Simplified Black Soldier Fly Approach (SIMBA) Grow-Out Unit Standard Operating Procedure

A simplified BSF approach (SIMBA) can be suitable for: 

• A first step entry into BSF waste processing, conducted as a part time side activity to explore and learn more about the practical aspects of BSF reproduction or use this as demonstration of BSF waste processing
• An established small farm that wants to produce BSF larvae as feed for their chicken, pigs and/or fish but has limited human resources and can allocate only a few hours per week to BSF activities.
• A research center that would like to operate a small-scale reproduction unit to then use flies, larvae or frass for research, or for training and demonstration purposes. 

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) in BSF farming play a critical role in ensuring the success, safety, and scalability which connects to effective reproduction in the BSF life cycle, as well as consistent output and quality of larvae, frass, and by-products. SOPs help standardize tasks (and their timing at different stages of the process). This SOP focuses on the grow-out unit. 

In this manual we focus only on the grow-out unit of such a simplified approach. The grow-out unit has the purpose to find a balance between optimal growth of the larvae for harvesting, production of frass for use as soil amendment and organic waste reduction. This all, while keeping the labour effort as low as possible. The grow-out unit will include the waste pre-processing, treatment of waste and product harvesting step.