and we assessed their growth and gonadal development. The findings of this study revealed that maggot-meal-enhanced diets promoted growth and faster gonadal development in fish. Maggot meal represents a quality alternative protein source to fish meal and an excellent bioresource, which can help us attain sustainable aquaculture production.
Highlights
The United Nations (UN) has projected a rise in world population to almost 10 billion people by 2050 [1]
Food production systems are reported to be negatively impacted by the global human population increase, climate change, devastating natural disasters, disease pandemics, and religious and political crises [2]
There is a need to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs) goal 2, and combat any setbacks in terms of food production and accessibility of affordable protein
Summary
The United Nations (UN) has projected a rise in world population to almost 10 billion people by 2050 [1]. Such population growth in combination with climate change effects, wealth distribution inequalities, the state of natural resources, peace and sustainability, among other factors [2], may undermine the achievement of the Sustainable Development. In some areas climate change is hampering crop and animal production [4], affecting the aquaculture sector and its potential to support food production, as aquafeed production relies on crop and animal products. The fisheries sector has recorded declines in fish catch that affect the production of fish meal for aquafeed [5,6]. The shrinking availability of fish for the aquaculture industry has led to an increase in the market price of fish meal [7], undermining the affordable protein supply
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