miniFARM

miniFARM is a master’s thesis project that investigates how decentralised insect farming can support more circular and locally grounded feed production systems in South Tyrol, Italy. Centred on Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly, BSF) as both a biological agent and infrastructural element, the project explores context-specific strategies to reduce dependency on imported feed and mitigate the environmental impacts of conventional production.

Through a transdisciplinary design approach, the research integrates academic study, fieldwork, material experimentation, and iterative prototyping to develop a low-tech, adaptable BSF rearing system. By valorising regionally available organic by-products as rearing substrates, miniFARM aims to close resource loops and address food waste while enabling local feed self-production. The project is grounded in agroecological and food sovereignty frameworks, positioning insect farming as a socio-ecological and re-directive design practice rather than a technological fix. Insects are understood as active ecological agents that shape both processes and outcomes.

The resulting handbook guide and open-source, modular rearing system are conceived to support democratic, regenerative, and place-based models of feed production. By intertwining critical design practice with situated experimentation, miniFARM seeks to strengthen local autonomy, foster agroecological resilience, and contribute to community-driven transitions toward more just and sustainable agrifood systems.