Villagers’ knowledge of some edible insects in southern Cameroon: crickets, termites, honeybees and cockchafers

Abstract

With the global meat crisis and the high growth in the human population, alternative sources of protein need to be found in order to ensure food security. Insects are widely recognised as an important source of protein and food for several countries worldwide. We carried out a study of the importance of crickets, termites, honeybees and cockchafers in five divisions of Cameroon: Koung-khi, High Plateaus, Menoua (West Region), Mvila, Dja and Lobo (South Region). A semi-structured survey involving 409 villagers was conducted from December 2014 to February 2015. The results showed that most villagers (71.3%) eat these insects. The highest proportion was obtained for termites (96%), followed by crickets (94%) and cockchafers (87%). Honeybees were the least consumed (17.5%) and villagers reported that it is a dangerous insect because of its venom. Crickets, termites, honeybees and cockchafers are eaten under different preparations and the most cited were fried in oil and braised in fire. These insects are all found on farms mainly during the rainy season. The developmental stages most consumed depended on the insect group: adults for crickets and termites; larvae for cockchafers, and both stages for honeybees. These insects are consumed because of their good taste (74.4%) and their richness in protein (49.6%). Villagers also provided some additional uses of these insects in various domains such as medicine, cultural rites and indigenous traditions. A small proportion of villagers (4%) practised the trade of these edible insects in local markets, with the exception of crickets, and most of them (75%) reported to earn some essential money for their households. The medicinal value of these insects needs to be verified and eventually promoted for widespread use, and their commercial value needs to be improved in a way to optimise the production and trade thereof on a regional scale.