Sustainable cricket farm in the Kenyan highlands

Cricket Farming: A Sustainable Solution for Food Security?

Nico Varela in Climate & Environment December 2025 • 6 min read.

"Exploring the potential of cricket farming in Kenya's high-altitude regions for nutrition and economic growth."

For many years, communities in Kenya have embraced insect consumption. Traditionally, insects were gathered from the wild, particularly from forests. However, this practice is steadily evolving, with a growing number of people now farming specific insect species in their homes and on farms. This shift is driven by a rising global interest in entomophagy – the practice of eating insects – with insects increasingly appearing on restaurant menus and in home cooking across the globe.

In Kenya, the house cricket, scientifically known as Acheta domesticus, stands out as the most commonly farmed insect. This humble cricket is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with essential macro and micronutrients. Studies have revealed that crickets boast high levels of protein, fat, iron, and zinc, making them a valuable addition to a balanced diet. Interestingly, the age at which crickets are harvested can influence their nutritional content, underscoring the importance of optimizing farming practices.

Given their rich nutrient profile, crickets hold immense potential to address prevalent nutritional challenges in Kenya, including protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. The successful implementation of cricket farming in Thailand serves as an inspiring example of how this practice can be scaled up to improve food security and livelihoods. Kenya has also witnessed success in introducing cricket farming in the warmer, lower-altitude regions of Western Kenya. Smallholder farmers in these areas are increasingly adopting cricket farming in their homesteads, and larger-scale farming initiatives are underway. Even in Thailand, cricket farming remains predominantly small-scale, catering to domestic consumption and providing income at the farm level and in local markets. A similar trend is emerging in Kenya, with most of the crickets produced being consumed at home, with some finding their way to local markets. There is a growing need to enhance production by expanding cricket farming to other regions of the country, particularly the higher-altitude areas.

Cricket Farming in High-Altitude Kenya: How Does It Work?

Sustainable cricket farm in the Kenyan highlands

To successfully raise crickets, the farming environment should mimic their natural wild environment, and their feed should closely resemble their natural diet. The ideal composition of cricket feed depends on the cricket's growth stage and the availability of local feed sources. Crickets have thrived in warm climates, as seen in Western Kenya's Lake Victoria region and Thailand's Khon Kaen region. Efforts to farm crickets in Kenya's cooler, higher-altitude regions have been limited, partly due to a lack of insect consumption history and climatic differences, as low temperatures may hinder growth and productivity. Following successful introduction in the Lake Victoria regions, it is time to expand to other regions with different ecological conditions perceived to be harsh for cricket farming.

A pilot farm was established at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), located 1,519 meters above sea level (ASL), with an average temperature of 19 °C and a range of 17-22 °C. One-day-old cricket eggs were obtained from a farm at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) located 1,127 meters ASL, with an average temperature of 25 °C and 69% humidity in 2016. Crickets were reared in concrete cages and paper egg trays provided as hiding sites for the crickets with a total of 3,000 cricket eggs introduced per cage. Feeding was done every morning and cleaning of the cage to rid-off the leftovers and cricket stool done daily. The nymphs were fed on 21 g/100 g protein chicken feed commercially available as a starter diet.

Temperature and humidity were monitored using data loggers.
Growth parameters were monitored over four lifecycles in 2016, with three batches produced per cycle.
Cycle 1 occurred January-March, cycle 2 in April-June, cycle 3 in July-September, and cycle 4 in October-December.
Egg incubation duration, hatch rate, mortality rate, causes of mortality, and weight gain were evaluated in each cycle.
Hatch rate was determined by comparing total hatched eggs to unhatched eggs.
Mortality cases were observed, and mortality rate was assessed by calculating the proportion of dead crickets to the initial number of nymphs in a cage, while the causes of mortality were investigated and recorded.
Weight gain was assessed from four weeks of age.

