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Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Solomon Islands Rural Development Program
Component Two
Pest Management Plan
Consultancy Report
Sadanand Lal
December 2010
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Contents
Page
1. Acronyms 4
2. Executive summary 6
3. Recommendations 9
4. Introduction 11
5. Assessment of pest management issues against TOR 13
a. Pest and vector management approaches 13
i. Current and anticipated pest problems, relevant to the project 13
ii. Current and proposed pest management practices 19
iii. Relevant IPM experience within the project area, country or region. 19
iv. Assessment of proposed or current pest management approaches
and recommendations for adjustment where necessary. 20
b. Pesticide use and management 20
i. Review of present, proposed and/or envisaged pesticide use 20
ii. Indication of type and quantity of pesticides envisaged to be
financed by the project and/or assessment of increase in pesticide
use resulting from the project. 25
iii. Circumstances of pesticide use and the capability and competence
of end-users to handle products within acceptable risk margins 26
Selection of pesticides authorized for procurement under the project 26
6. Policy, regulatory Framework and institutional capacity on Pest Management 27
a. Policies on plant protection 27
b. Description and assessment of the national capacity to
develop and implement ecologically-based IPM 28
c. Assessment of the country's regulatory framework for
control of the distribution and use of pesticides. 28
d. Assessment of the institutional capacity for effective
control of the distribution and use of pesticides 29
7. Monitoring and evaluation 30
8. Pest management action plan 31
a. Pesticide Management 31
i. Pesticide Regulation 31
ii. Pesticide Registration Advisory Committee (PRAC) 31
iii. Liaison with Customs 32
iv. Enforcement - Appointment of Pesticides Inspectors 32
v. Residue analysis 33
vi. Revision of the pesticide regulation 33
vii. Evaluation of new and selective pesticides 33
viii. Capacity Development 33
ix. Train-the–trainer workshop 33
x. Farmer trainings 34
b. Development of IPM policy 34
c. Cocoa Pod Borer 35
d. Giant African Snail 36
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e. Demonstration of Taro Beetle Management Package 37
f. Development and implementation of IPM in Rice 37
g. Development and Implementation of IPM strategies on vegetable
crops where pesticides are used 38
h. To develop and demonstrate effective integrated approaches to slippery
Kabis IPM 39
i. To develop and implement IPM in sustainable production systems
of cabbages 39
j. To develop and implement IPM strategies in sustainable
production of watermelons and other cucurbits 41
k. Coconut leaf miner 41
l. Yellow crazy ant 41
9. Objectives and outputs table 43
10. Proposed schedule of activities 47
11. Acknowledgments 52
12. Appendices 53
Appendix 1: Field Visit Reports of the 4 RDP Provinces 53
Appendix 2: TOR 72
Appendix 3: SI Pesticide regulation attached
Appendix: List of registered pesticides in SI (until 1988) attached
Tables
Table 1: List of pesticides and their uses on crops in SI 21
Table 2: List of WHO classification of commercial formulations of pesticides
available in SI. 23
Table 3: List of pesticides that may need to be purchased by RDP – this is an
indicative list only 25
Table 4: Objectives and outputs 43
Table 5: Proposed schedule of activities for pesticide registration process 47
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1. Acronyms used in the document
ACIAR - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
APSD - Asia Pacific Sustainable Development
BC - Biological Control
BT - Bacillus thuringiensis
CFO - Chief Field Officer
CLIP - Cocoa Livelihoods Improvement Project
CPB - Cocoa Pod Borer
CSP - Community Sector Programme
DBM - Diamond Back Moth
DBRTC - Don Bosco Rural Training Centre
ERP - Emergency Response Plan
FO - Field Officer
GAS - Giant African Snail
GFFS - Gwaunafiu Farmer Field School
GPPOL - Guadalcanal Plain Palm Oil Limited
KGA - Kastom Gaden Association
IPDM - Integrated Pest & Disease Management
IPM - Integrated Pest Management
IPPSI - Improved Plant Protection in Solomon Islands
LCM - Large Cabbage Moth
MAL - Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
MP - Malaita Province
NRRDP - National Rural Rice Development Programme
PFO - Principal Field Officer
PRAC - Pesticide Registration Advisory Committee
PRO - Principal Research Officer
PS - Permanent Secretary
RDP - Rural Development Programme
ROC - Republic of China
SCI - Santa Cruz Island
SRI - Systems of Rice Intensification
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SIG - Solomon Island Government
SPC - Secretariat of the Pacific Community
TB - Taro Beetle
TTM - Taiwan Technical Mission
WB - World Bank
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2. Executive Summary
The Pest Management Specialist (PMS), whose term of reference is attached as Appendix 2,
began his 3 month work from 13 September to 15 December 2010, at Rural Development
Programme (RDP), Component 2 attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL)
headquarters (HQ) in Honiara. This report is prepared in consultation with MAL staff at
headquarters, field staff in the provinces, other relevant organisations in the agricultural sector, a
number of Non Government Organisations (NGOs), Pesticides dealers, and farmers. Series of
meetings and discussions were held with MAL staff, particularly extension, research and
quarantine, including visits to farms in Honiara and the provinces, pesticide retailers and
agricultural project personnel (Appendix 1). PMS also used his experiences and background of
pest management in the Pacific and past visits and work in the Solomon Islands (SI) as an
entomologist for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).
