The consumption of insects is known as entomophagy. Edible insects have always been a part of human diets as well as livestock feed. In some communities, there is a degree of distaste for the consumption of insects.  

Consuming insects is an alternative to conventional food and feed for livestock. Additionally, the high demand coupled with high prices of conventional feeds for livestock is pushing for new research and development on the use of insect protein for livestock.

Insects have a high nutritional value as they contain high protein content and essential amino acids, a dietary requirement for humans and livestock. As such, insect-based feeds are comparable with fishmeal and soy-based feed formulae. 

Edible insects are commonly gathered from forest habitats. However, technologies have been developed to enable mass rearing and safe harvesting of edible insects, particularly; crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, palm weevils, mealworms, dung beetles and black soldier flies