STARTING UP A SNAIL FARM IN NIGERIA – THE BENEFITS

Snail farming has developed so much that snails consumed in Europe and other parts of the world are raised from the farm.

France alones consumes over 100 million snails each year.

Whilst Snail farming as a business in Nigeria and in most of Africa is still in its infancy as most snails consumed are picked from the wild, this might be the time for Nigerians to jump on board and seriously consider this business of snail farming.

Why should nigerians consider snail farming as a business?

With low capital investment, low recurrent expenditure, little labour input and high yield, snail farming seems a worthwhile venture.

Nigeria has a conducive climate and luxuriant vegetation that can serve well as food thus making snail farming an ideal agro-venture.

With an ever increasing population and massive deforestation the snail population in the wild is depleting at an alarming rate resulting in a high export market for snails.

According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports; France, Italy and USA constitute the largest consumers of snails worldwide.

It is therefore necessary for a more radical involvement in snail farming by the governments and peoples of Africa.

Here is a quick list of the benefits of strating up your own snail farm in Nigeria


BENEFITS OF STARTING UP A SNAIL FARM IN NIGERIA

SNAILS ARE A GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO MEAT: Snail meat is of a very high quality. It is low in cholesterol, sodium and fat. Hence it is good for hypertensive patients. It combats hemorrhoids’, constipation and arteriosclerosis. It is rich in iron, protein (with a wide range of amino acids), calcium and phosphorus content and therefore good for pregnant women and aids hematopoiesis (blood formation) in anaemia patients.
SNAILS ARE GREAT AT REPRODUCING: Snails are hermaphrodites. They all lay eggs and therefore produce fast within a short period. There is no need to replenish stock.
SNAIL SHELLS ARE USEABLE: This is a good source of calcium carbonate for livestock feed formulation.
SNIALS ARE VERY RESISTANT TO DISEASES: the African giant snails have very few diseases as compared to other livestock like poultry, pigs etc. Snail Farms do not usually experience outbreak of viral infections. With good hygiene and the right stocking densities Snail Farm may never have an outbreak.
CHEAP FORM OF HOUSING FOR YOUR SNAILS: The cost of materials for construction of pens is relatively cheaper than other livestock. A snailery can be even be constructed with used tyres.
MINIMAL SPACE REQUIREMENT: The grow-out of snails can be achieved at the backyard. With a space as little as 5m x 2m one can conveniently grow-out 500 snails to maturity.
LOW CAPITAL INPUT: The capital out lay for snail farming operation (housing and feeding and stocking) is very low compared to other livestock.
EMPLOYMENT: Snail farming has provided employment for many and can serve as a good source of extra income for many families.
EXPORT AND HIGH LOCAL DEMAND: Snail meat especially the African giant snail is in high demand all over the world. For example France imports over 4.8 million-kg of snail meat per annum.
SNAILS ARE EASY TO HANDLE: docile not dangerous like pigs or cattle
LOW MORTALITY RATE FOR SNAILS: with good management mortality can be less than 1%
HIGH RETURNS ON INVESTMENT: —there is high return on investment within a short period of one year.
AVAILABILITY: With heliculture snails are made available all year round.
SNAIL FAECES HAS ITS USES: This is a good fertilizer and sells more than the meat in some countries.


Read more: http://www.snailfarmingbusiness.com

HOW TO MAKE SOLAR DRYER

One of the most important phases in root crop chip processing is the drying stage. Proper drying assures appropriate moisture content.
The most common method used is direct sun-drying. Here, the chips are directly exposed to the sun but also dust and dirt, especially if placed on streetsides. Since marketing standards are strict regarding the moisture content, color and presence of foreign matter in the chips, sun-drying is really not that efficient. Besides, direct sun-drying is wholly dependent upon the weather; thus when rain comes, the chips must be gathered before they are completed dry, then set again when the rain drops.

The use of solar dryers in the drying stage is one answer to the limitations of direct sun-drying. Products in solar dryer are safe
from foreign particles such as dust and germs. The product’s taste and color are also better since drying is done under controlled conditions. The use of solar dryers requires a shorter period of time and less space. Moreover, the desired moisture content is easily achieved.
Solar dryers can be used in the processing of dried fruit like pineapple, papaya, mango and citrus. Meat and fish, seafoods and garlic can also be dried here.
Assemble the dryer’s frame as shown in the illustration above using the materials previously prepared and set to the right sizes. Paint the assembled frame with flat black paint. Cover the frame’s surface, front and back sides with plastic. Leave openings on the lower part at the front and on the upper part at the back
then cover with the screen. Place a plastic curtain on the inside, behind the screen of the back opening.
Cover the base of the frame with GI sheet with 13 holes measuring 2″ in diameter set according to the illustration above. Paint both sides of the GI sheet with flat black paint. Attach the set of wheels on the four bottom corners.
Build eight doors, four for each side, and cover with plastic. Attach the door to each side using the 16 pieces of hinges.
Drying comes fast and easy with solar dryer. Drying is facilitated because solar dryers are specially designed for such purpose. The sun’s heat passes through the plastic covers. The air that comes in through the openings at the bottom and
Download full manual with diagram here
source: www.trc.dost.gov.ph