During the course of the work, the PMS has made assessment of pest management and pesticides
used in SI with reference to the Terms of Reference and therefore the findings, information and
views expressed are purely objective. This consultancy report is written and provided purely for
the purpose of consultancy work commissioned by the World Bank and based on the TOR.
Pest Management Approaches
Farming can be classified into 3 categories:
Subsistence farming where farmers grow crops for their family or share within a
community and these are mostly located in the rural areas
Semi-commercial farmers who grow crops for their family but also sell their produce in
local markets and they are mostly located near Taro, Gizo, Munda, Lata, Auki and
Honiara
Commercial farmers grow crops mainly for selling and these farms are located in Central
Malaita and Honiara.
There are no specialist farmers who grow specific type of crops for sale. However, at Kakara in
Malaita some farmers grow only watermelons along with other crops for consumption and sale.
The commercial farms are located in Honiara and Auki, some of which are under intensive
cultivation with restricted farming areas.
Pest management approaches at these 3 levels differ a lot. Subsistence farms do not use any
interventions, but of lately Plant Derived Pesticides (PDPs) have been demonstrated under the
Improved Plant Protection in Solomon Islands (IPPSI) project. Prior to this pest and crop
management was done mainly through crop rotation or shift cultivation. At semi-commercial
level pest interventions are not regular features but farmers who have access to pesticides will
use them. At commercial level most of the farmers use pesticides and some are totally dependent
on them. In many cases farmers discontinue growing crops on which they cannot control pests.
Currently there are no Integrated Pest Management (IPM) using Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in
practice although field staffs often make reference to these terms. These terms are mis-
understood and wrongly interpreted. There are hardly any active participatory approaches of pest
management at farmer level.
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Therefore, active participatory approaches with establishment of FFS and IPM strategies need to
be developed and implemented for intensive cropping systems. Such programmes are necessary
to empower the farmers so that correct intervention decisions are made to manage the pest
problems that are ecologically -based.
Pesticide use and management
Farms under intensive cultivation located in Honiara and Auki use pesticides regularly for
control of pests. Prophylactic uses are common on cash crops such as slippery kabis (Slippery
Cabbage), Chinese and ball cabbages, watermelons and beans. All available pesticides in use are
broad-spectrum and they are over-used. They come in ready to use packages with overseas
labels. It is envisaged that pesticides will feature more commonly as the produce demands
increase with increasing urban and peri-urban populations.
Pesticide legislation was enacted in 1982, but no pesticide registration has been done after 1988.
The governing body, Pesticide Registration Advisory Committee (PRAC), which makes
recommendations and advises the Registrar on Pesticide Registration matters, is inactive
therefore no pesticide registration is conducted. Some efforts are being made to reactivate
PRAC.
It is highly recommended that PRAC be activated immediately so that pesticide
registration can be facilitated to control pesticide imports, distribution, sale and use in SI.
Enforcement of the regulation also must be activated by appointment of trained Pesticide
Inspectors appointed from the existing MAL staff.
Policy, regulatory framework and institutional capacity
There is no policy for promotion of integrated pest management (IPM), however recently a
policy on organic agriculture was developed and activated. MAL has an extension policy under
which it operates and makes its annual work plan.
IPM policy must be developed and implemented so that pest management interventions,
especially use of pesticides can be better regulated preceded by establishment of IPM committee.
IPM committee will then draft the IPM policy for action.
Strengthening of national capacities in pest management
Field staff and farmers lack knowledge on pest management. They are also under resourced with
simple pest management tools, although to some extent these have been provided under the
IPPSI and other projects. Appropriate field training needs to be strengthened to overcome pest
management impediments.
Monitoring and evaluation
It is envisaged that with the activation of pesticide legislation and development of IPM policy
will assist in monitoring and evaluation capacities. Appropriate training at field levels will enable
them to carry out their advisory roles efficiently.
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Budget
This proposed plan does not include the budget as it is understood that pest management plans
will be absorbed in the annual work plans of the provinces.
However, extra budgetary provision should be made for purchases of IPM pesticides for
demonstration and experiments, pest management training programmes, pesticide legislation
activities and for pest management adviser as necessary.
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3. Recommendations
Pesticide Management
It is recommended:
1. That the Pesticide Registration Advisory Committee (PRAC) be immediately
established under the current ‘Safety at Work (Pesticide) Regulations Legal Notice No.
60 of 1982’.
2. That MAL PS, as the Chairperson, and Director of Research, as the Registrar of
Pesticides, under this Regulation Clause No. 3 (1), consult respective Ministries for
appointment of representatives to PRAC. The list is to be submitted to the Minister for
endorsement and gazetting.
3. That all pesticides in Solomon Islands be registered. Amnesty period of 3-6 months be
given to companies to act on this.
4. That Pesticide Inspectors from MAL staff be trained and appointed to carry out the
enforcement of the Pesticide Regulations.
5. That appropriate training is conducted on pesticide regulations so that officers are fully
conversant with the requirements of the current Regulations in performing their duties.
6. That the current Pesticides Regulations be revised and replaced with new ‘Pesticide Law’
to improve the functions of pesticide legislation and bring in better control on import,
distribution, handling, sale and safe use of pesticides.
Pest Management
It is recommended:
1. That participatory demonstration of the Taro Beetle Management practice developed by
SPC taro beetle management project funded by ACIAR be carried out in each Province
2. That IPM package of practice is developed for rice, slippery kabis, Chinese and ball
cabbages, beans watermelons and other crops where pesticides are used.
