Abdul Majid says BSFL helps cut his catfish feed costs by up to 70%.
SKYROCKETING feed prices were crippling Liyana Farhana Noor Izan’s chicken and duck farm in 2019.
Instead of giving up, the founder of Kebun Rahsia found an innovative, sustainable and slightly unconventional solution: cultivating black soldier fly larvae (BSFL).
What started as a desperate search for cheaper sustenance quickly led her to discover the potential of Hermetia illucens as a cost-effective, eco-friendly and protein-packed alternative to traditional livestock feed.
“By using BSFL, I can save between 45% and 50% on livestock feed costs.
“The savings are even greater when I breed them myself,” she told Bernama at her farm in Kamunting, Perak.
Liyana said BSFL also contributed to environmental sustainability by helping dispose of food waste, which served as the larvae’s main food source.
The mother-of-four said she had never felt squeamish about handling larvae, 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.
According to Liyana, BSFL farming also produces organic fertiliser from larval waste and shed skin, 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 may grow better than usual,” said the Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) Chemical Engineering (Food Technology) diploma holder.
Liyana has never felt squeamish about handling larvae, describing them instead as ‘nature’s cleaners’. — Photos: Bernama
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, revealing that her farm now produced between 300kg and 500kg 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 said.
Determined to share her knowledge, Liyana has introduced her own BSFL starter kit.
“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.
She aims to build a community of 1,000 BSF farmers by the end of this year.
She has also partnered with higher education institutions such as Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and is a strategic partner of Perak Tengah District Council (MDPT) in its BSF Project converting food waste into compost.
Fish farmer Abdul Majid Fitri said BSFL had helped cut his feed costs by up to 70%.
“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 added.
However, the main challenge remains securing sufficient food waste to feed the larvae.
Currently, Abdul Majid collects scraps from households and eateries, including coffee grounds.
Liyana is calling on the public and food operators to contribute their food waste.
“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.
