What attracted you to snail production?
When I got employed into NACGRAB, the first place they posted me to was snail section, so from that place I developed interest. And last year, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and we were told to stay at home I just thought what would I be doing at home? I just decided to start snail production and from there I started a WhatsApp group where I have been training people on snail farm.
What can you say you have been able to achieve since you started?
I started with 200 pieces of snail, but as of now, I have moved to 600 pieces. Also, I hatch eggs and I have like 50 small snails now. I have also learnt about snail slime and liquid. The snail slime is used for cosmetics, while the liquid is used by pharamceutical companies especially for drugs for the treatment of fat related health challenge such as high blood pressure. Let me use myself as an example, when my father was sick, we were told to soak snail inside the water and be giving him the water to drink. When I was reading recently and I discovered that snail liquid is very potent in treating high blood pressure so I now recalled what they told us then to treat my father and ever since then he has been doing fine.
To what level do you intend to take this snail business to?
God helping me, I intend to export snail both fresh, processed and also the slime abroad. That is my main goal and I pray to God to help me.
Talking about exportation, how do you plan to go about this? Are you looking forward to a partnership with government agency such as the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC)?
If I see such opportunity I would grab it because I know it won’t be easy for an individual like me to easily venture into the exportation of agricultural products such as snail. I know I need the assistance of relevant government agency to make it easy.
In the next couple of years, where do you foresee yourself as far this snail farming is concerned?
You know I told you earlier that I have opened a WhatsApp group where I train people. There are various opportunities in snail farming. You can make livelihood through snail production, now that I have a WhatsApp group I intend training youths, women and retirees in snail farming. It is easy to do, you can do it at the back of your house, and you can even do it at the passage of your house depending on the one you want to go for. For instance, if you are a student, you can go to school and come back to look after your snails. Snails are very active at night, so as student you come back in the evening and take care of your snails.
Is snail farming capital intensive?
It is not. You can start with as low as N10,000 depending on the time you want to start. But it is advisable to start during the raining season when there are many snails in the market. Also, you should know where to buy your snails for stocking. You do not just go anywhere to buy your snails, you must go to a reputable farm to buy if you are going into breeding.
When are you going to start physical training for people?
If there is opportunity for physical training, we would do it. People are even requesting for it, but we are trying to put things in order before we can do physical training.
On a final note, why do you think people should be involved in snail farming?
I want the general public to know that there are opportunities in snail farming. It creates opportunities, it improves means of livelihood. The protein level in snail is very high and also the shell is used for calcium even in livestock industry. They use the calcium to complement livestock feeds and also the slime is used for cosmetics and the liquid is used in the pharmaceutical industry. And snail is not capital intensive, it is easy to do and you do not need to have millions of Naira before you venture into it. You can make up to three hundred per cent of your investment.