3. That train-the-trainer programme on running of farmer field school be organised for each
target cropping system
4. That basic pest management training for the field staff in each province be conducted on
pests and beneficial species identification (including weeds), symptoms of damage, crop
and soil management, appropriate interventions, safe use of pesticides (formulations,
handling while mixing and applications, rates and frequency of applications).
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5. That a National IPM committee be established to work on developing IPM policy and to
represent on relevant committees such as PRAC and have voice on IPM matters.
6. That RDP purchases small quantities of recommended pesticides as in Table 3 (page 25)
for field demonstrations and experiments. The Registrar may approve these purchases
and imports from reputable sources where they are registered for use such as in Australia,
New Zealand or Fiji.
Further Inputs of PMS as may be necessary
It is recommended:
1. That PMS be initially contracted for 6 months at 2 monthly intervals spread over a period
of 1 year to assist in the pesticides management as follows:
a. First 2 months - to work with the Chairman (PS MAL) and Registrar of Pesticides
(Director of Research) on pesticide registration processes:
i. Appointments and activation of the Pesticide Registration Advisory Committee
ii. Registration and preparation of inventories of all pesticides in SI
iii. Establish liaison with Customs and licensing board on importation of pesticides.
iv. Appointment and training of Pesticide Inspectors
v. Suggestions for revision of the pesticide regulation No. 60.
vi. Training on pesticide sale and safe use to pesticide retailers, field staff and farmers.
2. That PMS continues to provide monitoring, evaluation, surveillance and support to the
MAL staff for further 6 months until the whole system is well established and running
self sufficiently.
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4. Introduction
Solomon Island (SI) has a population of a 515,000 (2009 census) of which over 80% are
involved in agriculture. Total land area of 27,900 Km2 of which only about 3% is used for
agriculture and devoted to arable and permanent crops. Apart from Guadalcanal plains, most of
the land is mountainous with pockets of undulating hills and flat lands in various locations,
where most of agricultural activities take place.
Coconut, oil palm and cocoa are major permanent crops and form major agricultural exports,
although forestry and fisheries supersede them. Rice, slippery kabis, Chinese cabbage, sweet
potato, taro, yam, pawpaw, beans, watermelons, cucumber, spring onion, pepper and few of the
local vegetables are cultivated for subsistence and income generation.
SI although is still free from many injurious pests, do have few very destructive ones, and now
the risks of new introductions are increasing with increase in traffic flow and frequently traveling
of people, within and outside the region. The increasing populations and rising standard of
living demand an intensification of agriculture in order to obtain higher yields per area of land.
This often leads to monoculture conditions which magnify the soil nutrients and pest problems;
therefore, inputs for soil fertility and pest control measures have become very important. The
move from traditional farming has required interventions and adoption of new techniques of
farming. Where once pest control measures were purely based on cultural, physical or natural
means is now using chemicals. The continuous growing of same crops in same land has also
significantly increase demand for high use of chemical fertilizers. As a result, the first option for
soil fertility and pest control are the use of chemicals. When farmers or extension officers noted
the presence of a pest, the first question asked for pest control is usually: ‘what pesticide must I
use?’ The primary concern by both farmers and extension officers are always about the most
effective pesticides available for controlling pest infestations.
Number of small holder commercial vegetable and root crop farms is located and increasing in
numbers around Honiara and Auki meeting the demands of growing urban and peri-urban
populations in these areas. The cropping systems do not vary much. All do mix cropping. There
are no farms or farmers who grow only one crop, but few farmers at Kakara in Malaita can be
classified as specialist watermelon farmers, who grow them entirely for sale, but will also grow
other crops for family use and sell the surplus together with watermelons. In Honiara and Auki,
farms nearer to the town centres do intensive farming due to restricted farming area. In such
areas, although crops are rotated, they are grown continuously, with limited fallow periods or in
some cases no fallows at all. In the outer peripheries, where farms are larger in size, cropped
areas can be left fallow after each crop and for longer periods. Some farmers who have plenty of
land area shift their crops to new areas every season. In all cases taro is always shifted to new
areas or into virgin land due the problem of taro beetle infestation. In the peri-urban farms agro-
inputs of fertilizers and pesticides are commonly used.
Insects are the major pests and evenly distributed all year round while fungal diseases are
sporadic, but can cause huge problem especially after heavy rains. Few of the bacterial diseases
occasionally cause severe losses of crops, mostly as post-harvest problems. Nematodes are
known to exist, but these are not considered as pests although heavy losses could occur from
their infections as on taro in Rennel. Most of the farms also suffer from weeds, although their
adversities are not measured.
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Farmers around Honiara and Auki use available pesticides, mostly insecticides, from the local
pesticide retailers on a regular basis. However, the range of pesticides available in SI is limited
and their usage usually fails to control the targeted pests. Therefore, farmers struggle to manage
the crop pests and heavy losses of crops occur.
In the outer provinces, although the crops significantly suffer from pests, pesticides are hardly
used. There are no pesticide outlets, other than the health services malaria vector control unit,
which provides icon (Lambda-Cyhalothrin) for mosquito control. In the outer provinces pest
control is mostly dependent on crop rotation, shift cultivation (for control of taro beetle) and
recently in some cases use of PDPs on vegetables. Organic agriculture using composts, PDPs and
other locally available products, crop rotation, physical and other non chemical methods are
promoted to farming communities by some of the established NGOs such as Kastom Gaden
Association (KGA), Gwaunafiu Farmer Field School (GFFS), Asia Pacific Sustainable
Development (APSD) and others. Alongside MAL also promotes and emphasizes on good crop
health and non-chemical methods of crop production. Despite all these it is difficult to quantify
organic production or separate them from the subsistence farm systems.
