Climate-smart snail farming project in Ghana scales from 1,000 to 20,000 snails in five months, highlighting youth and food security potential

Mr Francis Aforve, Executive Director of the African Foundation for Climate Change and Sustainable Development (AFCCSD) and founder of Climate Smart Solutions Limited, has successfully expanded a snail farming project from 1,000 to over 20,000 snails within just five months.

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 farm was stocked with 1,000 point-of-lay Achatina snails.

The first greenhouse, designed to create optimal breeding conditions, allowed rapid reproduction, and by October 2025, the snail population had surged past 20,000.

The success prompted the client to commission three additional greenhouses to accommodate the growing stock.

“This is a practical example of how climate-smart agriculture can transform livelihoods,” Mr Aforve said. “We created a controlled environment that mimics natural conditions while protecting the snails from predators, harsh weather, and disease, achieving exponential growth with minimal losses.”

He explained that the greenhouses feature humidity and temperature regulation, sustainable feeding mechanisms, and biosecurity measures that boost breeding efficiency.

The model not only ensures high productivity but also aligns with Ghana‘s objectives for food security, youth employment, and climate adaptation.

Snail farming, often overlooked in mainstream agribusiness, is increasingly recognised as a high-yield, low-impact venture with strong domestic demand for organic protein and export potential.

Mr Aforve emphasised that the greenhouse setup, breeding techniques, and economic opportunities provide a blueprint for youth engagement and sustainable agricultural development.

“As both a climate advocate and entrepreneur, we’re not just farming snails, we’re building a resilient agricultural future,” he said, highlighting the replicability of the model across Ghana and West Africa.

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