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EXPLAINER: What you need to know about apple snails invading rice farms

First spotted in 2020 in the Kimbimbi and Ndekia, the apple snails have spread across the irrigation network

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by FELIX KIPKEMOI

News05 August 2025 - 18:30
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Apple snails at a rice farm/COURTESY

The discovery of invasive apple snails in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme has raised alarm among farmers, scientists, and government agencies.

These freshwater snails, scientifically known as Pomacea canaliculata, are native to South America but have now established themselves in Kenya’s largest rice-growing region, posing a serious threat to food security and livelihoods.

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