Tackling Youth Unemployment In Nigeria: The Way Forward

By GODDAY ODIDI

In Nigeria, youth unemployment is soaring high despite that the government have provided laudable programmes to curb the growing concern of joblessness among the teeming population in the country in recent times.
President Goodluck Jonathan recently launched youth enterprise with new innovation in Nigeria to reduce the high density of unemployment of graduates from the nation 's universities.
In the 60s and 70s, unemployment was not pronounced because the government then were proactively providing for graduates churning out from the universities with full job security with no qualms. Unemployment and underemployment is seriously confronting the Nigerian youth in all ramifications.
The increase in population of Nigerians is one of the challenges facing the labour market which the government on its part failed to provide full employment to its citizenry. The increasing in government spending and inflation have prevented political and economic development in the country.
Youth unemployment should be blamed on both the private and public sectors of the country. The government have abysmally failed to provide for unskilled, semi- skilled and skilled people at all levels.
Unemployment is defined as a state of people living in absolute joblessness which ranges fall between the ages of 20-40 while unemployment is refers as people who are gainfully employed but not financially rewarding to authenticate their qualifications.
Many Nigerians today are underemployed despite their intimidating credentials being possessed in high flying institutions in the world together with economic recession and inconsistent policies in the country. Our micro finance and commercial banks are not helping matters to lend money to young entrepreneurs who intend to do their private businesses with no dependence on the government.
The so-called oil marketers have created job employment to Nigerians which the National Assembly described as cabals. The micro and macro objectives of creating jobs for Nigerian youths are still in hitherto which the government have not done any credible programmes to effect change on the Nigerian youth.
During the 2011 presidential campaign when Goodluck Jonathan launched out his books to enable Nigerian youth to read but the youths of Nigeria are ready to further their education to the highest level but job security is the major stake to the vision.
Time without number when politicians have promised youths of instant employment yet nothing has been done to reduce the situation at present. In the labour market, unemployment is growing at geometrical progression due to inability of this job agency to identify qualified persons to work.
It is of record that only graduates with first class degrees are employed while those with second class and third class degrees are not given opportunity to work.
Some job offers are given to those who live in highbrow areas of the country . For instance in Lagos, those that are living in ghetto areas like Ajegunle and Mushin are not given opportunity to work even when they are qualified because their CVs are traced to slum communities.
The government is not helping matters to create jobs for the teaming youth population churning out of the nation's universities on yearly basis. Our university system is not training human capital development or job creators rather than job seekers with no entrepreneurial skills to be self-employed.
Our universities are only introducing entrepreneurial courses without putting them in practice. Despite many Non governmental organizations(NGOs) are being created by individuals to alleviate poverty in the country, the poverty index is unquantifiable and unquestionable.
The parameters to create jobs by government and private sectors are skirmishing to the extent that crime rate is alarming to the detriment of the Nigerian economy. Unemployment is a world problem which some advanced countries have provided jobs for their citizens in one way or the other.
Recently, the Kwara state governor Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed gave automatic employment to 1400 youths to join the Kwara civil service which many Kwara indigenes applauded him for such governmental gesture. Even Delta State governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan also used Democracy day to enlighten Delta youths to diversify their mindsets to other cooperative employment rather than oil and gas and banking industry. Other state governors in the country are not left out in providing employment to her youths.
Everybody seems to be preaching entrepreneurship methodology towards the Nigerian youth but the banking industry is not ready to lend out money to young people to start their own businesses. Bribery and corruption has crept into government which job provision is no longer primary assignment rather secondary one.
No day passes by without seeing youths in various places searching for jobs through internet vacant jobs and others. Most job vacancies on the daily newspapers and magazines are mere fake which are not existing sometimes with incorrect websites, emails and contact phone numbers.
The job desperation by our teeming youths in Nigeria transpired into high levels of crime such as pen robbery, cyber crime, prostitution, illegal oil wells and bunkerings, fraudulent activities and others. The population of Nigerian youth are growing astronomically while those graduating from various higher institutions of learning are innumerable.
The macro objectives and econometrics of creating jobs in Nigeria in spite of creation National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and National Directorate of Employment(NDE). unemployment, frustration and crime are economic order of the day.
Different administrations with different economic agendas which vision 2020 is still in the pipeline. How many Nigerians are gainfully employed? The system has not really provided for unskilled workers.
