Wangui Waweru, a Nakuru-based farmer has made a name for herself not only in Kenya but across the continent through her snail farming business.

The idea to venture into the less explored yet profitable venture popped up after having a bite of a snail meal given to her by a Cameroonian friend.

She would later learn that the friend whom they had met in a bus in Uganda, was in snail business. She later developed an interest in the business when she returned to Kenya and then engaged in the farming of snails.

“This type of farming is unique. In fact, some neighbours distanced themselves from me when I started. You know snails are not considered edible by many people in my country,” she told TRT Afrika in her home in Nakuru county.

Her farm, Golden Snail Farm features several small chambers each designed to accommodate hundreds of snails at a time.

New technology helping farmers attract bees into their hives

The snails are fed with fresh vegetables from a nearby kitchen garden as well as water and egg shells as a source of calcium.

She notes that snail farming has more benefits with higher returns given the different uses of its products, including as food, and decorations, among others.

“Snail farming has more benefits with higher returns. For example, I do extract slime from them which I use to make skin care products. There is also caviar fish, which I would say is the most expensive,” she says.

The farmer trains youth in her neighborhood, who have embraced farming and are also using snail shells to produce ornaments like earrings for sale among other products.

“I’m glad, snail farming is catering for my basic needs. It would be good to see more people thinking out of the box and trying out different kinds of farming,” she says.

Wangui sells her products to customers in Kenya, Uganda, and Cameroon.