In many of the rural and remote areas farmers have not used pesticides. Farmers were given
pesticides for pest control on rice. Malaria control pesticides are available at most of the medical
centres. Many farmers who know the benefits of pesticides use them on their crops and obtain
from any source.
This report addresses the issues as in the PMS TOR from visits to the project provinces,
consultations with MAL field staff, farmers and other relevant stakeholders.
The outcomes against TOR are briefly discussed.
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5. Assessment of Pest Management Issues against the TOR
a. Pest or Vector Management Approaches
i. Current and anticipated pest problems, relevant to the project
In the 4 provinces, Choiseul, Western, Temotu and Malaita, where RDP is currently involved in
improving the service deliveries to the rural communities; there are a number of pest problems
(insects, mites, diseases, weeds, mollusks, rodents and vectors of diseases) which hinder crop
development and production. Insect and mite pests are problem all year round, while diseases
can be seasonal or in some cases continuous problem to crops. As usual of tropical agriculture,
weeds are mostly underestimated as pests. Incursions of Giant African Snail (GAS) in Honiara
and crazy ant on Reef Island now pose added new pest problems and bring in extra burden to
pest management approaches. There is a risk of these two pests escaping to other islands in SI
and anticipated to cause more problems to farmers and agricultural development. Cocoa pod
borer (CPB), which is now present in Bougainville, is looming to get into SI, especially to the
neighbouring regions, Shortland and Choiseul, if precautionary steps are not taken to prevent its
introduction. Cyclic outbreaks of pests, like the coconut leaf miner on Santa Cruz keep occurring
and needs constant attention. Rodents are a problem in weedy fields and where farm sanitation is
neglected.
As majority of the Solomon Islanders live in rural areas, their livelihoods are dependent on
agricultural activities. Pests cause lot of problems and are one of the major constraints to food
production and household incomes from agriculture. Due to pests like taro beetle which has no
control measures, many farmers have lost interest in growing taro. Where taro once used to be a
staple food, it has now been substituted by white rice imported from overseas.
Addressing pest management issues are equally important to other service deliveries at all levels
of agricultural activities. Therefore, it is important that RDP work programme must include
appropriate pest management activities in its annual work plans to improve services to farmers
for food production and income generation.
The following crops are economically important at subsistence, semi-subsistence and
commercial farming systems.
The following briefly discusses the current and anticipated future impact of the pests on each of
these crops:
1) Rice
Rice has been grown in SI for many years and once it used to be commercially produced in the
Guadalcanal Plains. The Republic of China (ROC) Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) has been in
SI for over 25 years promoting small-holder and commercial rice production systems. TTM in its
rice development programme supplied pesticides, fertilizers and other farm inputs, and installed
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rice mills for rice communities at different locations all over SI. SI government under the
National Rural Rice Development Programme (NRRDP) is encouraging rice production for
subsistence and income generation for the rural farming communities. Several rice varieties
imported from Philippines are currently undergoing screening tests on their performance in
Temotu, Malaita, Isabel, Western and Central provinces. Under NRRDP a workshop on System
of Rice Intensification (SRI) has recently been conducted for the rice field officers and farmers.
SRI which works very well in established production systems in Indonesia may also work for
smallholder rice farmers in SI. However, rice production systems in these 2 countries differ a lot.
Indonesia rice production systems are well developed with proper irrigation and mostly on flat
lands compared to SI rice farms mostly are upland and rainfed. The basic requirements of rice
farming are water and good land preparation. Inception of such programmes must take cohesive
approaches so that they are fully utilised.
Overall farmer interest in rice cultivation has declined and many of the rice mills are standstill
because of no supply of paddy and probably lack of other resources to run the mills? Comments
from field staff suggest that rice farmers have relied on supply of inputs such as pesticides for
pest control. About 3 hectares of rice could not be harvested by Fiu rice farmers in Auki due to
BPH burns despite spraying with Orthene every week as advised. This discouraged Fiu farmers
association to grow any more rice and switch to vegetable and other crops.
Current control measures for rice pests rely exclusively on prophylactic insecticide applications
which cause serious economic and environmental problems. The composition of rice pests and
their natural enemies in rice fields in SI is inadequately known. If there are natural enemies then
the continued excessive use of broad-spectrum insecticides create an inappropriate environment
for the establishment of biological control agents. Both field staff and farmers are unacquainted
with the concepts and benefits of IPM. Inadequate understanding by the field staff and farmers of
the prescriptive rice IPM packages and a lack of understanding of the specific pest-natural enemy
complexes and use of ineffective insecticide cause crop failures.
The inadequacies of rice pest management must be developed and implemented for success of
the rice programmes at all levels. The government’s focus on rice expansion must address the
ways to reduce pest problems in integrated pest management approaches. Widespread successes
of IPM adoption for rice in Asia indicate that rice is a crop with considerable potential for the
development and adoption of IPM in SI. There are strong drivers for change and that a
participatory approach would be appropriate for rice in SI. There are many experienced master
trainers in Asia who could potentially run train-the-trainer programmes for farmer field schools
for adoption of IPM in rice in SI.
