Makassar State University (UNM) has initiated an eco-friendly technological innovation by utilizing Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae or maggots to process organic waste. This step was taken to strengthen national feed security while supporting the implementation of a circular economy and sustainable agriculture at the local level.
The research, led by Prof. Dr. Adnan, M.S., is funded directly by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia. The center of these research activities is focused at the Biology Experimental Garden Laboratory (LKPB), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) UNM.
In its implementation, the research team collects food waste from various restaurants, traditional markets, and small business food stalls around the campus area. Through bioconversion methods, piles of waste that potentially pollute the environment are transformed into protein-rich maggot biomass, which is ideal as an alternative feed for fisheries and livestock.
In addition to producing maggots, this recycling process yields residue in the form of high-quality solid organic fertilizer (frass) for agriculture. This circular economy concept successfully converts worthless waste material into a new commodity with economic value while reducing urban waste volume.
Prof. Adnan explained that this research does not only focus on solving ecological problems, but also aims to improve the quality of research-based higher education and strengthen food security. He emphasized the importance of synergy among various parties so that the results of this innovation can be directly felt by the broader community and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This research project actively involves students from the Biology Department of FMIPA UNM in every process, from waste sorting to laboratory analysis. This involvement is expected to hone students' practical skills while fostering a spirit of social entrepreneurship within the academic environment.
By adopting the pentahelix collaboration model—which encompasses academia, government, the industrial sector, MSMEs, the community, and the media—UNM targets the downstreaming of products in the form of commercial animal feed formulations and circular business models ready to be duplicated in various regions across Indonesia.
