Snails are a popular food item in Nigeria, and the demand for snails is just increasing. This makes snail farming a potentially profitable business opportunity. If you’re thinking about starting a snail farm in Nigeria, listed here are 5 steps you need to take:
Steps to Start a Snail Farm in Nigeria
1. You should decide which species of SNAIL to farm
When one wants to establish a snail farm, he/she should use simple species of snails. Example, Achatina achatina.
Research has shown that snail species, such as Achatina achatina are the best for warm climate region, like Nigeria – snails require moderate temperature and humidity.
2. Set up your SNAIL Farmland for housing
Your snail housing should have enough space for your snails to graze freely. So you should try to construct escape proof housing. You can use a pen house or trench and pit house for breeding and fattening of the snails. The composition of the soil, especially water content and soil texture must be considered.
The soil must be rich in calcium as the snail obtains most of its calcium requirement from the soil. A lot of calcium is needed for shell formation. Snails obtain most of the water they need from the soil. Heavy clayey soils are not good for snail rearing as it is prone to water logging.
Acidic soils should be avoided. Sandy soils are not desirable for snail farming because they are low water-holding capacity. Soils, which are highly in organic matter, can support the growth and development of snails.
Snails require moderate temperature and humidity. They are cold-blooded animals and are therefore very sensitive to changes in temperature and relative humidity. When humidity falls below 75% example in the dry season (October – Mid March) Achatina achatina becomes inactive during this period and aestivate, that’s, seals itself in its shell to prevent loss of water from the body.
All snails’ species aestivate or go into dormancy when conditions are not favourable for them.
3. Purchase the SNAIL to rear
It is time to buy some fresh, quality and healthy snails from the market or any certify farm that can lay eggs and populate your farm. Snails mate principally in the night and lay their eggs a few days after mating, usually in clutches or clumps of 100 to over 400 eggs, depending on their age, that’s Achatina achatina.
The Achatina Fulica lay only about 8-14 eggs per clutch. Depending on the temperature, the fertilized eggs hatch between 15- 40 days.
Funding corresponds to the scale of the snail farming operation.
4. Feeding and rearing of the SNAILS
Snails are vegetarian and can be fed with wide varieties of foods such as;
- LEAVES: Cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, African spinach, waterleaf (gure), cocoyam leaves (ewe koko), cassava leaves, pawpaw leaves (fresh and dry), lettuce (cultivated) and wild (dandelion) and Okro leaf.
- FRUITS: Pawpaw (green and ripe), avocado pear, pineapple, watermelon, orange, banana, plantain.
- ROOT AND TUBERS: Cassava, yam, sweet potato, cocoyam and carrot.
- CLEAN WATER: Water should be available always in shallow containers. You can read “Benefits of Applying Water Chemistry (Hard water) in Snail Farming” which talk comprehensively about the type of water to feed your snails with.
- SUPPLEMENTARY FEED: Below are list of these ingredients you can select to make your own supplementary feed. Rice bran, wheat bran, palm kernel cake, fishmeal, groundnut cake, soybean cake, pre-mix vitamin supplement.
5. Harvesting and selling of the SNAILS
When snails are very densely packed, they may not breed at all. High density population also increase the incidence of disease and pests. Rearing density is recommended to be 1-1.5kg per square meter. For Achatina sp. this would be 15-25 snails per square meter.
In the high altitude forest areas of West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’lvoire, snails meat forms a substantial part of the meat in the diet of local people. Snails are gathered in the wild, packed into bags, wooden crates and baskets and transport them to selling points along main roads or to urban centres.
In Urban areas, the gatherers may sell the snails directly to consumers or to wholesale traders or retailers. Snails can be smoked and stored for sale during the off season when prices go high. The channel of distribution for snails was from producers and hunters to retailers and then to consumers, or from hunters directly to consumers.
Starting a snail farm in Nigeria can be a smart way to make money. By following these 5 steps, you’ll be able to increase your chances of success.
The Benefits of Starting a Snail Farm in Nigeria
Snail farming is a great way to earn money in Nigeria. Here are some of the benefits of starting a snail farm:
- Low startup costs: Snail farming is a comparatively low-cost business to start. You can get started with a small investment, and the price of raising snails is relatively low.
- High demand: The demand for snails is high in Nigeria. Snails are a popular food item, and the demand is just growing.
- Easy to manage: Snail farming is a relatively straightforward business to manage. Snails are simple to look after, and they don’t require a lot of attention.
- Good profit margins: The profit margins for snail farming are good. You can earn a huge profit from a small snail farm.
If you’re on the lookout for a profitable business opportunity in Nigeria, snail farming is a nice option.
By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you’ll be able to increase your chances of success.
