Snail rearing, often overlooked in mainstream agriculture, is fast emerging as one of Ghana’s most promising green ventures and the African Foundation for Climate Change and Sustainable Development (AFCCSD) is proving why.
In just five months, AFCCSD’s greenhouse snail project, spearheaded by its Executive Director, Francis Aforve, has transformed from a small pilot into a thriving enterprise producing more than 20,000 snails.
The project, implemented through Climate Smart Solutions Limited, began in November 2024 with the construction of a single greenhouse for a private client.
By May 2025, the team had stocked 1,000 point-of-lay Achatina snails, a species known for its size, resilience, and market value. Within five months, the population had multiplied twentyfold, leading the client to commission three additional greenhouses to expand production.
“This is a practical example of how climate-smart agriculture can transform livelihoods,” Aforve said. “We created a controlled environment that mimics natural conditions while protecting the snails from predators, harsh weather, and disease. As a result, we achieved exponential growth with minimal losses.”
The AFCCSD greenhouse is not just a farm, it’s a model of innovation. The system integrates humidity and temperature regulation, sustainable feeding mechanisms, and biosecurity measures that promote rapid reproduction and healthy stock.
According to Mr. Aforve, this model ensures consistent production while aligning with Ghana’s national goals of food security, climate resilience, and youth employment.
Snail farming, or heliciculture, has long been underappreciated in Ghana’s agribusiness landscape.
Yet, its economic and environmental benefits are becoming undeniable. Snails require little space and feed, produce no waste pollution, and their meat is a high-protein, low-fat delicacy sought after both locally and internationally.
The global demand for snails, particularly in Europe and Asia, has turned the species into a lucrative export commodity. Ghana currently imports some processed snail products despite having the natural conditions to produce them locally.
With the right investment in greenhouse rearing and training, experts say Ghana could easily become a leading exporter in the West African sub-region.
Mr. Aforve believes that projects like AFCCSD’s offer a replicable blueprint for agricultural innovation. “As both a climate advocate and entrepreneur, I see this as a model for sustainable development. We’re not just farming snails, we’re building a resilient agricultural future,” he said.
Beyond profitability, the project offers lessons for Ghana’s youth. Snail farming requires low startup capital, minimal land, and manageable technical skills, making it ideal for young entrepreneurs entering agribusiness.
“The greenhouse setup, breeding techniques, and economic potential of snail farming explain why Ghanaian youth should be encouraged to venture into the sector,” Mr. Aforve emphasized.
He added that scaling such climate-smart ventures could help tackle unemployment while positioning agriculture as a modern, tech-driven career path.
As Ghana intensifies its climate adaptation efforts, snail farming could play a vital role in diversifying the country’s agricultural base.
With models like AFCCSD’s proving that small-scale innovation can yield large-scale impact, the humble snail may soon become a symbol of Africa’s next agribusiness boom.
