Athanase Badolo

To catch insects and play with insects is very common for kids in the rural Burkina Faso. So, I started very early, when I was around three years old, to try and catch insects such as grasshoppers. I would play with them, dissect them, grill and eat them: I was doing Entomology and Entomophagy without knowing it. At University, I was very comfortable with Biology. When attending the Entomology class of the late Prof. Albert Patoin Ouedraogo, I realised that the world of insects is the most beautiful, most joyful and most colourful world, and my choice was very clear.

Recently, I realised that we need to anticipate the protein crisis. If we wish to preserve the planet, we must also to change our habits, and insect consumption is one way to get protein at little cost to the planet. My interest in shea caterpillars comes from the fact that they are the most consumed insects in Burkina Faso. The number of people eating them is increasing and the start of small manufacturers is increasing the pressure on this natural resource. The only way to preserve this natural resource is to breed the caterpillars independently of their natural host plant.

January 2017