Sustainability analysis of insect farming; case study of farming sago palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) in southern Thailand

This study provides a detailed analysis of a medium-scale commercial sago palm weevil farm in Pattani province, Thailand. It focuses on farming techniques, sustainability, cost analysis, and carbon footprint calculation. The farming setup includes the use of plastic containers for breeding and utilizes sago palm sawdust and commercial pig feed as substrates. The larvae are reared in controlled conditions, with a typical production cycle of 45 days yielding 0.5 to 0.7 kg of larvae per container. The production cost per kilogram of larvae was calculated at 113.6 THB i.e. 3.4 USD, with a selling price of 200 THB, resulting in a net profit of 86 THB per kilogram, or approximately 43,000 THB i.e. 1274.1 USD per cycle. Sustainability analysis revealed that the farm’s carbon footprint is primarily driven by pig feed and energy consumption, with a total estimated annual carbon footprint of 8,041.25 kg CO₂e. The carbon footprint per kilogram of larvae turned out to be approximately 2.71 kg CO₂e which is lower than the conventional livestocks. This study highlights the economic viability of sago palm weevil farming and its environmental impact, suggesting areas for potential improvements in sustainability practices.