Lessons from African nations powering up the business rankings.

Lessons from African nations powering up the business rankings. The World Bank Group recently launched its annual Doing Business report. In its 15th edition, the report investigates regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it in 190 countries. These regulations include starting a business, obtaining construction permits, availability of electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency.

As has been the case in the last several years, African countries were among the most improved nations on the list. Nigeria, Djibouti, Zambia and Malawi were amongst the top-10 reformers in this year’s edition. Nigeria (Africa’s largest economy, but currently facing strong economic headwinds) moved up 24 places to the 145th position, and so is by default a case study for this year’s report.

How to make money from snail business: African women are turning snails into gold.

Snails are known as a delicacy in the U.S. and in some European countries, but they have long been a staple of the traditional diet in the African nation of Ghana. They're used in everything from soups to kebabs, and Ghanaians consume some 33 million pounds of snails per year, but demand far outweighs local supply. 

    How to make money from snail business.

Now a pair of scientists are teaching women how to raise snails as a renewable food source and as a source of economic independence. Environmental scientist Mildred Quaye and agricultural biotechnologist Dr. Lydia Quansah have been setting up women-run snail farms in rural areas of Ghana. Their project is funded by a grant from Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment. 

The Israeli university has also provided instructors and students to work on projects in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African nations for nearly six decades. 

 Heliculture is the science and occupation of raising snails for food, and the practice is quickly becoming popular for occupational training of African women. Snails are relatively easy to raise and feed on vegetables and fruits. They are also hermaphrodites, which means that both male and female snails reproduce. see more 

 

    How to make money from snail business.

 Snails are not difficult to raise and manage because they feed on kitchen leftovers and leafy greens from the field,While snails can live up to 10 years in their natural habitat, it only takes two to three months before young embryonic snails are ready for sale to the market. That means it’s only a short time before the farmers begin to see a return on their investment. more