Umberto Diecinove
I N S C T S is a long-term documentary project examining how insect farming is emerging as a local response to environmental and social challenges.
By converting organic waste into animal feed and natural fertiliser, it can reduce pressure on land and water while supporting soil health and crop growth.
Developing at different scales worldwide, insect farming contributes to circular and regenerative agricultural models. In tropical rural regions, it can reduce small farmers’ reliance on costly inputs and reshape local food production.
Replacing soymeal and fishmeal with insect-based feed may reduce deforestation, lower carbon emissions, and ease pressure on overfished waters. Insect-derived fertilisers also help restore degraded soils and strengthen long-term fertility.
I N S C T S maps insect farming across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, showing how regeneration can emerge within landscapes shaped by extraction.
I N S C T S 01, 2022, Colombia.
The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is a key species in insect farming. Native to tropical regions, it has attracted the attention of researchers and environmentalists for its ability to bioconvert organic material into protein-rich feed components and biofertilizer.
I N S C T S 02, 2023, Colombia.
Reaching the ‘Insectos por la Paz’ plant in the Guaviare region in Colombia. The initiative supports the reintegration of former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP) and works with Indigenous communities by training them as smallholder insect producers.
I N S C T S 03, 2023, Colombia.
The black soldier fly plant at the AETCR Las Colinas, in Colombia.
The AETCR (Antiguos Espacios Territoriales de Capacitación y Reincorporación) are reincorporation spaces created for facilitating the reintegration of former FARC-EP members to civilian life following Colombia's 60-year conflict.
I N S C T S 04, 2023, Colombia.
Chickens receiving black soldier fly larvae. The high cost of imported industrial feed remains a major barrier for smallholder farmers worldwide, limiting their ability to produce their own food. The photograph was taken at AETCR Las Colinas in Colombia, where raising chickens is essential to feeding the community.
I N S C T S 05, 2025, China.
Inside Guangzhou Unique Biotechnology, a large-scale black soldier fly facility in China which over 200,000 tons of organic waste are processed annually.
I N S C T S 06, 2025, China.
Leachate seeping from piles of organic waste stored in the open air at a waste management facility in China. When organic residues accumulate without treatment, microbial fermentation releases pollutants that contaminate soil and air. At this site, the by-products are used as feed for black soldier fly larvae.
I N S C T S 07, 2023, Thailand.
Fish being fed with insect-based feed at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand. Controlled experiments like this evaluate the effects of insect-derived ingredients on fish growth and health, linking academic research to the development of alternative feed inputs for aquaculture.
I N S C T S 08, 2023, Italy.
Inside a black soldier fly breeding room in Italy. To farm the species outside its tropical environment, artificial conditions must be recreated.
I N S C T S 09, 2023, Benin.
A young cricket farmer at work in Benin. Crickets are among the most common insects farmed also for human consumption. Insect farming offers a solution to declining natural populations and helps preserve biodiversity.
I N S C T S 10, 2023, Benin.
A hydroponic system integrated into a pilot insect farm at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Benin.