urban poor. Entomophagy contributes to dietary di-
versification to household diets.Entomophagy is well accepted in Africa and is a
major component in many traditional cultures. As
the world becomes a global village, entomophagy is
faced with several challenges like land degradation,
climate change, globalization and commercialization
of agriculture. This paper explores the challenges
and opportunities for wider use of edible insects in
traditional diets of the people of eastern and southern
Africa.1.1 Edible insects of eastern and southern Africa
Insects possess enormous biodiversity and form
great biomass in nature. Insects have played an
important role in the history of human nutrition in
Africa, Asia and Latin America (Bodenheimer, 1951).
They also offer ecological benefits (in pollination,
biomass recycling), economic (apiculture, sericulture)
and social benefits (in medicine, human and animal
nutrition religion, art and handicrafts) (Jharna
Chakravorty, 2009). Detailed information regarding
the diversity, mode of consumption and economic
values of the edible insects in many tropical and
subtropical regions of the world is compiled by
De Foliart (2002). In eastern and southern Africa,
insects are not only pests like it is thought in many
parts of the world, they are food items too. In places
where animal protein sources are rare or expensive,
insects have filled the gap as a major source of
protein and animal fat. Insects have been used as
livestock feed, human feed and medicine in many
African cultures. Huis (2003) reported that there are
approximately 250 known edible insect species in
sub-Saharan Africa that are high in nutritive value.
Preference for which species are utilized depends
on their taste, nutritional value, and ethnic customs,
preferences or prohibitions. Common edible insect
orders in eastern and southern Africa include;
Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), Hymenoptera
(bees), Isoptera (termites, queen and reproductives),Coleoptera (beetles), Hemiptera (true bugs),
Orthoptera (locusts and grasshoppers), and Odonata
(dragon fly). Insects are eaten at different stages of
their life cycles; eaten as either larvae or nymphs
or adults depending on the insect of interest.Studies show that arthropods of class insecta are
rich in protein especially in the dry form in which they
are frequently stored or sold in village markets of de-
veloping countries. Some insects are high in fat, and
hence energy and many are rich sources of minerals
and vitamins (Deforliart, 1995). Illgner and Nel (2000),
argue that the importance of entomophagy in Africa
is more due to “necessity than choice”, because of
the climate and small-scale nature of animal hus-
bandry which reduces the amount of meat con-
sumed; the diets have been broadened to include
insects. Though, worth noting is, entomophagy is not
a coping strategy in the times of crisis as was earlier
thought (Bodenheimer, 1951), but rather an integral
part of cultural diets in many societies depending on
seasonal availability. Entomophagy has been prac-
tised for as long as man has lived on the African con-
tinent and for that it is incorporated in the indigenous
knowledge systems of societies that practise ento-
mophagy. There is a wide base of knowledge that re-
mains undocumented in communities on culinary
practices, special traditional harvesting technologies
and conservation methods for different and various
species of edible insects.Insect collection and gathering practices are ves-
tiges of the gathering trait seen in our forefathers
and therefore it is common to find that many edible
insects are collected in the wild. Major gathering
spots are woodlands, grasslands and forests. In-
sects form part of the biodiversity in these ecosys-
tems. It is on this premise, the role of non-wood
forest products in food security and development
should not be underestimated. Non-wood food
products are important in the provision of important
community needs that are known to improve rural200