It may seem insignificant or even a nuisance, but the humble fly could be the key to the future of the planet.
This was the view held by Alvan Hunt and his business partner John Lynam when they set up their company, Hexafly, in 2016. And they are not alone, as insect farming has become a buzz word in scientific, environmental, agricultural, and economic circles.
Earlier this month, the Meath-based company was recognized at the 2020 Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards for its innovative solution to sustainable farming, recycling, and revalorizing waste streams to create sustainable, natural commodities.
“We are a biotech company involved in insect farming,” explains Alvan Hunt. “We take in the raw material bioproduct and use insects to upcycle that waste into valuable sustainable products such as organic fertiliser, high protein animal feed, sustainable insect oil and natural chicken feed.