Black Soldier Flies Production Capstone

The layout for the proposed BSB system to be deployed in Kenya and Somalia

Today at Mezzacello, I am joined by a high school intern named Ismail. Ismail is interested in finding a solution to curb hunger and provide nutrients to the needy people in developing nations. This is the perfect opportunity for me to work with a keen young mind and an international pioneer in Kenya!

Why Black Soldier Flies?

The answer is two very simple words: Sustainable Protein. Ismail's capstone goal is to find a clean, affordable, and sustainable way to feed livestock and humans and manage organic wastes in crowded, developing-world cities. Another name for Black Soldier Flies (BSB) is mealworms. Mealworms are magic.

I have been working with a group in Nairobi on this prototype, and now I can make it happen and help an intern in one fell swoop.

First, meet Chief Hummingbird from Nairobi, Kenya. Our common friend Nick Salmon, President at Collaborative Learning Network, LLC, introduced Chief Hummingbird to Mezzacello Urban Farm. Since then, Chief Hummingbird has been innovating our ideas in Nairobi to help solve the hunger and waste issues that are so prevalent in that nation’s capital.

Poultry, crickets, and fish love mealworms and eat waste efficiently. The trick is to trick the larvae into climbing up so one can capture, isolate, and dry them to use them as a powerful source of proteins that benefit everyone. Nature tricks the larvae into seeking light in dark spaces and following air currents towards that light.

This is why this system requires power. We must ensure that the larvae have a breeze and a place to crawl towards and end up. The 12V, 1-watt cooling fan will require very little power, so a portable power system doesn’t need to be that complicated. That is true sustainability.

Ismail will synthesize my CAD renderings and expectations with Chief Hummingbird’s data and real-world experience. We will begin Ismail’s capstone work next week by building the prototype and 3D printing the designs for the washboard ramp up top the modular collection bins.

Marcus building portable and waterproof power boxes.

I will ask Marcus, my other high school intern, to help Ismail develop the power systems to run the heaters and air conditioning fans that will keep the system running in four seasons and remain sustainable. This will be the first international collaboration I have ever done in real time with Mezzacello Urban Farm, and I am very hopeful for the outcome of this project.