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Black Soldier Fly farming: turning waste into wealth | SCU
Australia produces over 7.6 million tonnes of food waste annually and landfills 84 per cent of its plastic waste each year. The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) project tackles both challenges by transforming waste into valuable resources.
Led by Professor Nigel Andrew and his team, the project advances BSF farming, using larvae to convert organic and plastic waste into high-protein feed and organic fertiliser. The team is also developing BSF-derived bioplastics, chitin and chitosan as sustainable alternatives to conventional packaging.
By creating regenerative, scalable business models, BSF farming can divert vast amounts of waste from landfill while complementing technologies like composting and anaerobic digestion. The project turns two of Australia’s toughest environmental challenges into high-value products and sustainable economic opportunities — proving that innovation can drive waste reduction and circular economy growth.
Entrant: Professor Nigel Andrew, Dr Lachlan Yee, and Dr Owen Hogan
Dr Lachlan Yee, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Masters Research student Risa Otake at Southern Cross University’s on-campus fly farm.
Dr Lachlan Yee, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, at Southern Cross University’s on-campus fly farm.
Black soldier fly exoskeleton cocoons.
Entomologist and Black Soldier Fly project team member, Professor Nigel Andrew. Professor Andrew is the Chair of Science in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University.
Entrepreneurship expert and Black Soldier Fly project team member, Dr Owen Hogan. Dr Hogan is a member of the Faculty of Business, Law and Arts at Southern Cross University.
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