Full Length Research Paper

Bioconversion of palm kernel meal for aquaculture: Experiences from the forest region (Republic of Guinea)

Saurin Hem¹, Sékou Toure², Cé Sagbla² and Marc Legendre³

¹IRD, Wisma Anugraha, Jalan Taman Kemang 32B. Kemang Jakarta Selatan  12730, Indonesia.

²C/O SOGUIPAH (Base de Diecké) BP 123 Coléah – Conakry Republic of Guinae.

³IRD, Gamet, n° 361 Rue J.F. BRETON - BP 5095 - 34196 Montpellier cedex 05, France.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: Saurin.Hem@ird.fr.

Accepted 26 February, 2008

Proteins and fats locked in palm kernel meal cannot be used directly by fishes. Enzyme from maggots (Hermetia illucens larvae) lyses and extracts those nutrients which are consumed as food. Biomasses of maggots produced can be used to feed fishes. This innovation opens a new hope for many African countries where so much agro-industry by-products exist such as palm kernel meal, groundnut meal, cotton seed meal. The different aspects involved in this discovery are explained before the sequence of processes up to final discovery is described.

Key words: Hermetia illucens, black soldier fly, palm kernel meal, rural aquaculture, agro-industry by-products, fishmeal replacement, bioconversion.