Carleton University|Université Carleton

Purpose

Optimizing insect farming with an eye toward circular food production can both improve global food security and lead to new innovations for space travel. A primary goal of the project is to increase insect farm yield and to determine how to best manipulate diet content (Entomo-Alliance Project Objective 1) and environmental context (Entomo-Alliance Project Objective 2) to improve rearing facilities and practices and testing these findings at the cricket farm (Entomo-Alliance Project Objective 3). With support from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), additional personnel will be added to these ongoing projects to build a sustainable circular food system (CSA funded project Objective 1). Circular food systems and colony monitoring will be essential components of future deep space travel, and this project will help place Canadian industry and academics at the global forefront of discovery in deep space food production.