ASEAN set up Food and Feed Insects Association

Using insects for feed and food is a young sector in the ASEAN region. The mission and aim of AFFIA is to bring industry and research stakeholders from the insects sector in a collaborative movement towards the development of entomoculture, entomophagy and their related activities.

Objectives have been formulated and include:

• Define regulatory requirements at National and ASEAN levels for insect products and work in collaboration with the related authorities (national, regional, international)
• Work together on access to markets, at local regional and international levels, especially EU and US market
• Work in sub-groups under two main sectors called ‘Food’ and ‘Feed’. Food includes insect species having most of their applications as human food (e.g. pet food [crickets]). Feed includes insect species having most of their applications as animal feed (e.g. waste management)
• Promote the consumption of insects
• Work together on transboundary issues to define shared positions (e.g. halal status)

AFFIA had it first meeting in South East Asia where the stakeholders discussed how shared development goals are overcoming national differences. Next steps include to define the activities, and mapping the industry in South East Asia, to make sure all the important insect industry players will be included in the network.

With AFFIA, the insect for feed and food sector is becoming a true global network and forms a valuable addition to the existing networks: the International Platform for Insects as Food and Feed (IPIFF), the North American Edible Insects Association (NAEIC).

*ASEAN: Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei.