• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.78-84
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• 2021

We explored the indigenous local knowledge associated with the use of snails by Baiga people in Baihar tehsil of Balaghat district in central India through interview with a semi-structured questionnaire. Results revealed that Baiga people widely accept snails of 3-5 morpho-groups belonging to Ampullariidae, and Viviparidae family as food. Besides, use of snail as therapeutic agents for ailments like body ache, joint pain, digestion, weakness of bones etc. were found common. Hand-picking of snails from the wild environments as well as agriculture field was the primary way of harvesting edible snails. We advocate the development of a farming system for the continuous supply of snails as a food resource, advancement of scientific investigation of functional properties of them, economic progress of the region and therefore the overall sustainability.