Akwaaba Feeds signs partnership agreement with West Africa Feeds Ltd to scale-up, commercialize its maggot farm

A partnership agreement has been signed between Akwaaba Feeds Ltd and West Africa Feeds Ltd to scale up and commercialize a Maggot Farm piloted by Akwaaba Feeds as an alternative protein source for animal feed.


The Agreement was signed on behalf of Akwaaba Feeds Ltd by its Executive Chairman Mr. Ernest Agyenim-Boateng, whilst Miss Rose Oduro the Chief Executive Officer of West Africa Feeds Ltd signed on behalf of her company.


Akwaaba Feeds is a leading animal feed manufacturing company in Ghana that produces high-quality poultry and pig feed for farmers. The feed variety is formulated with technical support from Bioproton Pty Ltd, an Australian based developer and manufacturer of a high-quality enzyme, surfactant, and probiotic feed supplements.

West Africa Feeds Ltd is specialized in the development of cutting edge insect-based products for the African agricultural, biotech, and livestock industries.

West Africa Feed Ltd is expected to manage and operate the maggot farm for Akwaaba Feeds and scale-up production from current levels of 10 kg per day to 5 metric tons per day by the end of 2020 and gradually increase production to 20 metric ton per day by the end of 2026. Akwaaba Feeds will purchase the maggot meal from the farm to include it in its feed formulation.


The Maggot farm was built in August 2019 through the support of a grant funding received from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Ghana Poultry Project (GPP) implemented by ACDI/VOCA to increase the competitiveness of domestic production and processing of poultry meat and eggs.


Recently, Wangara Green Ventures, an impact investment fund capitalized by the World Bank through the $3.2m Ghana Climate Venture Facility (GCVF) has Invested GHS 1.9 million in Akwaaba Feeds Ltd to support the company scale up the manufacture of high quality and affordable poultry and pig feed. Part of the investment is to help Akwaaba Feeds increase its production capacity of the maggot meal.

The maggot meal is produced from the semi-transparent larval stage of the black soldier fly. Maggots are usually found in decaying organic waste such as vegetables, animal waste, and exposed food materials. In the past, maggots were being associated with waste and seen as worthless.

But studies have shown that maggot meal can be a good source of animal protein in poultry diets.
With a growing world population, comes an increasing demand for protein from livestock, poultry and fish.

Maintaining sufficient production levels to meet this demand represents a serious challenge for the future especially, in emerging markets like Ghana. The maggot larvae of black soldier fly can grow on a wide range of substrates and can be useful to turn wastes into valuable biomass rich in protein and fat.

A study by Wageningen UR Livestock Research has shown that maggot meal has a great benefit as a potential protein source in poultry nutrition. Therefore, mass production of maggot meal must be encouraged as this will offer a solution to the high cost of protein meal in poultry feed.

Maggot meal has a positive impact on the health status of the birds, improves egg production, and also results in high-quality poultry meat.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that by 2050 meat production is projected to rise by nearly 70%.

Compounded by an ever-increasing population growth rate, there is the opportunity of building sustainable food industries that can cater to the continent’s demand for poultry.