In the developed and advanced countries, unskilled and semi-skilled workers have their stakes in government but in Nigeria only those with University or polytechnic certificate holders are given opportunities to work and nothing else. Even some polytechnic graduates are underpaid and marginalized in the labour market.
The system of 6-3-3-4 education policy needed to be fully reconsidered as regard to those who have school leaving certificates and junior and senior secondary school certificates are given full employment in the public and private sectors.
Youth empowerment programmes should regularly be created by successful politicians and business tycoons. Most graduates find it difficult to write a simple sentence or aptitude test which invariably prevent them not to get suitable jobs in the labour market.
Even the power of man knows man has deeply crept into the democratic process of the country over the years. It has been recorded in recent times that President Goodluck Jonathan has the largest special advisers among the African countries which jobs have been politically created to Nigerians.
Overtly qualified people are not given opportunity to work as far such people do not have prominent people in corridors of power in the system. Unemployment is soaring high because some people that are employed in the formal sector are not qualified to work To the extent that some organizations employ people who do not have knowledge of the business.
How can a physical education or geography graduate being employed asa banker or site engineer supervisor if the country is not really glorifying corruption. The University system is mere a camouflage to deprive qualified people not to get jobs for their livelihoods.
The fact remains that only those that can bribe their ways through intercourse and any gratification can get suitable jobs in Nigeria. We still have good Nigerians that graduated with first class or second class uppers without indulging in cesspool of corruption and were given automatic employment in the formal sector. Agitating for young graduates to go into Agriculture is a welcome development if the various stakeholders in the business are ready to give out loans to facilitate mechanized farming in Nigeria.
How many jobs can Nigerian politicians provide for its constituencies he or she represented within his or her two years in office?
The issue of job contracts is quiet alarming to the extent that the Nigerian government is adamant of the unpalatable trend across the country coupled with the epileptic power supply and other social problems.
It is sad that a graduate that is given opportunity to work by these so-called registered job agencies are only interested in partnering with the organizations to deduct monthly salary of the client and also in charge to effect promotion. The Indians in Nigeria have succeeded in enslaving Nigerians in the name of seeking for employment in their organization. As far as the country is concerned no organizations who do not pass through these agencies. It is observed that most these job agencies are run by top employers of labour in this country. Even the government is not bothered about the causualization of workers while the Nigerian Labour Congress(NLC) is adamant. Most of these job agencies conduct aptitude test and unnecessary screening exercises and collect fees from these job seekers in order to secure jobs for them.
The job desperation due to family pressure and others have led some youth astray without considering its implications. The Minister of Youth Development Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi recently organized a youth forum to help youths realize their goals in life. This was a good move to kick-start a youth programme in the country if the government is really sincere to core. If China as a country can discover its goal then Nigeria can likewise do the same.
In every home in China, all her citizens are electronic producers while Nigeria is the highest consumption of imported goods and services despite the country is the 6th largest producer of crude oil and gas.
Even as universities continue to create entrepreneurship courses, yet unemployment is nothing to write home about. Nigeria is yet to have a driving economic force despite the high numbers of technocrats and economists in the country which cannot create jobs for its teeming population.
Youth creativeness and entrepreneurial skills needed to be encouraged by established private organizations and government institutions.
A new ministry like Niger- Delta ministry can be created as a National focus where all unskilled and skilled persons can be gainfully employed or trained. Since no organization can directly employed its workers from the higher institutions without undergoing the organization training to acclimatised with its operation.
The menace of Boko Haram can stop if secured jobs are provided to the youths by the government. The northern elites seem not to be interested in providing jobs for its people rather sponsor violence in the region. For government to embark on privatization and commercialization of government-owned property indicate the total failure of leadership in the country.
The disable people must be employed in government and private institutions to reduce nuisance and unemployment in the country.
Lastly, our universities needed to be restructured in order to be agents of direct employment to public and private sectors. President Goodluck Jonathan needs to fix infrastructural development across the country while tribalism, nepotism and bureaucracy must be separated from job employment so that qualified persons could be given instant employment in the country.
Godday Odidi,
Pubic Affairs Analyst, Lagos.
Read more: http://www.theinfostrides.com/index.php?topic=79352.0#ixzz2JTjYyzNe