University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, hosts conference on snail production in Africa

 The event will bring together stakeholders in the snail breeding industry.

The Federal University of Agriculture, FUNNAB, Abeokuta is set to host the second International Conference on Giant African Land Snails, GALS, production.

A statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES stated that the conference will hold from Sunday June 2, to Wednesday, June 5.

The conference, an annual event that brings together snail researchers, scientists, breeders, farmers, marketers, exporters and research institutes, is the second in the series packaged by a professional research network called Netgals.

The theme of the conference, according to the statement signed by the Secretary, Local Organising Committee of the Network Group, Kehinde Ademolu, is Climate Change and Sustainable Giant African Land Snails Production; and the venue is the International Scholars Resource Centre, Alabata Permanent Campus, FUNAAB, Abeokuta.

Among other things, the parley will consider the effects of climate change on micro-livestock like snails, whose behaviour and biology are known to swing on slight differences in environmental conditions. Also to be examined are genetic improvement methods and nutritional strategies for improved snails production.

Speakers at the four-day event are a retired Professor of Zoology at the University of Lagos, W.O. Odiete; Okon Bassey of the University of Calabar and; the Director, Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research, FUNAAB, Olusegun Osinowo.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Olusola Oyewole, will chair the conference. Participants will include professionals from other universities across the country.