Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Franklyn Derek Wasi has told parliament that his ministry is intensifying its campaign against invasive pests threatening crops in Rennell and Bellona.
He was responding to a question from Opposition Leader Mathew Wale, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aoke Langa Langa, during the question-and-answer session.
Wasi said the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) and Giant African Snail (GAS) remain “serious threats to food security,” but sanitation drives, bio-control releases and community awareness are beginning to show results.
“Overall, signs of coconut palm recoveries are visible,” he told MPs, adding that MAL’s monitoring and control measures were steadily expanding.
On Rennell, sanitation campaigns began in 2021, with local workers cutting down dead palms, removing larvae and burning logs to destroy breeding sites.
“Sanitation is done purposely to destroy breeding sites,” Wasi explained.
Surveys using pheromone traps have tracked beetle spread, while fungus‑based bio-control agents were released in 2024 and again in 2025.
Similar measures were carried out on Bellona, where rapid assessments this year showed coconut palms recovering compared to 2021.
Minister Wasi admitted fungus breeding sites “need re‑establishment to control the status of CRB spread,” while virus‑based agents are planned for Rennell.
“The two control agents, virus and fungus, will not go together,” he cautioned, stressing the need for careful sequencing of interventions.
The Giant African Snail, first reported in 2016, has re‑emerged around Tingoa Station.
MAL’s Extension Department supplied snail bait in 2020 and 2023, while Nicole Enterprise Solomon Islands Ltd.
And the Rennell‑Bellona Provincial Government joined communities in 2024 to curb infestations.
“The giant African snail is very invasive because it is a hermaphrodite, and it can eat over 500 plant species,” Wasi said.
He warned eradication requires “strong commitment to solve and participate,” noting that the pest thrives in humid conditions and can quickly rebound after rains.
He stressed that sanitation remains the “most immediate and effective front-line defence,” but long‑term success will depend on combining clean‑ups with bio-control methods and continued bio-security monitoring.
“These efforts have reduced breeding sites in several high‑risk areas, although maintaining consistent community participation remains the challenge,” Wasi concluded.
The minister’s remarks underline the growing urgency of pest control in the provinces, where coconut palms are both an economic lifeline and a symbol of resilience.
By ANDRIANAH DELASALET KOLE
Solomon Star, Honiara
