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Insect Farming for Feed and Food Production from a Circular Business Model Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Fabio A. Madau

    (Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, SS 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Brunella Arru

    (Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, SS 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Roberto Furesi

    (Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, SS 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Pietro Pulina

    (Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, SS 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

The studies focused on the use of insects have outlined numerous reasons for using insects as food and feed as an important method to increase food opportunities for consumers. Insects have been emphasized as a food source with a low environmental impact due to the limited requirement for arable land and water, low ecological cost, and high-quality protein provision. In Europe and Western countries, insect farming is a growing business in which, however, some critical economic aspects must be recognized. The sector needs to be adequately promoted to rationally exploit the huge amount of potential. As such, the aim of this study was to analyze the recent research on economic aspects related to insect farming for feed and food production with the purpose of providing evidence of the critical economic points in this emerging sector. The focus was mainly oriented to understanding how insect farming can foster virtuous circular economic processes, specifically considering economic aspects on the basis of the limited literature currently available and the circular economic principles. A circular business model approach was proposed to address the entire insect-based feed and food supply chain from a circular economic perspective. In our opinion, the findings underline some economic research questions that need to be addressed in the near future, and the conceptual approach can be individualized to help increase cost- and eco-effectiveness from a circular economic perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio A. Madau & Brunella Arru & Roberto Furesi & Pietro Pulina, 2020. "Insect Farming for Feed and Food Production from a Circular Business Model Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:13:p:5418-:d:380451
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    2. Vesterlund, Mattias & Borisová, Stanislava & Emilsson, Ellinor, 2024. "Data center excess heat for mealworm farming, an applied analysis for sustainable protein production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PA).
    3. Kofi Armah Boakye-Yiadom & Alessio Ilari & Daniele Duca, 2022. "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Life Cycle Assessment on the Black Soldier Fly ( Hermetia illucens L.)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-29, August.
    4. Chloé Phan Van PhI & Maye Walraven & Marine Bézagu & Maxime Lefranc & Clément Ray, 2020. "Industrial Symbiosis in Insect Production—A Sustainable Eco-Efficient and Circular Business Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Brunella Arru & Roberto Furesi & Pietro Pulina & Fabio A. Madau, 2022. "Price Sensitivity of Fish Fed with Insect Meal: An Analysis on Italian Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-21, May.
    6. Marta Buccaro & Armando Toscano & Melissa Balzarotti & Ilaria Re & Diego Bosco & Maurizio Bettiga, 2023. "Techno-Economic Assessment of APS-Based Poultry Feed Production with a Circular Biorefinery Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Anna Maroušková, 2023. "Food Waste Management via Insect Production in the Perspective of Circular Bioeconomy," Economics Working Papers 2023-02, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Economics.
    8. Adriana Reyes-Lúa & Julian Straus & Vidar T. Skjervold & Goran Durakovic & Tom Ståle Nordtvedt, 2021. "A Novel Concept for Sustainable Food Production Utilizing Low Temperature Industrial Surplus Heat," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-23, August.
    9. Shiferaw Feleke & Steven Michael Cole & Haruna Sekabira & Rousseau Djouaka & Victor Manyong, 2021. "Circular Bioeconomy Research for Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Innovations, Gaps, and Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.

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