Potential benefits of insects in alleviating the adverse effects of COVID-19 on the Nigerian economy

Abstract

This paper reviews areas of entomology that can be harnessed to boost the country’s economy through job creation and foreign exchange earnings and on the long run ameliorate the adverse effects of the current global pandemic on the Nigerian economy. Products from apiculture such as honey and other hive products are known to have contributed largely to the economic development of advanced country like China producing 120,845,000kg selling $235,314.29k, New Zealand (8,438,700kg selling $230,182.52k) , Argentina (63,521,900kg selling $142,086.24k), Germany (26,317,300kg selling $138,680.91k) and European Union (20,236,500kg selling $133.307.87k). While the venture provides job opportunities for people of all classes, it also boosts productivity of other agricultural crops. The potential of sericulture to reduce rate of unemployment in Nigeria and also to contribute significantly to foreign exchange earnings as obtainable in sericulturally developed Asian countries was also unraveled. In conclusion, the paper intended to draw attention of government, policy makers and other stakeholders to potentials embedded in apiculture and sericulture with the aim of exploring them to assuage the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on Nigeria economy, especially in the present time.