Heliciculture+Polyculture

=Enyioha Cooperative Farm:=

Amafor, Imo State, Nigeria
Myself with Imo State ADP Extension agents, staff of Enyioha Farms, and our Top Bar Beehive.

=**Heliciculture!**= "Snailery: Free Range Paddock" and "Semi-Intensive Paddock" with aquaculture 'moat' visible in foreground. The concrete pond grew water hyacinth and fish, and protected the snails from their predators- including voracious tropical ants! A view of the aquaculture moat (covered with screens), rows of papaya, and banana that encircle the 'Free Range Paddock'.

//[|Achatina]// //spp.// (most likely //A. achatina//) the Giant African Snail. These snails were about the size of a large-handed fist. They can grow up to 20" in length- the largest land snail on earth! These snails have been taken out of their paddock for the photographs. They're much happier in the shady leaf litter of the banana and cassava polyculture inside.

"Mmmmm... Ejuna!" Snail's eggs 'Akwa ejuna'- loved by Igbo children (this photo was actually taken in Ghana). The aquaculture pond around the 'Intensive Paddock'.

=Duiker!= The snails aren't alone in the 'Free Range Paddock'... The Duiker (this one is most likely //Cephalophus ogilbyi//) is a small antelope endemic to the tropical rainforests of Sub-Saharan Africa. The male at Enyihoa was being kept as a pet, until they could find him a mate. Having grown up with humans as protectors and providers, this duiker was as friendly as a pet dog- wanting to kiss and be held. In the wild, however, they are notoriously shy and elusive. 'Duiker' comes from 'diver' as the few times they are seen is as they dart away into tangled undergrowth. Pineapple in Papaya understory. (Dr. Frank Wilson speaks with the Enyihoa farm manager).


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Palm kernels for Palm Oil Production.