The results indicate that it is feasible to feed crickets with agricultural side streams and weeds commonly found on farms in the region. This offers the dual advantage of improving agricultural waste and farm weed management. Given the affordability and accessibility of agricultural wastes and farm weeds, cricket production costs will be reduced. This, in turn, will promote cricket farming since feed expenses have been identified as a major cost factor. Crickets are also projected to have lower water needs since they have effective feed conversion rates and can get enough moisture from their feed.

The Future of Cricket Farming

Cricket farming in Kenya can be successfully adopted in higher altitude, cooler environments. There exists side streams and farm weeds that are acceptable to the crickets hence lowering production costs. The trends show that though the growth parameters maybe affected by the lower temperatures, the crickets attain optimum growth within expected age. The crickets also attain optimum protein and fat as the cricket age increases just like in lower altitude, warmer environments. Week ten is the best week to harvest crickets when the protein content is highest while fat content is also highest. Mass production can therefore be promoted in the higher altitude cooler areas in order to promote industrial exploitation of the crickets in combating food and nutrition insecurity.

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Everything You Need To Know

What does cricket farming involve and why is it becoming popular?

Cricket farming involves raising crickets, such as the house cricket (Acheta domesticus), in a controlled environment that mimics their natural habitat. This practice is gaining traction as a sustainable solution to address food insecurity. The crickets are typically housed in cages and fed a diet similar to what they would consume in the wild. The ideal composition of cricket feed depends on the cricket's growth stage and the availability of local feed sources. Temperature and humidity are crucial factors. The success of cricket farming hinges on maintaining optimal conditions for growth, monitoring parameters like hatch rate, mortality rate, and weight gain. The aim is to provide a readily available, nutritious food source while also creating economic opportunities for farmers.

Why is cricket farming considered a significant approach for food security and nutrition?

Cricket farming is important because it provides a sustainable and nutritious food source, addressing issues such as protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Crickets, particularly the Acheta domesticus species, are rich in protein, fat, iron, and zinc. Utilizing agricultural side streams and weeds as feed can lower production costs and promote the practice, especially in regions where traditional farming may be challenging. The practice of entomophagy, or eating insects, is gaining global interest.

How does cricket farming work specifically in high-altitude regions of Kenya?

In high-altitude regions like those in Kenya, cricket farming requires careful management of environmental conditions. While crickets thrive in warmer climates, efforts at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) demonstrate that it is feasible to rear crickets at higher altitudes with cooler temperatures. By monitoring temperature, humidity, and growth parameters, farmers can optimize cricket production even in less traditionally suitable environments. The use of concrete cages and paper egg trays offers controlled rearing environments, while feeding schedules and cage cleaning contribute to cricket health and productivity. Factors such as egg incubation duration, hatch rate, mortality rate and weight gain are continuously evaluated to maximize production.

When is the ideal time to harvest crickets to maximize their nutritional value?

The best time to harvest crickets for consumption is around week ten, as this is when they have the highest protein and fat content. Harvesting at this stage ensures that consumers receive the maximum nutritional benefits from the crickets. Understanding the nutritional composition of crickets at different growth stages allows farmers to optimize their farming practices and provide a high-quality food source. Further research into the optimal harvesting time and conditions is essential to improve efficiency and nutritional value.

What are the future prospects for expanding cricket farming in high-altitude areas of Kenya, and what benefits can it bring?

Expanding cricket farming to high-altitude regions in Kenya holds significant potential for combating food and nutrition insecurity. By successfully adapting cricket farming practices to cooler environments, such as at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), it becomes possible to promote mass production and industrial exploitation of crickets. This expansion is particularly beneficial because it utilizes locally available agricultural side streams and weeds to reduce production costs. Furthermore, the nutritional benefits of crickets can significantly improve diets and address prevalent nutritional deficiencies in these regions. Additional initiatives that focus on optimal growth and rearing conditions are important to maximize the full potential of cricket farming.