I raise maggots for a living

When we hear the term “maggot”, we always think of beasts associated with rot and stench that have no value. However, some entomoculturists do wonders with maggots and earn substantial incomes.

Such is the case of Stéphane FOUAPOU, 28, an agricultural engineer. This young Cameroonian has nurtured the ambition of reducing the cost of animal feed (chicken, fish, pork) thanks to the larvae of black soldier flies since his youth. This did not go down well with those around him, who later called him crazy. Fascinated by these little beasts, Stéphane continued his studies and obtained a professional master’s degree in 2022. After completing his studies, he went into teaching, where he worked for a few years before realizing his lifelong dream of raising maggots in 2022. ” I preferred to turn to maggot farming, which has been a great success for me,” he insists.

Stéphane FOUAPOU saw his business grow after 2 years

Residing in the city of Yaoundé (Cameroon’s political capital), Stéphane FOUAPOU, better known as “the fly man”, currently runs a family farm covering 2 hectares. At the outset, the young entomoculteur, who also raises poultry and fish with imported feed, realized that this feed was too expensive and had a negative impact on the environment and health. Since then, he has decided to invest fully in the production of maggots from black soldier flies. “The size of my fish has doubled. A fish grows to adulthood in just four months and is ready for sale, whereas it used to take a whole year. What’s more, I’m no longer cheated by buying adulterated feed sold on the open market. I make my own feed from the maggots produced on my farm, and it’s top quality,” he explains.

How did he start his business?

Stéphane FOUAPOU asserts: “Beginnings are never easy”. In the course of our discussions, he recalls a time when his yields were mediocre, the cost of producing his animals was high, feed was unavailable and the agrochemicals on which he depended were unreliable.

Stéphane’s adventure in maggot production began after he took part in a multiplier training course organized by the PELUM Uganda organization as part of the KCOA project in 2018 and the St Jude family project trainings in Masaka district, Uganda

Impressed by what he had seen in Masaka, the man of the flies was eager to return home to Yaoundé to put his new discovery into practice and teach it to his fellow citizens.

Now a trainer in several civil society organizations, Stéphane gives advice to both men and women farmers. He tells them to always be careful when raising worms. He declares: “Good farming practices and good

manufacturing methods must be monitored to prevent the transmission of dangerous germs or chemicals to animals and possibly humans.”

On the other hand, he adds that if waste such as household garbage or agricultural residues are used to feed insects, these bred insects need to be processed in the right way to kill the germs. This can be achieved by boiling, steaming and then drying them. Processed insects must be well preserved to preserve their quality and prevent them from rotting or mildewing.

The eyes of those around you

Initially called “crazy”, the young entrepreneur maintains that his patience has been rewarded with good business. He now has his own company, which has already signed contracts with organizations such as INADES, CPF, SAILD and many others. Thanks to his earnings, Stéphane is able to send his younger brothers to school. What’s more, he adds, “As far as my family members are concerned, I’m seen as a role model for young people. Someone important who can contribute to the education of family members and various expenses.”