Help people escape poverty from snails

Carefully spreading each cart of chopped leaves into the snail pond, Mr. Tran Quy Bao (born in 1980, residing in Binh Minh commune, Nghe An ) has just monitored the water level and condition to promptly change, ensuring the living environment for tens of thousands of snails in the pond. "The water for raising snails must only be 50-100cm deep, and 30% of the water must be changed once a week. Only by following this will the snails be able to develop," Mr. Bao said, adding that he currently has more than 80 snail ponds on an area of 3 hectares. Each year, Mr. Bao's snail farm sells more than 4 million young snails and more than 65 tons of commercial snails to the market, bringing in a profit of more than 3 billion VND per year.

The snail pond dug by Mr. Bao is 500 square meters wide, deep in the middle and shallow on both sides for the snails to grow well.

Looking at Bao’s achievements today, few people know that he once went through a difficult situation and went bankrupt. But with his strong will, Bao accepted a loan with daily interest to start a business and rise from the hardship.

Mr. Bao said that more than 7 years ago, he was a farmer who lost everything after being cheated by his partner and had to bear a debt of more than 1.2 billion VND. He was so desperate that at one point, Mr. Bao thought about selling the house his parents left behind to pay off the debt. But then fate brought him to the profession of raising black apple snails - a specialty of the countryside and brought him a good future.

In the first crop, from 20,000 snails, Mr. Bao harvested more than 4 tons of snails.

In 2018, introduced to the black apple snail farming model by a relative, Mr. Bao borrowed 12 million VND with daily interest to learn. After a period of careful research, Mr. Bao bought 20,000 snails to experiment with farming in his family's 500m2 earthen pond.

After 4 months of hard work, 20,000 snails grew into 4 tons of commercial snails, selling for 280 million VND. Realizing that he could survive with the snails, Mr. Bao boldly borrowed more money, rented more land to dig ponds, and expanded the farming area. With an additional loan of 150 million VND from the Provincial Farmers' Association and 20 million VND from the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, Mr. Bao was even more determined to expand the farming area.

The food source for snails is leaves grown on the shore, which both reduces costs and helps snails develop naturally.

According to Mr. Bao, snail farming is not difficult, the important thing is that the farmer must follow the principles and ensure the living environment. “Absolutely must follow the natural law. The more dense the grass around the pond, the more snails will come up to the shore to lay eggs. The pond is designed to be deep in the middle, the surrounding area must be shallow, with the length of a ditch. When it is cold, the snails will go deep into the mud to hibernate, when it is cool, the snails will come up to the two edges of the bank, find food and mate, then climb up to the shore to lay eggs. Food for snails is cassava leaves, zinnia flowers, papaya leaves, papaya fruit, green jackfruit... all chopped up and thrown into the pond. These are natural foods, thanks to which the meat of farmed snails is as delicious as natural snails,” Mr. Bao confided.

To date, on an area of more than 3 hectares, Mr. Bao has more than 80 ponds for raising and breeding. Each year, Mr. Bao's farm supplies the market with about 65 tons of commercial snails and 4 million seeds, earning a profit of more than 3 billion VND. His commercial black apple snail products were certified with 3-star OCOP in 2020.

Mr. Bao's farm creates stable jobs for 10 workers.

Not only does he develop his family’s economy , but he also creates stable jobs for 10 local workers. In particular, he also enthusiastically shares, guides techniques, and provides seeds to many households in and outside the commune to develop the black apple snail farming model. Thanks to that, many families have escaped poverty and stabilized their lives.

Mr. Vu Trong Quang - Vice Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Binh Minh Commune affirmed: "The black apple snail farming model of Mr. Tran Quy Bao is a bright spot in the sustainable poverty reduction movement in the locality. In addition to developing the family economy, he also guides and helps dozens of local households to raise snails, many families have risen out of poverty. Besides, Mr. Bao also actively participates in social security activities and new rural construction".

Notably, Mr. Bao has supported many local households to gradually escape poverty thanks to the snail farming model.

From a debt-ridden household, seemingly exhausted, Mr. Bao has now built a spacious property, contributing to changing the face of his hometown. More noteworthy, his black snail farming model not only brings economic value, but is also a sustainable path to poverty reduction for many other local farmers.