Preparatory work for the construction of new Agriculture office buildings in Auki, Malaita Province and Kirakira, Makira/Ulawa Province are currently underway.
The construction of the two modern office buildings is funded under a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) and the World Bank through the Solomon Islands Agriculture Rural Transformation (SIART) Project.
A SIART Project team travelled to both provincial capitals in January 2026 to conduct site visits and inspections and to engage with the contractors and provincial government representatives.
Preparatory works for the construction of the Auki Provincial MAL Office are ongoing while a retaining wall construction currently underway onsite is under technical review.
Timely design review and formal guidance are required to ensure that construction proceeds safely and in compliance with approved project requirements.
In Kirakira, pre-construction work will now resume after the SIART Project Team met with the Makira/Ulawa Provincial Government on 22 January 2026 in Kirakira to confirm and secure an agreed site for the safe disposal and burial of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs). The AMCs were identified in an old provincial building at the Kirakira project site, where the new Makira/Ulawa Provincial MAL office will be constructed.
A provincial site at Huro is also been confirmed for the safe disposal of the ACMs and for the disposal of demolished concrete materials from the existing building intended for backfilling and land reclamation.
Once completed, the two provincial office buildings will mark a significant milestone in MAL’s continuous effort to strengthen its presence and service delivery in the provinces.
Following a competitive bidding process, two contracting companies have been awarded contracts as implementing partners for these important projects.
ATL Construction has been awarded the contract to construct the new office building in Kirakira while JQY is the contractor for the agriculture building in Auki.
Both contractors are finalizing general site setting ready for profiling while Environmental and Social Management Plans are in place for both sites.
MAL Permanent Secretary, Dr Samson Viulu urged the two contractors to diligently and efficiently implement the terms and conditions attached to their respective contracts.
“I’m confident that both contractors have the experience, capacity and commitment to manage any challenges faced and deliver the projects on time and to the required quality standard.
“For MAL, this is a big achievement so we sincerely thank the World Bank for supporting these two projects. Currently only Isabel Province has a permanent agriculture office situated in Buala and so Auki and Kirakira will be next with the successful completion of these projects,” he said.
SIART Project Manager, Mr William Okekini said these new office facilities reflects our shared commitment to improving the working environment for our staff and to ensuring that agricultural services are more accessible and responsive to the needs of our rural farmers and communities.
“I wish to acknowledge the support of our key development partners, the Solomon Islands Government through MAL and the World Bank through the SIART Project for their continued financial support and technical support in driving the transformation in our agricultural sector,” he said.
Mr Okekini added: “Let us look forward to the prompt commencement of construction, and the timely completion of these two provincial offices that will greatly benefit our people in Malaita and Makira/Ulawa province.”
The SIART Project’s objective is to increase agricultural production and improve market access in selected value chains in Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Makira/Ulawa. Additionally, the project ensures a prompt and effective response in the event of an Eligible Crisis or Emergency.
- SIART Media Release
