On-campus

Black Soldier Fly: Boosting a Sustainable Future

An international course on insect-based circular food systems

How can one insect reshape the global food system? The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) is rapidly gaining attention for its unique ability to transform organic waste into high-value protein, oils, and fertilizer. As the demand for sustainable solutions in food, feed, and farming grows, BSF offers a scalable and impactful answer. This course empowers professionals to understand and apply the full BSF value chain. From rearing and waste conversion to legislation, processing and product application. This programme equips you with knowledge, skills, and connections to lead in circular food systems.

Organised by	Wageningen Academy
Date	Mon 23 March 2026 until Fri 27 March 2026
Number of students	25 - 40
Price	EUR 2,595.00
Price description	The course fee covers tuition, course materials, lunches, 2 dinners and a field trip to KU Leuven, Belgium. Hotel accommodation is not included in the course fee. For PhD students we offer a reduced course fee of 1995 euro.

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Target audience

This course is ideal for professionals working in:

Animal feed, food and pet food industry
Waste management and bioconversion
Policymaking and regulation related to food and feed
Research and higher education related to insect-based innovations and circular agriculture

No prior knowledge on BSF is required, but a background in life sciences, agri-food, or related sectors is helpful. So, whether you're from the private sector, government, or academia, if you're passionate about learning and connecting to BSF and sustainable solutions, this is the course for you.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this programme, you will be able to:

Understand key factors driving BSF production, safety, and scalability
Gain knowledge on BSF and their larvae in different stages in the BSF value chain
Have a basic overview of legislation, ethics, safety standards and economical frameworks
Learn how BSF fit larger sustainable food, feed and waste systems
Be inspired by the latest scientific insights and innovations
Expand your professional network with global experts and peers

Programme

This course offers a unique combination of theoretical and practical knowledge. Topics include:

The biology and rearing of black soldier flies
BSF as a solution for organic waste conversion
Applications in animal nutrition (pets, poultry, pigs, fish and ruminants)
Processing technologies and product quality
Feed safety, legislation, and ethical considerations
Economic aspects and business models
Fertilizer applications and environmental impact
Excursion to KU Leuven, Belgium including Labs & the Insect Pilot Plant
Research pitches by PhD students

Throughout the course you learn from over 20+ world-class experts in entomology, food safety, animal nutrition, and circular agriculture.

The course is coordinated by professor Arnold van Huis (Lab of Entomology , WUR), the sessions are co-chaired by WUR-colleagues Prof. Marcel Dicke (Lab of Entomology, WUR), Dr. Dennis Oonincx (Animal Sciences, WUR) and Dr. Teun Veldkamp (Wageningen Livestock Research). The format includes ample time for participants to ask questions and engage with the invited professors and researchers including Dr Harry Aiking (VU, The Netherlands), Prof. Mik Van der Borght, Prof. Jeroen De Smet and Prof. Dries Vandeweyer (KU Leuven, Belgium), Prof. Laura Gasco (UNITO, Italy) Dr Cecilia Lalander (SLU, Sweden), Dr Daniela Peguera (EAWAG, Switzerland) and Prof. Jeff Tomberlin (TAMU, USA).

For a complete overview, you can download the list of speakers in the right-hand column.