In nations like France, snails have long been regarded a delicacy.
Giant African land snails are becoming more popular in Africa as a source of food and money for farmers.
Snails are low in fat and high in protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin A. However, they are high in cholesterol, just like prawns.
“Most of our farmers are mainly looking for alternatives to either addressing the high rates of fertilizer costs, higher rates of inputs that are really using their cost of production, and thus use of snails, which is less capital intensive with high value products that generate more money, appears to be an attractive point to most of these farmers,” says Paul Kinoti, food technologist at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Land snails are good for farming because they are less difficult to care for than cattle.
Snail farming, according to food experts, is a more sustainable alternative to raising other animals that release methane, which contributes to climate change.
Many farmers are beginning to see the financial rewards.
“This investment will set you back around $1500. The current size I’m utilizing is 60 feet by 30 feet. If it were cattle, it would be approximately four cattle. As a result, it is cost-effective “Rose Kabura, a snail farmer, agreed.
Both land and sea snails can be found in Kenya. During the drought season, marine mollusks provide a good source of protein in some coastal communities. Many people use them instead of veggies.
“We adore this cuisine since it comes in handy when we can’t locate vegetables due to a drought. As days pass, we do not struggle to find an alternative to veggies because we feed our children this meal “, a sea snail harvester named Zulfa Subira remarked.
Farmers are increasingly exporting snails to international markets like Dubai, where snail meat and slime are frequently utilized in cosmetic treatments.
