Business 25 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Grace Kyarimpa Transforms Snail Farming into Profitable Ugandan Venture
Grace Kyarimpa, founder of AgroDiverse Impacts Limited, has built a thriving snail farming business in Uganda, generating Shs2.5 million in monthly net income through innovative uses like skincare products and animal feed. Overcoming cultural stigma, she employs youth and promotes the enterprise as an accessible opportunity for small-scale farmers. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/farming/how-kyarimpa-is-minting-cash-from-snails-5434830
In Uganda, snails are often viewed as pests or symbols of bad luck, but Grace Kyarimpa is changing that narrative. As CEO of AgroDiverse Impacts Limited, she has turned snail rearing into a lucrative agribusiness since starting in 2019.
Inspired by her time in South Korea, where she discovered snails’ nutritional value, Kyarimpa began with Shs50,000 and wild-collected snails from Mukono District. Despite early setbacks like ant invasions, she refined her techniques and now manages 5,000 snails, aiming for 50,000 by year-end.
She maximizes value from every part: shells become calcium-rich animal feed, meat is processed into protein supplements, and slime is used in soaps, lotions, and moisturizers that sell out at exhibitions in Gulu and Soroti. This generates Shs4.8 million in gross monthly revenue, with Shs2.5 million net.
Cultural stigma persists, with some linking snails to witchcraft, but Kyarimpa counters it through community education. Locals now supply her with snails, and she employs seven youths while training others.
Snail farming suits beginners, needing little space or capital—start on a balcony with vegetable scraps. Small farmers can earn Shs650,000 monthly, with rapid reproduction boosting stock. Markets grow among West Africans and expats, with potential for escargot and exports.
Her integrated farm includes black soldier fly larvae, vermiculture, and more, creating a circular system. Challenges like manual processing remain, but she envisions outgrower schemes for wider impact.
Employees like Denis Magumba praise the unique, high-demand business, while experts highlight snails’ nutritional benefits over red meat.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)