The invasive giant African snail has invaded a huge area in Guadalcanal from Aruligo in the west to Ruavatu in the east.
That was according to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Jimmy Saelea.
He was speaking before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2016 last week.
Salea stressed the African snail is a real threat to Solomon Islands, with its population surviving on food gardens and other edible crops.
He told PAC members that MAL is under resourced to combat the spread of this unwanted insect in the country, however, they are working on a new approach to control the increasing population of this snail.
Saelea revealed that the commonly found earthworm in Guadalcanal feed on this snail, thus they are looking at ways to distribute these red-worms in the areas when the snails are highly populated.
He said the red earthworm will help to reduce the population of the snail as it preys on them in any environment.
He added this is the cheapest approach and could be the best as well in containing the spread of this giant African snail in Guadalcanal and to other provinces.
By AATAI JOHN