Bugs for life
Entomophagy (the consumption of insects as food) was the expedition’s area of study, and they specifically focused on exploring the understudied Atakora region in north of Benin where food security is a serious issue. They concentrated on the Wama ethnic group as their consumption of insects had formerly been poorly documented. The project team of four included two Masters students from Imperial. The information for their report was collected by field interviews and participatory insect collection conducted during the months of October and November 2012.
The different species eaten regionally with Atakora were listed, along with collection methods, their significance to people’s livelihoods, from subsistence collection to the evaluation of the potential for farming insects. Data on insects as food in the Wama communities of North Benin was collected by conducting interviews, in association with local partners, in two Wama villages, Kosso and Kotiakou. Interviews were mostly lead with the délégué or administrative representative of Kosso, the director of the secondary school of Kotiakou and focus groups were held with certain members of the communities, mostly men between the ages of 25 and 45, most of whom had a limited exposure to formal education. Communication occurred either in French or by means of translation performed by those who were more fluent in French. Eighteen edible insect species were recorded, predominantly Coleoptera (52%) and Orthoptera (29%).
In addition the Director of the Hospital Saint Jean de Dieu of Tanguieta Fatebenefratelli and the Director of the Centre for Nutrition of the hospital were both interviewed by the team on the question of malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies in the region. Food scientists at the University of Abomey Calavi and specialist agricultural economists of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, both in Cotonou, were approached about how the production of selected insects can be enhanced and incorporated into food security plans in Benin.
Limitations of the project included the length of time spent in the area, which allowed the collection of most but not all insects due to seasonal variation in abundance. Language and cultural barriers also occasionally created misunderstandings, but this problem reduced considerably with time. Initially camera equipment was distracting, especially for young children, and could have affected the way the collections were carried out, however over time this curiosity noticeably decreased. The research could be influenced by a gender bias, as it was very difficult to interact with the women due to the nature of the Wama societal organisation.