Chakwal, located on the Potohar Plateau in Punjab, Pakistan, is characterized by a semi‑arid climate with significant dry periods. Agriculture is largely barani (rain‑fed) rather than irrigated, meaning fluctuations in rainfall, heat, or storms can have outsized impacts on farming.…
As the insect farming sector grows, what looked promising in small pilot operations is increasingly showing new challenges and risks at commercial scale. This article summarizes recent research findings and industry lessons, and reflects how they relate to scaling up…
As we deepen our work in mealworm farming and scale operations, it’s valuable to reflect on the recent academic and industry scholarship about insect farming (especially mealworms), advances, challenges, and emerging research trends. This helps us benchmark against best practices,…
Scaling up insect farming means finding the most efficient feed / substrate that maximizes biomass yield, minimizes waste, and reduces cost. For our mealworm operation, after two batches (Batch 1 and Batch 2) we decided to run a comparative study…
After learning the ropes at home and working with farmers in Chakwal, I refined the handling and transfer protocols for mealworms to ensure consistency, reduce stress, and improve output in larger, multi-tray operations. The home learning phase In my home…
By the end of year, we had moved from home lab to field trials in Chakwal’s semi-arid environment. This article reflects on how mealworm farming can be a resilient farming model in drought-prone or dry regions. Why mealworms are drought-proof…
After refining my system at home for many batches, it was time to scale up by working with farmers in Chakwal. For the first official farmer batch, I transferred the rearing setup, trays, substrate, moisture protocols, to two farms. We…
