Activity Description: A joint project of the University of the Philippines Los Banos and the Provincial Government of Laguna, the Duck Ranger is a transportable duck shed facilitating the introduction of free ranging mallard ducks into pre-existing rice farming paddies in an effort to control golden snail populations.

The teacup-sized golden snails, an invasive species to the Philippines and destructive pest for rice farmers (destroying up to 60% of crop yields), are a favorite food of the water foraging mallard ducks. However in the Philippine lakes where mallards are commonly farmed, dredging and pollution have reduced golden snail populations.

The win-win scenario prevents the use of environmentally degrading pesticides by rice farmers and improves yields, while providing savings to duck farmers who would otherwise have to buy expensive commercial feed.

A 2005 winner of the Development Marketplace competition, The project will loan capital to farmers for the purchase of ducks and duck sheds, and will enable them to repay the loan in eggs, collected by a local farmer organization. After repayment of the loan over a six-month period, farmers will then have enough money to buy another set of ducks and duck sheds, thereby facilitating the overall project's scalability.