In the present project, we will bring together expertise from Germany, Colombia, and Norway to generate knowledge on the upgrading of agricultural residues/biomass using insects. In Colombia, we will investigate which organic side streams, such as fruit or crop residues, and which insect species are suitable novel production organisms for agricultural systems and industry. The selection of organic side streams and insect species will be done in collaboration together with Germany and Norway. This is to ensure that the insect meal produced locally in Colombia is in compliance with similar - or equivalent - standards as applicable in the EU. As there is no food security without food safety, the consideration of a proper risk assessment strategy for sustainably sourced insect meal - fit for both local use and export to the EU and Norway - is key to ensure that such products can and will be used in feed formulations for e.g. aquaculture, and help mitigate future protein shortages. In addition to the selection of suitable agricultural residues/biomass an insect species, in Colombia, analytical tools including omics technologies for insect and insect-feed tracing, respectively will be implemented mirroring those already in place in national reference laboratories in Germany and Norway. This will allow for on-site testing of any insect-based product for compliance with EU legislation, subsequently helping to reduce efforts and saving money in EU countries checking compliance with European legislation. Lastly, the suitability of insect-based meal will be tested in Colombia to produce farmed fish for both local consumption and export, and feed formulations and outcomes of pilot studies in Colombia will be compared with already existing data from experiments performed in Norway. The development of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) covering the selection and preparation of the organic side stream material for insect growing up to the fish feeding with insect material will be the final goal that when applied will guarantee the safety of feed and food in compliance with Colombian and EU legislation. The SOP will also include the full description of test methods for the identification of insect material and selected fish species used for export from Colombia. By developing, evaluating and establishing knowledge along the whole circular production chain of aquaculture products starting from the “upcycling” of organic organic side stream to insect protein for fish feed and ultimately, fish fillet production, this project will transform a linear food production system to a circular one and thereby contribute to a more sustainable production of biogenic resources, as laid down in the German National bioeconomy strategy “Bioeconomy International 2020” and in the Colombian Circular Economy and Colombia-Bio strategies.