With the increase of the world population and the adoption of a global economy, there is a growing demand for food security. Fortunately, organizations like Blue Aqua International are dedicated to providing sustainable solutions for industries focused on delivering nutrients to the world. Headquartered in Singapore, Blue Aqua operates in over 13 countries and provides expert views for the improvement of health, nutrition and feed quality, technology transfer, and project management services in livestock, poultry, and aquatic animals.
This week, we were able to connect with Parham Mansor Safaian, Founder of Blue Aqua Foodtech (an extension of Blue Aqua International), who is focused on alternative protein production. We had the unique opportunity to learn about what inspired Parham to start this business and gain some insight on the future of sustainable food tech.
Tell us a little bit about you, your background, and your current role:
I’m a political scientist. I was exposed to climate change very early, and learned firsthand that it can disrupt mankind’s livelihood. Instead of pursuing an academic career like I was supposed to, I moved to Asia and started with business development, operations, sales, procurement, and compliance. This gave me a holistic perspective on what people are looking for from the entire consumer journey. I then discovered a whole new universe in aquaculture and nutrition.
What is a fun fact about you?
Before meeting my wife I was pursuing a career at the fastest growing property & lifestyle platform in APAC. I had no prior experience in aquaculture and insect farming.
Why do you think climate change and sustainability is such an important topic today?
We know that the global demand for livestock products is expected to more than double between 2000 and 2050 – and livestock production already accounts for 70 % of all agricultural land used worldwide. This trend is unrealistic, as we have a huge protein deficit. Despite the increased production of protein-rich raw vegetable materials, we won’t be able to meet this insatiable demand. We have to, as of today, embrace the development of alternative sources of proteins, beyond the sole range of vegetables and plant-based products.
What do you envision your industry looking like 10 years from now?
In 10 years’ time, more and more people will proactively adopt a new diet and one of them will be cruelty-free food. In 10 years’ time, the underrated tiny insects will be a common ingredient in our diets and will represent a promising solution to sustainability. In 10 years’ time we will finally uncover the complexity of the insect’s nutritional profile. In 10 years’ time we will be able to successfully live within a circular economy of waste to protein.
What can the average person do to make a difference?
Once we understand that the sole purpose is to believe in something bigger than ourselves, we act differently. Insects, despite their size, have a huge impact.
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