Snail Farming Workshop

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The Greens in partnership with FOEPSUD (Forest and Environmental Program for Sustainable Development), SERUDEC (Sustainable Environmental Rural Development Centre) and Paradise on Earth organized a snail farming workshop on Saturday 9th June 2018 at the Forestry School of Bambili for forest adjacent farmers, environmental activists, hunters and youths of Bamenda, North West Region.

Attended by 17 persons, the training sort to educate, empower and engage the participants to practice heliculture as an alternative livelihood activity that can be used to boost health and wellbeing (protein source and medicinal value), promote food security and environmentalism (forest friendly activity that can serve as alternative to hunters), as well as promote the economic vitality of the North West Region.

What is heliculture?

Heliculture or snail farming is the process of farming or raising snails for business and/or consumption. In Cameroon, we call snails using different local names with the most popular names being “Slow boys”, “Congo meat” and “Nyamangoro”
Snail farming in Cameroon is a new, lucrative, cost effective, easy-to-run business practice that requires very little capital to run compared to other forms of agricultural practices. Though its popular in the South West Region of Cameroon, it is one of the most neglected farming practices in Cameroon despite the opportunities abound. The opportunities are massive likewise the potentials and unlike other forms of agricultural practices that require you building mighty structures and moving far away into the forest, snail farming doesn’t require massive land spaces and confinement. In fact you can start a commercial snail farm at your backyard. It requires little space and its environmental friendly. It requires little man power and the feeding/taking care of snails is very cheap or almost free.

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Did You know…?

1. Snails can live up to 20 years and are Hermaphrodites? A snail posses both the male and female reproductive system
2. Garden snails have up to 14,175 teeth! They are all located on their tongue called the radula
3. Snails have the ability to hibernate during extreme cold or dry season. They form a protective covering which can sustain them for months
4. Snails are nocturnal animals and are deaf?
5. Snails produces a thick slime which protects and gives them the ability to crawl upside down and even on sharp object like the edge of a razor and not get hurt.

The “Slow boys” training

The training had 8 modules which were focused educating the participants about snails, the importance of snails, breeding snails, Nutrition in snails, snail potential and marketing, construction and management of a snailery and recommendations/conclusion.
These 8 modules were facilitated by Mr. Ebai Maurice Agbor and Mr. Etomes Marcel meanwhile Ngalim Franklin (Mr. Green) served as the co-facilitator of for both facilitators.

Benefits of Snail farming

1. Snail shells serves as calcium used for animal feeds
2. Snails have Low mortality rate hence the agricultural risks are very low.
3. Snail meat is rich in protein, Iron, Vitamin A, Calcium, Magnesium, amino acids and other essential elements and have a low level of cholesterol and fat.
4. Snail farming is neat, doesn’t require too much attention like other agricultural practices and requires little land or space. You can even use automobile tires for snail farming.
5. Snail feeds are cheap and readily available.
6. Snail farming doesn’t constitute nuisance to the environment which is usually the case for other livestock farming in terms of noise and animal waste
7. Snail farming is not capital intensive, easy to run and requires little or no man power and labour.
8. Snail farming is a good source of income for the family since snails have quick growth and are highly productive; snails can produce over 300 eggs at once
9. Snail farming is safe since snails are basically harmless creatures and it can easily be combined or incorporated with other farming practices or jobs you do
10. Snails have traditional healing benefits and are highly medicinal and used for health related products

Constructing a Snailery using Waste Tires

After 4 hours of acquiring knowledge in heliculture, the team moved to Paradise on Earth where they observed a snailery as well as constructed a snailery using waste materials.
In the construction of their Tire Snailery, the team used 2 automobile tires, an oil ring, soil and a lid to cover the top. The oil ring made with cement contains waste oil and this is to prevent ants from getting into the snailery.

A Tire Snailery

Learning how to make a Tire Snailery

Snails in a Tire Snailery

Snail eggs in a Tire Snailery

Snails enjoy fruits and vegetables

Lessons with Mr. Atanga Martin of Paradise on Earth

A Tire Snailery

At The Greens, we promote the transformation of trash to treasure and this explains why we are training young people in the production of snaileries using automobile tires and waste materials.

Besides using automobile tires, starting your home snailery can help to minimize food waste in your home because you could just feed your snails with your fruit and vegetable leftovers.

Moreover, we believe Snail farming can help to reduce the amount of poaching of endangered species as well as improve the nutrition and health of the rural poor people of Cameroon.

It was an exceptionally great day and feel free to ask any questions about snail farming or share your ideas about snail farming.
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