During the last 30 years in Italy, snail farming has moved from a small cottage industry to a large-scale, recognised agricultural farming enterprise.For many years in Italy and other parts of Europe, snails were collected from the wild. This activity led to diminished numbers of snails in their natural habitat, so an embargo was placed on collection of wild snails.In Italy today, wild snails are no longer considered as a food source as stringent health regulations for consumption of food are now in place. This is necessary to protect the consumer against collected snails that may have ingested toxic plants or potentially harmful chemicals. After years of experimentation and trials for housing and breeding, the current Italian method of raising snails in open areas of 'pasture production' has proved to be less labour intensive and more cost effective than growing snails indoors or in greenhouses.The economic benefits are realised only after the initial establishment of perimeter and internal fencing is recovered. Profitable financial return is not likely for 12-14 months.On-going overheads are lower compared to the indoor or greenhouse production, as the main costs are only for seeds and the labour for ground preparation and sowing the vegetable crops.This system can be adopted by Nigeria farmers. The Italian snail farmers have proved this system to be most ideal for snail rearing. The free range system creates a natural environment for the snail. The major challenge of this system in Nigeria is security. Since it is an open system theft or pilfering cannot be avoided.Steps in setting up a free-range system:Choice of site and soil structureSnail farming in Italy is conducted in open pastures, with suitable plants grown for food and shelter. No shade covering is used. Consideration is given to the prevailing wind when choosing a site for snail production, as strong winds will dry out the soil.Soil analysis and disinfestation is undertaken to ensure it is suitable for growing leafy, green vegetable crops and to eliminate predatory insects and pests. It is recommended that the soil is friable with pH 5.8 to 7.5 as highly acid soil is unsuitable for snail production. Calcium content in the soil should be around three to four per cent.The structure of the soil should be medium to light. Clay soil is unsuitable for egg laying as it is usually too hard for the snails to burrow down into and can become waterlogged. It is important that plants and snails are kept moist by the night-time dew, rain or controlled misting.Snails move more easily when the leaves and ground are moist. They eat more and grow faster with the correct environmental conditions.Rain and controlled irrigation is important for snail production. Good soil drainage is necessary so that water does not remain on the ground in puddles.The site should be free of large trees as these can cause problems such as attracting predatory birds, giving too much shade for development of crops and preventing dewfall.Size of siteSnail farms in Italy vary from size according to the category of the grower.Cottage industry or people who grow snails in small quantities for a hobby, utilise an area of around 1,000 to 2,000 square metres. People who farm snails as an alternative to another enterprise, average around 3,000 to 10,000square metres. Large-scale commercial snail producers usually start snail production in units of 2 hectares and can build up to 30 hectares as their business increases. Allowance is made for extra sowing areas outside the area designated for snail production for the growing of supplemental crops such as sunflowers.Preparation of site The site is cleared of grasses and weeds by the use of a contact herbicide. The soil is then cultivated with a rotary hoe and the perimeter fence is erected.Suitable plants to grow for feeding snailsAs the snail is vegetarian, it likes a variety of food such as vegetables and natural grain based cereals. The plants have two roles to play in the effective production of snails'provision of food and protection from the elements'sun, heavy rain. As soon as the plants are established, the breeder snails are selected and placed inside0Perimeter fenceThe outer perimeter is fenced with sheets of galvanised iron. The galvanised sheets are buried to a depth of 30-40 centimetres with supportive wooden or iron posts.The main purpose of the perimeter is to prevent the entry of predators, especially those that burrow. It is necessary to have a cleared area between the perimeter and internal fencing. Should any snail escape from the internal fences, the cleared ground and perimeter fence will stop them from going further. The addition of wire netting and/or an electrified wire on top of the galvanised sheets gives greater security to the snail production area.Internal fencesThe internal fences are used to separate the breeding and growing areas. They have two downward facing flaps at 40cm and 70cm from the ground to prevent the snails from crawling out of the enclosure.For further reading visit www.snailfarminginitaly.com
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