Developing a Conceptual and Empirical Framework for Insect-Based Waste Bioconversion as Circular Economy Intervention in Nigerian Agri-Food Systems

Insect-based bioconversion of organic waste, particularly using Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly) and Musca domestica larvae, offers a circular economy pathway for converting agro-industrial waste into animal feed protein, with significant potential for Nigerian agri-food systems where both organic waste management and animal feed protein scarcity are pressing challenges. This study develops a conceptual and empirical framework for insect-based bioconversion as a circular economy intervention in Nigerian agri-food value chains. The theoretical framework will integrate ecological stoichiometry, circular economy principles, and systems dynamics to model biomass conversion efficiency, waste reduction potential, and protein output under Nigerian substrate and climate conditions. Empirical validation will be conducted using life history and bioconversion experiments with H. illucens reared on seven representative agri-food waste streams including cassava peels, brewers' spent grain, and fish processing effluent at controlled and ambient temperature conditions in Ogun State. Life history parameters, waste reduction coefficients, and larval nutritional composition will be measured. A life cycle assessment model will quantify environmental benefits relative to conventional waste disposal and protein feed production. This study makes an original theoretical and applied contribution to insect biotechnology in the Nigerian context, offering evidence-based policy recommendations for inclusion of insect bioconversion in Nigeria's circular economy framework. Keywords: black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, bioconversion, circular economy, Nigeria agri-food