ONCE upon a long time ago, not much was thought of snails and the financial gains that could be derived from breeding them. In those days, it was not uncommon to find Nigerians, young and old alike, going through bushes and wet vegetation, especially at dawn, to find snails for consumption. With time, however, people began to discover that snails could be reared for profit. Some studies argue that West African countries, such as Nigeria, boast of the best types of snails for rearing and consumption. Some researchers have even proved that one can make as much as over N2 million annually from snail farming. Interestingly, almost anybody can start a snail farm, depending on the commitment, time and resources one is willing to dedicate to the venture. Various factors should be considered when breeding snails. According to Agronigeria Online, there are some steps to follow to set up a profitable snail farm: Snails need a moist environment to survive. To get the right snails for breeding, pick them raw from the bush by attracting them with fruits such as pineapples, plantain, pawpaw, among others – getting them from the market may not be very advisable as they would have been exposed to sunlight, which reduces their fertility. You can also opt for getting their eggs for breeding, provided you have the right environment and soil type to handle their fast reproductive level. To build the right house for the snails, referred to as snailery, remember that snails can only function properly with the right soil, yet, note that they should be protected from large and small pests such as snakes, rats, ants and termites. Depending on the type of snails you choose to breed, feeding them shouldn’t break the bank. Snails can be fed with leaves of okro, cabbage, cocoyam, pawpaw, among others. They can also be fed with certain kinds of fruits or specially prepared feed available in stores. Agronigeria Online highlights various advantages of snail farming to include: minimum capital requirement for investment; high demand, which will result in huge profit; snail as an export commodity to improve Nigeria’ foreign exchange market; ease of practicability, among others. “Snail farming in Nigeria requires small capital and the running cost is very low, hence their feeds are very local. If your start-up capital is N100,000 you can generate the sum of N1 million in one year. You can conveniently earn income higher than your present earning. You can keep your present job and do this on part-time since it doesn’t require much time,” it said. Another juicy benefit of rearing snails is they are not just less stressful or take much time to breed, there is less risk of offensive odour or noise that will attract attention from neighbours. According to www.jovanafarms.com, “snail meat is a good source of protein. It is rich in iron and calcium, but low in fat and cholesterol compared to other animal protein sources. They are environmental-friend­ly because, unlike pigs and poultry, neither the snail nor its droppings smell offensively. Snails can also be reared in the backyard.” Jovana Farms, which also breeds and raises snails naturally on pasture/free range method to produce high quality snail meat, offers 18-month-old snail breeders suitable for people who would like to start their own snail farms. Snails also have various nutritional benefits. According to assistant professor with the Programme for Public Health at Michigan State University, United States, Natalie Stein, the dietary importance of eating snails is beneficial, depending on how they are prepared. Snails are good for persons who wish to control their weight as “a 100-gramme serving size of snails has only 90 calories. This serving provides 16 grammes of protein, which is a filling nutrient. Snails may fit into a low-carbohydrate diet plan, since they only have two grammes total carbohydrates per serving,” and also provide healthy sources of fat, potassium, sodium and other nutrients. According to Stein, while those watching their cholesterol levels should minimise their quantity of snail intake, “you need iron for healthy red blood cells, and snails provide 3.5 milligrammes of iron, or nearly 20 per cent of the daily value. The iron in snails is in the heme form, which is easier for your body to absorb than iron from plant-based sources. Other essential nutrients in snails are vitamin B-12 and magnesium.”

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