In rural Thailand, a quiet agricultural shift is taking place as farmers turn to insect farming—raising grasshoppers, beetles, and silkworms—as a more sustainable, low-cost, and climate-friendly alternative to traditional crops. Long embedded in local diets, edible insects are now being seen not just as a cultural staple, but as a potential solution to global food insecurity and environmental strain. With rising demand, export markets, and research into insect-based foods on the rise, this small-scale revolution is positioning six-legged creatures as serious contenders for the protein sources of the future.
This photo story was made on assignment for Der Spiegel and Roads and Kingdoms
Somyong Silpasar collects ants from tamarind trees on the edge of Brornjong Paninâs familyâs rice farm in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand on March 19, 2023. Having a variety of crops adds to the biodiversity of a farm, a stipulation of the SRP certification. The Sustainable Rice Platform is a global alliance working to improve the global rice sector and make rice farming a more sustainable livelihood for farmers, elevating the quality of rice, and limiting the environmental impact of farming. Upon Ratchathani province is Thailandâs leading rice producer, farmers like Thanu Thanhakij and Brornjong Panin have transformed their land and growing process to be SRP standard and Thanu is helping to educate his community about the value in adopting the new rice farming model. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Thanu Thanhakij, leader of the rice farmers group, visits a Sunday morning market in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand on March 19, 2023. The Sustainable Rice Platform is a global alliance working to improve the global rice sector and make rice farming a more sustainable livelihood for farmers, elevating the quality of rice, and limiting the environmental impact of farming. Upon Ratchathani province is Thailandâs leading rice producer, farmers like Thanu Thanhakij and Brornjong Panin have transformed their land and growing process to be SRP standard and Thanu is helping to educate his community about the value in adopting the new rice farming model. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Brornjong Panin, an SRP certified farmer, cooks breakfast at her familyâs farmhouse in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand on March 19, 2023. The Sustainable Rice Platform is a global alliance working to improve the global rice sector and make rice farming a more sustainable livelihood for farmers, elevating the quality of rice, and limiting the environmental impact of farming. Upon Ratchathani province is Thailandâs leading rice producer, farmers like Thanu Thanhakij and Brornjong Panin have transformed their land and growing process to be SRP standard and Thanu is helping to educate his community about the value in adopting the new rice farming model. Photo by Lauren DeCicca
Brornjong Panin and her sister, Paisiri Praneewong, harvest ant eggs at their familyâs rice farm in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand on March 19, 2023. The Sustainable Rice Platform is a global alliance working to improve the global rice sector and make rice farming a more sustainable livelihood for farmers, elevating the quality of rice, and limiting the environmental impact of farming. Upon Ratchathani province is Thailandâs leading rice producer, farmers like Thanu Thanhakij and Brornjong Panin have transformed their land and growing process to be SRP standard and Thanu is helping to educate his community about the value in adopting the new rice farming model. Photo by Lauren DeCicca