Snail Farming in Kenya – How to Start, Expected Earning & Much More

Snail farming, also known as heliciculture, is a type of agricultural enterprise that involves breeding and raising snails for meat or producing snail slime, also known as snail mucus or snail secretion.

Snail Farming in Kenya

In Kenya, snail farming is a relatively new industry, but it has the potential to provide a source of income and employment for small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs.

Snail farming in Kenya has several advantages, including:

• Low startup and maintenance costs: Snail farming requires relatively low initial investments and can be done on a small scale, making it accessible to small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs.
• High demand: There is a growing demand for local and international snail meat, as it is considered a delicacy in some countries and is believed to have health benefits. In addition, the need for snail slime, used in cosmetics and other products, is also increasing.
• Sustainable and environmentally friendly: Snail farming is a sustainable and environmentally friendly form of agriculture as it has a low carbon footprint and does not require pesticides or other chemicals.

Challenges Involved in Snail Farming in Kenya

Despite these advantages, snail farming in Kenya faces several challenges, including:

• Lack of information and knowledge: Many farmers and entrepreneurs in Kenya are unfamiliar with snail farming and do not have access to information and resources on starting and managing a snail farm.
• Limited access to markets: Small-scale snail farmers may struggle to find buyers for their snails, especially if they do not have access to established markets or distribution channels.
• Limited access to financing: Many small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs in Kenya may not have financing options, such as loans or grants, making it difficult to start and grow a snail farm.

Snail farming should ideally begin around a wet season when snails start to reproduce. Only medium-sized snails should be used for breeding. Giant snails are too old to reproduce. Your breeding stock must be sexually mature snails with healthy shells.

Starting a Snail Farm in Kenya [2023]

A PPQ 526 Plant Pest Permit from the KWS is required to commence the snail breeding procedure. Furthermore, equipment and operational standards for snail containment must be fulfilled to acquire permission.

How Much money can you make from Snail farming

Snail Meat – The Snail meat market is proliferating in Kenya. You can make good money by selling Snail meat. Right now, the price is anywhere around Ksh 1500 to 2000.

Snails’ protein composition is comparable to that of pork and beef. However, snails have a far lower fat content. Snails are a good source of iron, calcium, Vitamin A, and a variety of other minerals, in addition to being high in protein and low in fat.

Snails are high in vital amino acids and fatty acids, as well as calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium, and vitamins E, A, K, and B12.

Snail Slime – Mucin, a slimy fluid produced by snails, is a viscous fluid. Mucin possesses numerous qualities that are extremely useful to human skin.

The minimum price of Snail slime is between Ksh 1200 to 1500 per litre.

You may manufacture Snail based products and earn a good income. Some of the popular snail products are:

Snail serum: Snail slime is an excellent exfoliator that eliminates dead skin cells while stimulating cell regeneration. Its exfoliating capabilities are ascribed to natural collagen, elastin, and glycolic acid. It evens out your complexion and reduces the visibility of fine lines, wrinkles, and scars.

Overall, snail farming in Kenya has the potential to be a viable and sustainable agricultural enterprise. Still, it will likely require more information and resources to be made available to farmers and entrepreneurs and improved access to markets and financing.

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