2) Slippery kabis or aibika or bele (Abelmoschus manihot)
This is the most common green leafy vegetable in Honiara and the other markets around the
country. The flea beetle (Nisotra basellae) is most serious pest which perforates leaves and
makes them unmarketable. In some places flea beetle damage is so high that farmers have
stopped growing the crop. Shoot borer (Earias vitella) caterpillars feed inside the shoot stems
which cause wilting and death of plant under rainy conditions. It also attacks other related plant
species such as hibiscus, okra, cotton and occasionally on tomatoes.
15
In Auki and Honiara where insecticides are available farmers heavily rely on these for control of
both insects. Bioagents of the flea beetle is not known. There are a few bioagents of the shoot
borer and if the insecticides are used judiciously then they will have better chance of exerting in
enough control. Early detection of pest infestations and removing of damage tips may greatly
contribute towards shoot borer management. Slippery kabis under shady conditions do not attract
too much damage from the flea beetle.
There is good opportunity to develop IPM programme for slippery kabis with better
understanding of the flea pest from PhD research at Queensland University by SI entomologist.
3) Chinese and ball (head) cabbages
Both, Chinese and ball cabbages are attacked by diamondback moth (DBM), large cabbage moth
(LCM), cluster caterpillar (CCP), and occasionally by centre grub. Chinese cabbage is second
most important leaf vegetable in SI and is usually sprayed with Orthene and Karate for control
of the pests in Honiara and Auki. Chinese cabbages are harvested early to avoid insect damages.
Ball cabbages are rarely seen in the markets in SI, but whatever is sold are of low quality and
very expensive. Severe insect damages have discouraged farmers in growing of ball cabbage. No
studies have been done to assess or understand the presence of the nature of the cabbage pests
and their composition.
Chinese and ball cabbages have great potential to develop IPM by utilising the outputs of the
ACIAR funded ‘Integrated pest management in a sustainable production system for Brassica
crops in Fiji and Samoa’. This project carried out studies on better understand the cabbage pest -
natural enemy complexes; avoidance of prophylactic uses of broad-spectrum insecticides and
development and implementation of FFS.
4) Watercress
Watercress is grown on water rafts in the Mamara creek near Honiara and often is attacked by
DBM, LCM and CCP. Karate, Orthene and presumably other insecticides are often used for the
control of these pests. Cultural practice such as submerging of the water rafts may be used to
reduce the pest population, this, however, needs to be adequately tested before
recommendations can be made.
MAL entomologist has planned to conduct this study and has forwarded requests to RDP for
resources.
5) Taro
Taro beetle (TB) is the major constraint of taro production in SI. On Santa Cruz taro farmers are
using the SPC recommended insecticide imidacloprid and comparatively producing good taro.
The farmers on Santa Cruz, however, have not fully adopted the practice as recommended by
SPC. The farmers are not clear on the rates and frequency of applications, safety and alternating
applications of imidacloprid and bifenthrin.
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The technology on use of the insecticides against TB is not fully grasped, therefore, posing
problem resistance development and other pesticide related problems. It is highly recommended
that the use of insecticides, imidacloprid and bifenthrin, be fully demonstrated to taro grower in
active participatory approach in sustainable taro production system.
6) Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes have a number of insects such as leaf eating beetle (Monolepta semiviolacea),
tortoise beetle (Cassida papuana), hornworm (Agrius convolvuli), leaf folder (Herpetogramma
hipponalis) and sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius) infestations. Few natural enemies keep
these insects under control. Market gardeners especially in the Burns Creek area spray
insecticides. Among the diseases, sweet potato scab is most common. Sweet potato scab disease
resistant varieties in rotation with other crops are encouraged to avoid severe losses of yields.
7) Beans
Yard long beans common vegetable and cash crop to many farmers in Honiara and other markets
in SI. The bean pod-sucking bug (Riptortus serripes) is the most serious pest which sucks out
young developing pods. In Honiara insecticides Orthene and karate are often sprayed to control
the pest. Lipstick plant (Bixa sp.) is suggested to attract the pod sucking bug and leave the beans
and seems few famers in Malaita are using this plant to manage the sucking bug. Mulching may
also help in management of these bugs.
Bean pod borer (Maruca vitrata) cause extensive damage to developing pods and make them
unmarketable. Insecticides like Orthene etc are used, but timing of application is important in
order to be effective.
Beans are often infested with leafminer (Liriomyza sp.) and are sprayed with insecticides.
Leafminers are usually problem in fields which are sprayed with insecticides killing natural
enemies, which if undisturbed keep the pest under control. Bean rust (Uromyces sp.) is common
disease on bean leaves which cause leaves to fall therefore reducing production. Protectant
fungicides such as Borrek (Chlorothalonil) or axiom (Mancozeb) are used for the control of the
rust.
There are a number of options for management of bean pests available which provide ideal
opportunity to develop IPM approaches.
8) Cucurbits
Cucurbits (water melon, pumpkin, cucumber, lufa) are commonly attacked by insect pests such
as pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora similis) and cucumber moth (Diaphania indica) with occasional
infestations of aphids, ladybird beetle, mites and leafminers can be experienced. Orthene and
other cheaper insecticides available are used in Honiara and Malaita.
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Gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae) and powdery mildew (Erysiphe cicharacearum) are
usually sprayed with Borrek or axiom.
Fruitflies which have data on should be mentioned. Presence of fruitflies is a hindrance to fruits
vegetable export and loss in food security and income.
9) Oil Palm
Oil palm plantation is a private enterprise owned and operated by the Guadalcanal Plains Palm
Oil Limited (GPPOL) which is the largest user of herbicides in SI. Only 2 herbicides, Paraquat
and Glyphosate, are used at the plantations to manage weeds. GPPOL has an organized use of
herbicides with facilities for storing, mixing and washing room for the pesticide applicators.
