Insect eating has been common and popular for a very long time in Myanmar. Little research has been conducted and there is sparse documentation or broader understanding of practices available. Crickets are the most popular and widely consumed of around 50 edible insect species in Myanmar. Current research indicates that there have been significant changes recently: 1) improvements in the technology available for harvesting wild crickets, 2) a move from subsistence to commercial value chains and markets, 3) vastly increased numbers of crickets sold and transported over much greater distances. Very few crickets are farmed in Myanmar and the vast majority is harvested from the wild, raising questions about sustainability as well as food and worker safety. The Sustainability Hot Spot Analysis (SHSA) conducted by Spectrum - Sustainable Development Knowledge Network (SDKN) contributes to development in the edible insect sector in Myanmar by increasing understanding of the current wild harvest cricket value chain and identifying which aspects of the value chain phase present potential social and environmental sustainability issues in insect systems. The study uses SHSA to review each phase of the wild cricket value chain from harvesting to consumption and assesses many social and environmental sustainability factors. These include waste emissions, resource consumption, human rights, working conditions and health and safety. In Myanmar and many other countries, wild harvest remains an important sub-sector of the insect industry. Wild harvest sustainability is however threatened due to overharvesting in a context characterized by the absence of information, guidelines, practice guides, regulations and suitable motivators and enablers for farming substitutes. The SHSA guides recommendations for addressing research, legislation and policy gaps in Myanmar, some of which are likely to be applicable to other international locations. It will also help inform gaps in consumer awareness, food safety aspects and worker education. The SHSA has been a lens to help identify several ‘hot spots’ in the value chain, particularly in harvesting and consumer health and safety. Much more work is needed to address these hot spots and others identified, to help further optimise production systems and improve economic and environmental sustainability. Enhanced policy and practice is needed to ensure conservation and sustainability in line with the precautionary principle.

The ongoing Research Project SMART-Feed aims to develop a circular economy model for a sustainable production of a functional and promising feed, which includes larvae and microalgae intended for broilers. Organic fraction of municipal solid waste is used as growing substrate. Main goals of the Project are here described.