Ecological Implications of Minilivestock
(Role of Rodents, Frogs, Snails, and Insects for Sustain-able Development)
Maurizio G. Paoletti (ed.): Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
ISBN 978-1-57808-339-8; 2005; 662 pages + 10 plates in color; US $ 132.20      Buy Now

Although there are more than 15 million species of plants, animals and microbes on earth, more than 90% of the world food supply comes from just 15 crop species and 8 livestock species. One way to augment the human food supply is to increase the diversity of plant and animal species used as food.

This book provides stimulating and timely suggestions about expanding the world food supply to include a variety of minilivestock. It suggests a wide variety of small animals as nutritious food. These animals include arthropods (insects, earthworms, snails, frogs), and various rodents. The major advantage of minilivestock is that they do not have to be fed on grains thus saving many crop species for human consump-tion.

The book suggests technologies for harvesting these small livestock.

Contents:
. Minilivestock Environment, Sustainability, and the Local Knowledge Disappearance: Maurizio Guido Paoletti and Leandro Dreon
. The Minilivestock: Environment, Education, Research and Economics: Jacques E. Hardouin
. Potential of Rodents for Minilivestock in Africa: Ferran Jori et al.
. Rodent Farming in the Amazon: Experience with Amerindians in Venezuela: Guido Govoni et al.
. Frogs as Food: Gianluigi Negroni
. Snail Collection and Smallscale Production in Africa and Europe: Leslie Jhon Elmslie
. Overview of the Role of Edible Insects in Preserving Biodiversity: Gene R. Defoliart
. Insects: Food for Human Evolution: Mila Tommaseo-Ponzetta
. Minilivestock Consumption in the Ancient Near East: The Case of Locusts: Giovanni B.
Lanfranchi
. Human Consumption of Lepidoptera, Termites, Orthoptera, and Ants in Africa:
François Malaisse
. Insects Eaten in Africa (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Heteroptera, Homop-tera):
Arnold Van Huis
. Notes on the Edible Insects of South Benin: A Source of Protein: Severin Tchibozo and
Arnold Van Huis
. Edible Insects in Japan: Jun Mitsuhashi
. Insects: A Hopeful Food Source: Julieta Ramos-Elorduy
. Edible Invertebrates among Amazonian Indians: A Critical Review of Disappearing Knowledge:
M.G. Paoletti and D.L. Dufour
. Edible Insects in Ecuador: Giovanni Onore
. Palm Worm (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Rhynchophorus palmarum): A Traditional Food:
Examples from Alto Orinoco, Venezuela: H. Cerda et al.
. Insect and Other Invertebrate Foods of the Australian Aborigines: Alan L. Yen
. Traditional Food Insects and Spiders in Several Different Ethnic Groups of North-East India,
Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand: V.B. Meyer-Rochow
. Edible Insects in the Laos PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam: Jintana Yhoung-Aree and
Kanvee Viwatpanich
. Lessons from Traditional Foraging Patterns in West Papua (Indonesia):
Mila Tommaseo-Ponzetta and Maurizio G. Paoletti
. Contemporary Use of Insects and Other Arthropods in Traditional Korean Medicine (Hanbang)
in South Korea and Elsewhere: Robert W. Pemberton
. Insects as Traditional Food in China: Luo Zhi-Yi
. Medicinal Terrestrial Arthropods in China: Ding Zimian et al.
. Nutritive Value of Earthworms: Sun Zhenjun
. Pharmaceutical Value and Use of Earthworms: Sun Zhenjun and Cheng Wenling
. House cricket Smallscale Farming: Alberto Collavo et al.
. Insects in the Human Diet: Nutritional Aspects: Sandra G.F. Bukkens
. Hygiene and Health Features of "Minilivestock": Valerio Giaccone