Reimagining Fertilizer and Feed to Enhance Food Systems

Global food production relies on unsustainably produced fertilizers that deplete organic nutrients in the soil. In addition, human waste and fertilizer runoff cause harmful algal blooms and pose other health risks.

This episode features Dr. Charles Midega and Dr. Rebecca Nelson, principal investigators on a recently-funded project from the McKnight Foundation: "Building the Circular Bionutrient Economy to Enhance Systems Health in Africa’s Lake Victoria Basin." Dr. Midega discusses his focus on the black soldier fly as a way to process organic residue transformation into animal feed. Dr. Nelson, meanwhile, explores the benefits of transforming human excrement into useful and safe soil supplements for agriculture. Together, they explore food security, soil health, sanitation practices, and concerns around reusing human waste.