{"id":34558,"date":"2023-12-04T16:36:05","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T15:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/3bace88e-fd3d-4a59-97b8-133500515143"},"modified":"2023-12-04T17:35:52","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T16:35:52","slug":"environmental-photographer-of-the-year-2023-winners-photograph-of-insect-food-experiment-takes-first-prize","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/environmental-photographer-of-the-year-2023-winners-photograph-of-insect-food-experiment-takes-first-prize\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmental Photographer of the Year 2023 winners: Photograph of insect food experiment takes first prize"},"content":{"rendered":"

Glowing coral, a termite-snatching bird, and cows wading through floodwater captured by photographers from the world\u2019s most climate-vulnerable countries. <\/p>

By BBC Wildlife Magazine\n <\/p>

Published: Monday, 04 December 2023 at 15:36 PM<\/p>

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The Environmental Photographer of the Year<\/a> competition celebrates powerful photography from around the world, offering amateur and professional photographers a platform to reflect environmental challenges facing our planet\u200b.\u200b\u200b\u00a0<\/p>

This year\u2019s competition received entries from 159 countries, with the six winners largely coming from nations most affected by climate change, including Bangladesh, India and Argentina.\u00a0<\/p>

The Grand Title went to Maurizio di Petro for his photo ‘Black Soldier Fly Farming’. A professional photographer based in Italy, Maurizio’s photo depicts an innovative insect food experiment at the University of Turin. <\/p>

\u201cMy home country of Italy is experiencing a frightening reality: 22% now face food insecurity, and this number is only set to increase as climate change intensifies,” said Maurizio.<\/p>

“Through my photographs, however, I don\u2019t just want to document the problem, but also offer a way forward.<\/p>

\u201cBy photographing experiments of potential new food sources, I hope to break open the closed corridors of academia and raise awareness of this solution around the world. Only by showing a way forward can we inspire people to abandon a doom-drenched view of the world and fight for a better one.\u201d<\/p>

The Hermetia illucens, or soldier fly, is rich in proteins and a highly sustainable food source, thanks to its minimal water and soil consumption. By feeding on food waste, these insects also contribute to a circular economy.<\/p>

The photo forms part of Maurizio\u2019s ‘Zero Hunger’ series, documenting worldwide food insecurity and the solution presented by insects.<\/p>