Meet Kenyan farmer rearing fish and black soldier fly using the smallest available space.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that the world population is expected to grow to almost 10 billion by 2050. Further, by 2050, in every five children born, two will be born in Africa.  Already, the rate of urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa is unmatched compared to the rest of the world. The urban population is expected to nearly triple to 1.34 billion people by 2050.  Population increase means rising demand for food and increased pressure on natural resources such as land by which we grow food. In Kenya, John Mwaura Kiriko, a businessperson from Kikuyu town about 20 kilometres from Nairobi city, is growing fish in a greenhouse and rearing black soldier fly larvae to feed his fish protein alternative. The technology occupies about 30by15 feets land for each greenhouse. Mwaura has built two greenhouses where he is rearing about 5500 fish and tons of larvae.  Mwaura uses the raised pond technology to construct ponds using timber placed on the ground and lined with dam liners. Kamau says the greenhouse farming raised pond technology is ideal for producing food for rising populations using the smallest available land. Sourced from Ecodudu – a waste-to-value company in Kenya, Black Soldier Flies (BSF) have transformed the waste into high-quality protein in the larvae stage. Used as alternative protein additives in animal feed. The eggs laid by the Black Soldier Flies are grown in greenhouse conditions within 21 days after which it's harvested. Mwaura has switched from horticulture for export business he has practiced for years to fish and larva farming. Why is the greenhouse farming raised pond technology ideal for producing food for rising populations using the smallest available land?

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