How To Start Snail Farming In Ghana. Complete Guide
How To Start Snail Farming In Ghana. Complete Guide. Before you commence the farm make sure you have enough capital, a space for rearing, breeding stock and other available accessories to facilitate the process.
How To Start Snail Farming In Ghana. Complete Guide
Choose a suitable location and structure for the farm.
In snail farming choosing where to keep the snails is very important as a change in weather conditions can adversely affect the progress of the farm.
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The common risk associated with snail farming is the ability to provide the right the right ambient temperature and humidity for growing the snails.
Two models can be adopted in rearing snails.
They are the free range system and the pen system.
The pen type is more secure than the range.
Whichever system you pick, you should follow some basic principles to ensure the snails are producing maximally.
In choosing an environment, consider the following:
- Choose a place that is free from wind
- Choose soil that have enough moisture (water) and other minerals like calcium. Do not rear snails in clay soil. It can dry up and trap the eggs inside
- The farm should be covered with a mesh to prevent predators such as hawks from feeding on the snails
- Provide a very cool and humid environment.
- Plant vegetables to serve as a shade and feed. Examples of such vegetables are cocoyam, dwarf banana, potato, etc. The plants should not be taller than the top of the structure
If you are using the free range system, you need to plant the plants and wait for them to fully mature over a period of 3 to 4 months.
The snails will suffer heat if the plants are not fully grown to provide shade.
Unless otherwise you have another alternative for provision of shade.
The next thing is to treat the soil and make sure all resident termites and other living organisms are killed to make the farm secured.
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Sourcing the snails.
This is an important aspect you need to pay attention to.
The source of your snails will determine the productivity of the farm.
Avoid getting breeding stock from market vendors.
The best place to get your snails is the bush or from a snail farmer who is reselling.
Make sure you get snails that are at their point of laying eggs.
Once you stock it won’t take much time to see them laying.
The price of the snails will depend on the season and your ability to negotiate.
Which species of snails must you go for?
There are several species of snails in Ghana but the common one that is mostly consumed and grow so fast is the Ghanaian giant snail (botanical name: Achatina achatina).
The most challenging time every snail farmer faces in Ghana is the dry season.
Naturally, snails do not like dryness.
Other management tips.
For proper shell formation, the snail feed should be rich in calcium.
Buy already prepared snail feed or prepare it yourself.
You can collect the shells of dead snails, grind it and mix it into the soil again for the present snails to feed on.
Snails also can feed on leaves of the plants on the farm.
