Perception and Attitude of Youth on the Use of insects as Food and Feed, Kenya

Abstract

There is no doubt about the nutritional value and environmental impact of edible insects; they are a good substitute for source of protein. However, incorporating them in the human daily diets requires an intense change in mentality of youth in Kenya. People’s attitude towards a food product is important when it comes to its acceptance. Therefore, the aim of the research was to explore the perception and attitude of young people in Kenya on the utilization of insects as food and feed. The findings showed that Kenyan youth have a neutral to a possible positive perception and attitude regarding the use of edible insects as food and feed. The findings of a logistic regression analysis show that education level is associated with low likelihood of consuming and using insects as livestock feed. The perceived benefits, feelings and intentions were also associated with low probability of insects consumption and use as livestock feed. However, 79.9% of respondents were willing to incorporate insects in their food diets and 75.6% were willing to use them as a source of income.