According to the Plantation Manager, use of Paraquat will be phasing out soon and only
Glyphosate will be used with alternative methods of weed management such as planting of
legumes to smother weeds and to improve soil fertility in the plantations. Application of the
herbicides is mostly carried out by women. It was noted that women sprayed Paraquat, but did
not have the protective clothing on them, although they were provided by the company. It
appears that the importance of the protective clothing is not well understood by the people;
therefore, it is recommended that training programmes are conducted on the importance of
pesticide safety and self protection when handling pesticides. Paraquat is a toxic pesticide and
appropriate safety procedures should be in place on its use.
10) Cocoa
Cocoa industry in SI is currently supported by Australian Government for the Cocoa Livelihoods
Improvement Project (CLIP). The project is supporting MAL’s aim to increase cocoa production
through better management of old and neglected plantations and improvements on post harvest
processing. Increased cocoa production will raise village family incomes and welfare of the rural
communities. CLIP is working closely with Commodity Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) to
improve SI cocoa quality to the requirements of the international markets so as to maximize
benefits from cocoa production. Cocoa black pod disease is a major pest and fungicide copper
oxychloride is used for its control. CLIP has an Integrated Pest and Disease Management
(IPDM) programme in operation with emphasis on proper plantation management and field
sanitation, which reduced the incidences of cocoa black pod disease, thereby successfully
reducing the use of fungicides. IPDM in cocoa is a good example of holistic and participatory
approaches of crop pest management.
11) Giant African Snail (GAS)
GAS has recently invaded Honiara. Upon its interception at the Ranadi industrial area, MAL’s
quarantine services put up containment measures for eradication of the pest. Blitzem pellet was
applied to the infested area and all stages of GAS were collected and destroyed under the
supervision of quarantine. Despite these efforts, GAS is breeding prolifically and is spreading in
most of the urban and peri-urban areas of Honiara. Its spread into inaccessible areas makes more
18
difficult to reach, hence difficult for physical collections and application of Blitzem pellets. In its
current situation it is difficult to eradicate the pest. Therefore, the plan of action from eradication
should now be changed to management and taking appropriate actions to reduce the pest
population so that the risk of it spreading to other provinces is reduced.
It is vital that a holistic approach using physical, cultural, chemical and natural methods are
developed to curtail prolific breeding and further spreading. A dossier on GAS should be
produced with full information on its identification and diagnosis of damages, biology, ecology
and approaches of control methods, and other relevant information. Lack of adequate resource
through submissions was made to various external organization such as FAO, SPC, and SIG with
no response. Continues wet weather also assisted in their natural spread.
12) Coconut leaf miner Promecotheca spp.
The coconut leaf miner (CLM) is a serious pest of coconuts which has cyclic outbreaks reducing
production. Recent outbreak of the pest on Santa Cruz Island (SCI) was in 2007 and bedraggled
appearance of the coconut palms caused alarms amongst the communities. Previous studies have
shown that there are natural enemies present on SCI. The natural enemies were recently collected
by SPC and the parasitoid was identified as Pediobus parvulus, known to keep the pest under
control in the Pacific islands where it is present. On visit to SCI, it was found that the infested
coconut palms were recovering. It seems that the parasitoid is slowly coming back and
contributing towards the reduction in populations of the pest.
It is recommended that the CLM situation of SCI be monitored on a six monthly intervals. A
long term study on the cyclic outbreaks of the pest needs to be studied thoroughly to overcome
the pest problem.
13) The Yellow Crazy Ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes
The yellow crazy ant has been introduced across the tropics as a byproduct of human commerce.
It is capable of invading both disturbed and undisturbed habitats, including tropical urban areas,
plantations, grassland, savanna, woodland, and rainforest. The Invasive Species Specialist Group
has identified the ant as among 100 of the “World worst” invaders. Thus, any invasion by this
ant species may have large, catastrophic consequences. Such impacts include decimation and
rapid degradation of endemics and communities and possible radical disruption of ecosystems.
Dispersal and invasion pathways to new locations by these ants are via translocation in
packaging material, shipments of produce, timber, dunnage, plants and pallets, etc.
At present the ant is located on the Reef Islands only, but has potential to spread to other places
in SI. It is vital that measures must be taken to reduce the populations so as to reduce the risk of
further spread. Visit to Reef Island was not possible; therefore, it is difficult to gauge the
magnitude of the ant problem. However, quarantine and other measures are essential to address
the ant problem on the Reef Island. Chemical and ant bait were used to control and containment
purpose. Lack of resources is also affecting progress. Bait has to be imported from Australia.
19
ii. Current and proposed pest management practices
The current practices at the 3 different levels of farming vary.
- At subsistence level, farmers hardly use any pest management interventions and largely are
dependent on crop rotations, shift cultivation, or use of resistant varieties recommended by
MAL e.g., resistant sweet potatoes varieties against the sweet potato scab disease or yam
varieties against the anthracnose disease. Although the resistant varieties may not be
favoured by the communities, there is no choice but to grow them. Despite significant losses
of crops, subsistence farmers do not use pesticides because they are either not available in
the rural areas or not affordable.
- Semi-commercial farmers who grow crops both for their use and sale, often do not use any
pesticides, but are dependent on cultural practices of pest management. Some of these
farmers do use pesticides, which they can afford to buy from their crop sales.
