Edible insects in Africa in terms of food, wildlife resource, and pest management legislation

Abstract

Entomophagy is an ancient and actually African tradition that has been receiving renewedattention since edible insects have been identified as one of the solutions to improve global nutrition.As any other foodstuff, insects should be regulated by the government to ensure product qualityand consumer safety. The goal of the present paper was to assess the current legal status of edibleinsects in Africa. For that, corresponding authorities were contacted along with an extensive onlinesearch, relying mostly on the FAOLEX database. Except for Botswana, insects are not mentionedin national regulations, although the definitions for “foodstuff” allow their inclusion, i.e., generalfood law can also apply to insects. Contacted authorities tolerated entomophagy, even though nolegal base existed. However, insects typically appear in laws pertaining the use of natural resources,making a permit necessary (in most cases). Pest management regulation can also refer to ediblespecies, e.g., locusts or weevils. Farming is an option that should be assessed carefully. All this createsa complex, nation-specific situation regarding which insect may be used legally to what purpose.Recommendations for elements in future insect-related regulations from the food hygiene point ofview are provided