Small-scale production of crickets and impact on rural livelihoods

Small-scale production of edible insects could be a sustainable, cost-effective, and nutritious alternative to traditional livestock in poor rural areas. Among the diversity of edible insect species, crickets are valuable candidates as they reproduce quickly in high numbers, require a reduced-size rearing space and could easily recycle agricultural or industrial by-products, while keeping high feed conversion ratio. This chapter will present an overview of four cricket species, Acheta domesticus, Gryllus bimaculatus, Teleogryllus testaceus, and Brachytrupes membranaceus reared at a small-scale level and will describe their corresponding rearing system. Strategies to promote and develop small-scale cricket farming in different countries will be presented throughout a state of play of the past and current projects.