Global Orphan Foundation to present at international insect conference

Indianapolis, IN - Global Orphan Foundation has been invited to present at the 2nd International Conference of Insects to Feed the World in Wuhan, China. The conference will take place the week of May 14th and will include thought leaders from the international community in all aspects of insects as food and feed.

​Global Orphan Foundation and project partner Farms for Orphans will be presenting on the organizations innovative use of insect farming to address food insecurity and malnutrition in orphanages in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first of it’s kind, the program trains orphanages in insect farming practices, and provides them with farm startup kits and ongoing to support so they can grow their own sustainable, renewable food source to better feed the children in their care. “There is so much research on the benefits of insect consumption – Global Orphan Foundation is using that research to address the desperate need for consistent, healthy, food sources in orphanages,” said Executive Director Nicole Brandt.

Global Orphan Foundation trained the first five orphanages in September 2017 and will follow the progress of the orphanage farms and measure the impact on child nutrition over the next three years. Early results show high economic and nutritional benefits.

Insects are part of the diets of approximately 2 billion people worldwide, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has predicted that insect farming is the answer to world hunger. Insects provide high-quality protein and nutrients comparable with meat and fish and are particularly important as a food supplement for undernourished children because most insect species are high in fatty acids. They are also rich in iron, fiber, and essential micronutrients.