- Commercial farmers are largely dependent on pesticides for pest control and often
applications are on weekly basis or in some cases more regularly. Farmers, who cannot
control pests on crops stop growing those crops.
There are a number of non government organisations (NGOs), such as Kastom Gaden
Association (KGA), Asia Pacific Sustainable Development (APSD), Gwaunafiu Farmer Field
School (GFFS), and others who are involved in organic agriculture. These organisations get
small grants from donors and programmes for promotion of organic farming, through outreaches
and training programmes. These and other relevant NGOs are very vocal on organic agriculture
movements and as a result recently organic agriculture policy was formulated and implemented.
Generally speaking all subsistence farming can be put into organic farming. In the rural
communities farming practices pesticides never featured before expansion of rice programmes to
such places.
NGOs do, however, realize that organic methods of agriculture are not entirely possible with
farming practices where pests are continuously causing problems under intensive cultivation. In
such places a more realistic integrated approaches such as IPM is necessary. Therefore, for the
future IPM developments and implementations should take place to overcome the current mis-
uses of pesticides.
iii. Relevant IPM experience within the project area, country or region.
In the 4 RDP project provinces visited there was no active IPM programme in operation. Field
staffs, however, are aware of IPM and FFS. Although there were several FFS establishments,
especially for rice programmes, these, however, were limited to farmer field days only. Some of
the senior and experienced staff have been involved in IPM activities but no active IPM
programmes have been implemented. IPM and FFS terms are misunderstood and wrongly
interpreted on most occasions.
20
iv. Assessment of proposed or current pest management approaches, and
recommendations for adjustment where necessary.
Impressions from field visits were that as a rule, the first option for pest control in all areas
visited appeared to be chemical control even in the outer regions. When farmers or
extension officers noted the presence of a pest, the first question asked was: ‘what
insecticide must I use?’ This was particularly noticeable in Honiara and Auki areas. The
primary concern by both farmers and extension officers was always about the most
effective insecticide available for controlling pest outbreaks.
Interviews with several farmers revealed that none of them practiced IPM methods. In
Honiara and Auki all who used pesticides applied them on a “calendar system” without
first scouting their crops properly for the presence of pests or appreciated the need for
assessing economic threshold levels.
It is recommended that field staff capacities be developed in pest management. The
training workshops must be conducted in each province so that the staffs are familiar with
the pests and their symptoms of damage in their regions. The training must include all
pests i.e. insects, diseases, weeds, rodents; also on introduced and naturally occurring
natural enemies etc. and their appropriate interventions. The Crop protection Manual
developed by IPPSI project and MAL fact sheets on pests is a good start, but they need to
include weeds and pesticide management aspects to make complete teaching aid. There
were biological control agents being released in the past for weeds and insect pests.
There are alternatives already been explored apart from Chemicals, impact assessment
needs to be done.
b. Pesticide Use and Management
i. Review of present, proposed and/or envisaged pesticide use.
Agricultural development and transboundary measurements need interventions such as use of
pesticides. A developing country like SI needs a determined, focused and continuous effort to
increase food production. Therefore, judicious uses of pesticides play an important role in
improvement of agricultural services and sustainable management in improving livelihoods of
the rural communities.
The current usages of pesticides are mostly restricted to commercial farms under intensive
cultivation in Honiara and Auki. There are no or very limited usage of pesticides in the outer
provinces although crops face heavy losses from pests. This is so because pesticides are not
available in the outer provinces or are unaffordable. Farmers who are desperate to use pesticides
in the outer provinces obtain them from Honiara. Few farmers also use icon, the insecticide used
for control of mosquitoes and supplied by the vector control unit of Government Health Services.
21
The intensification of agricultural production systems, especially around Honiara and Auki, there
will be increased usage of pesticides for food production to meet the growing demands from the
urban and peri-urban populations.
Compile a list of pesticides in use in the country and the crops for which they are used.
There are three major sources of pesticides: Island Enterprise Limited is local hardware company
which sells pesticide imported from New Zealand, Australia and PNG; Farmset Limited is a
PNG hardware business and get most of the pesticides from its parent company in PNG, it also is
the main supplier of pesticide to GPPOL; TTM also imports a range of pesticides from Taiwan
and sells to farmers together with vegetable and other seeds. All pesticides imported are ready-
to-use formulations, packed and labelled from overseas. Vector control against malaria is
undertaken by Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), generally using icon
(Lambda-cyhalothrin) and Permethrin for impregnating bed nets. MOH also uses Malathion for
control of dengue fever mosquitoes. Listed below are the common pesticides available in SI and
their uses on crops.
Table 1: List of pesticides and their uses on crops in SI
Pesticide
formulations
Crops on which
they are used
Pests on which they are
used
Remarks
Insecticides Abamectin
0.15%EC
Beans, Cabbages,
Watermelons
Aphids, Whiteflies, mites Abamectin is gram positive
branching bacteria,
Streptomyces avermitilis
Carbaryl Watermelons,
slippery kabis, rice
Flea beetles, pumpkin
beetle, and other insects
TTM sells this to
watermelon growers for
control of the pumpkin
beetle.
Chlorpyrifos Many crops and
household uses
Many pests Broad spectrum used for
both indoor and outdoor pest
control.
ICON Household pests,
especially mosquitoes
Mosquitoes control in public
health programme
Some farmers use this also
on crops for pest control.
Karate Slippery kabis,
cabbages,
watermelons, beans
Bollworms, aphids, plant
bugs, thrips, beetles,
Spodoptera spp.
