Community-Based Maggot Farming for Waste Reduction and Income Generation

Imbau Ranah Hijau actively promotes economic independence among community groups, particularly women’s PKK groups in Ulak Karang Utara, through a Black Soldier Fly (BSF) maggot cultivation program. As a concrete step, we provide support in the form of various facilities and infrastructure to ensure that the cultivation process runs productively and in accordance with established standards.

In its implementation, Imbau Ranah Hijau utilizes an unused building provided by the PKK members. Considering that the condition of the building required improvements, we took the initiative to supply materials such as transparent roofing sheets, plywood, and timber. The transparent roofing functions to protect the space from rain and excessive sunlight while still allowing natural light to enter. Plywood is used to cover certain areas that should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Meanwhile, timber serves as the main structural foundation for the maggot house, including the construction of fly cages as safe breeding areas, natural egg-laying media, and racks for larval growth.

To support the breeding process of BSF flies, Imbau Ranah Hijau constructed cages using two main materials: timber and mesh netting. Timber is used as the primary structural frame, while leftover wood pieces are repurposed as egg-laying media for the flies. The mesh netting encloses the cage to ensure the flies remain inside. With dimensions of approximately 60 x 90 x 150 cm, the cage can accommodate hundreds to thousands of flies at once.

For the egg-laying and maggot growth stages, boxes measuring approximately 52 x 37 x 15 cm are provided, each capable of holding around 10–15 kg of mature maggots. Overall, the facilities provided have a production capacity of up to 100 kg of maggots.

In addition, Imbau Ranah Hijau also provides supporting equipment such as paint buckets to collect organic waste and digital scales to measure harvested eggs. With these provisions, Imbau Ranah Hijau and the PKK members are optimistic about successfully running the maggot cultivation program. This initiative is expected not only to reduce organic waste in the surrounding environment but also to improve the local community’s economic well-being in a sustainable manner.