TAIPING - What began in 2019 as a way to reduce the high cost of rearing chickens and ducks has led Liyana Farhana Noor Izan to an innovative and sustainable solution - farming Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL).
The 39-year-old founder of Kebun Rahsia said the idea was sparked when she was searching for alternatives to expensive livestock feed and discovered the potential of BSFL as a cost-effective and eco-friendly option.
"By using BSFL, I can save between 45 and 50 per cent on livestock feed costs. The savings are even greater when I breed them myself,” she told Bernama at her farm in Kamunting.
Beyond cost reduction, Liyana said BSFL contributes to environmental sustainability by helping to dispose of food waste, which serves as the larvae’s main food source.
A mother of four, she added that she has never felt squeamish about handling larvae daily, describing them instead as "nature’s cleaners.”
Not only do they consume her household food waste, but also leftovers collected from neighbours and nearby residents.
Liyana said BSFL farming also produces organic fertiliser from larval waste and shed skins, both rich in protein and highly beneficial for soil and crops.
"It helps improve soil quality, keeps plants healthier, and enriches the land. When given to animals, livestock also grow larger than usual,” said the UniKL Chemical Engineering (Food Technology) diploma holder.
She explained that BSFL have a relatively short life cycle, taking about two months to reach a size suitable for livestock feed.
"The eggs hatch within three to four days, followed by a larval stage lasting two weeks. The larvae then enter the pre-pupal and pupal phases, which take another two weeks, before becoming adult flies - and the cycle continues,” she said, noting that her farm now produces between 300 and 500 kilogrammes of BSFL monthly.
"Black soldier flies are not like houseflies. They only lay eggs in clean environments and do not spread diseases. BSFL are safe for all types of livestock and even pets,” she explained.
Determined to share her knowledge, Liyana has introduced a BSFL starter kit priced at RM150.
"The kit comes with eggs, basic equipment, a video guide and two months of mentoring. It is enough to complete one breeding cycle and produce up to 100kg of larvae. My focus is on small-scale farmers, gardeners and home breeders,” she said, adding that she aims to build a community of 1,000 BSF farmers by the end of this year.
She has also partnered with higher learning institutions such as Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (UTEM) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and is a strategic partner of the Perak Tengah District Council in its BSF Project, which converts food waste into compost.
Meanwhile, a fish farmer, Abdul Majid Fitri, 34, said BSFL had helped him cut his feed costs by up to 70 per cent.
"I farm about 4,000 catfish. By combining pellets with BSFL in their diet, the fish grow faster. Usually, it takes 40 days for them to reach market size, but now it only takes about three weeks,” he said.
However, the main challenge remains securing sufficient food waste to feed the larvae.
Currently, he collects scraps from households and eateries, including coffee grounds.
As such, Liyana is calling on the public and food operators in Perak to contribute their food waste for this purpose.
"It’s a win-win situation. I get feed for the larvae, and the community no longer needs to worry about waste disposal. We also provide free collection services,” she said. - BERNAMA