## 4 The Insect Farming Industry Around the World  
Particularly in hotter regions, the consumption of insects has been a component of human diets for millennia [44]. Today, approximately two billion people regularly consume insects in 113 countries, primarily in tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and America [45]. However, natural insect harvesting is declining due to anthropogenic pressures and environmental challenges, including agricultural expansion, desertification, and urbanization [46]. In response to these challenges, large-scale insect farming has become a sustainable option for traditional animal protein, offering an eco-friendly solution to satisfy the rising demand food and feed [47]. Making up 31% of edible insect species, beetles (Coleoptera) are the most widely consumed insect worldwide [48]. Next come caterpillars (Lepidoptera) at 18%, bees, wasps, and ants (Hymenoptera) at 14%, grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids (Orthoptera) at 13%, true bugs (Hemiptera) at 10%, termites (Isoptera) at 3%, dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) at 3%, flies (Diptera) at 2%, and miscellaneous at 5% [49]. According to [50], among the over 2100 recognized edible insect species, the most commercially Armed include the house cricket (_Acheta domesticus_ L.), the black soldier fly (_Hermetia illucens_ L.), the yellow mealworm (_Tenebrio molitor_ L.), and the grain mold beetle (_Alphitobius diaperinus_ P.). With more than 27,000 registered farms, Thailand is one of the top producers of house crickets in Asia [51]. These farms, which mostly operate on a small scale, collectively produce between 3000 and 7000 tons of crickets annually [52]. China has raised insect output for both animal feed and human consumption by several orders of magnitude, raising species including _T. molitor_, silkworm (_Bombyx mori_ L.), black soldier fly, and housefly (_Musca domestica_ L.). In African countries, insect farming is also expanding rapidly, with more than 2300 active insect farms across the continent [53]. The estimated annual production of dried black soldier fly larvae, one of the most farmed insect species in Africa, is around 19,732 tons, with the potential to scale up to 60 million tons of conventional animal feed [51; 53]. In Latin America, the annual production of edible insects is estimated to range between 4500 and 6000 tons, representing approximately 6.7% to 10% of the global total, which is around 60,000 to 67,000 tons per year [54]. Despite ongoing challenges in establishing a stable market, the edible insect sector has grown rapidly, particularly in Europe and the United States, with even greater expansion in Western countries in general [55]. Key barriers to further growth include the need for production automation, reduced substrate costs and patent development to drive innovation [56]. The International Platform for Food and Feed (IPIFF) reports that its members currently produce around 6000 tons of insects annually, with projections suggesting an increase to 5 million tons by 2030 [57]. While insect farming primarily focuses on protein production, it inevitably generates by-products that can significantly enhance industry profitability [50]. Their application in various sectors can enhance their value, either by creating additional revenue streams or reducing disposal costs. Key by-products, such as fats (extracted during defatting processes), chitin, and excreta--commonly referred to as frass--can be repurposed for industrial applications, including surfactant and biodiesel production, plant protection agents, and fertilizers, respectively [47]. Among the by-products, frass stands out due to the large volumes in which it is generated. In Europe, current frass production already exceeds several thousand tons annually and is expected to reach 1.5 million tons by 2025. In North America, estimates of annual frass production and future trends are still emerging.