Louis Bolk Institute

The Louis Bolk Institute is an independent international knowledge institute for the advancement of truly sustainable agriculture, nutrition and health. We conduct scientific and practice-driven research for farmers, governments, district water boards, nature conservation organisations, businesses and health funds. Our systems approach and close collaborations with farmers, health practitioners and companies enable us to develop relevant expertise and solutions that work in practice. This way our work contributes to the sustainable health of humans, animals, plants and soils. The Louis Bolk Institute is located in Driebergen, the Netherlands, and has about 45 employees.

One of the pillars of the transition to sustainable agriculture is the development of innovative protein sources, in order to reduce dependency on imported soy for animal feed and to provide meat alternatives for human consumption. Our institute contributes to this field by conducting scientific research, implementing project results at farm level, and providing advice in similar projects. Our leading contribution to the innovative project on insect-derived protein for chicken feed is a case in point. OUR VISION The agricultural sector is looking for alternative protein sources. Based on our vision for sustainable agriculture we are working on the development and optimisation of various alternative protein sources, such as lupin (for human consumption), algae and insects. Our research has shown that insect-derived protein could provide a high-quality alternative for soy in chicken feed, and that sustainable insect production is feasible within the Netherlands. These results offer novel possibilities for sustainable livestock farming.