Broad spectrum synthetic
pyrethroid for control of
wide range of crop pests.
Lambda 2.5%EC Same as for Karate Same as for Karate Same as for Karate
Malathion Crops and domestic
use
Crop and domestic pests Old insecticide; many crops
pests are resistant to
Malathion.
Mavrik Slippery kabis, beans,
cabbages
Aphids, caterpillars, beetles,
etc.
Mostly used for chewing and
sucking insects
Mustang Taro Taro beetles One of the registered
insecticides for use for TB
control in PNG
Orthene/Otin Rice, vegetables and
many other crops
Brown planthopper, rice leaf
roller, diamondback moth,
Most common insecticide in
use in SI; given by TTM to
22
bollworm, aphids, leaf
miners and many other
pests.
rice farmers for rice pest
control.
Perkill 250 EC Many crops and
household
Crops pests and
impregnating of mosquito
nets for malaria control
programme
Mo common SP in use many
places.
Pyrethrum Crops and household
pests
Many pests on ornamental
and garden crops – aphids,
caterpillars, etc
A natural insecticide
Success Vegetables and fruits Bollworm, hornworm,
fruitworm, armyworm,
cluster caterpillar,
diamondback moth, large
cabbage moth, and others
A biopesticides certified for
use in organic agriculture
Target Vegetables and
ornamentals
Bollworm, hornworm,
fruitworm, armyworm,
cluster caterpillar,
diamondback moth, large
cabbage moth, and others
Mixture of permethrin and
primiphos-mehtyl
Molluscides
Yates Baysol Gardens For control of snails and
slugs
Bait which is scattered. In
very moist conditions it
develops moulds which
become un attractive to
snails. Avoid domestic
animal
Yates Blitzem Gardens For control of slugs and
snails
Bait pellets scattered in
gardens or on periphery of
gardens. Avoid development
of moulds.
Fungicides Axiom Vegetables, crops,
ornamentals
Leaf spots, anthracnose,
rusts, scabs, downy mildews,
etc
A protectant fungicide for
used on crops and seed
treatment.
Borrek ,, Leaf moulds, leaf spots,
downy mildews, late blights,
fruits rots, etc.
Protectant fungicide for use
on moulds and many fungal
diseases
Leaf curl Cocoa and other crops Cocoa black pod and other
fungi and bacterial diseases
Registered as Cobox in 1986
Herbicides
Amine 720 Pastures, playing
fields, lawns, cereals
Selective for control of
broadleaf weeds
2, 4-D is hormonal herbicide
and is commonly used as
selective herbicide for
control of broadleaves in
crops; drifts should be
avoided to non target plants.
Glyphosate Oil palm and general
use
Non selective for all weeds;
used in zero cultivation
Translocated herbicide; also
is used for killing of trees by
drilling.
23
Gramoxone Oil palm, crops and
general weed control
Non selective for all weeds A general knockdown
herbicide; high oral and
dermal toxicity; its phasing
out in many countries
Grasskill Same as Glyphosate Same as Glyphosate Same as Glyphosate
Timber
treatments
Borracol Timber For treatment of processed
timber
Insecticide/fungicide mixture
for timber treatment
Eco-Bor Timber For treatment of processed
timber
Insecticide and fungicide
mixture used for timber
treatment
Others
Cockroach gel
bait
In houses For control of cockroaches Placed in places where
cockroaches breed or tracks
Rat tracking
powder
Farms, building,
industrial areas
For tracking and control of
rats
Can be mixed with wheat or
other materials as baits
Scarecrow bird
repellent
Birds For scaring birds in crops
Classify the (commercial formulations of the) pesticides according to the WHO
classification of pesticides by hazard.
The pesticides available in Si are listed according to the WHO toxicity and hazard
classification.
Table 2: List of WHO classification of commercial formulations of pesticides available in SI.
Pesticide
formulations
Common Names WHO classification of
hazards
Main Use
Abamectin 0.15%EC Abamectin U Insecticide
Bacillus
thuringiensis
Bacillus
thuringiensis
U Insecticide
Bayticol Dip Flumethrin U Insecticide for ticks
Carbaryl Carbaryl II Insecticide
Carbofuran Carbofuran IB Insecticide
Cartap Cartap II Insecticide
Chlorpyrifos Chlorpyrifos II Insecticide
Deltamethrin Deltamethrin II Insecticide
Fenitrothion Fenitrothion II Insecticide
Fipronil Fipronil II Insecticide
ICON Lambda-cyhalothrin II Insecticide/ mosquitoes
Karate Lambda-cyhalothrin II Insecticide
Lambda 2.5%EC Lambda-cyhalothrin II Insecticide
Malathion Malathion III Insecticide
Mavrik Tau-fluvalinate II Insecticide
Mustang Imidacloprid II Insecticide for TB
24
Natrasoap Potassium salts UN Insecticide/Miticide
Orthene/Otin Acephate III Insecticide
Perkill 250 EC Permethrin II Insecticide
Pyrethrum Pyrethrin II Insecticide
Silafluofen Silafluofen II Insecticide
Success Spinosad U Insecticide
Target Permethrin-
pirimiphos-methyl
II Insecticide
Tebufenozide Tebufenozide III Insecticide
Termidor Fipronil II Insecticide /termites
Yates Baysol Methiocarb 1B Molluscide
Yates Blitzem Metaldehyde II Molluscide
Axiom Mancozeb U Fungicide
Borrek Chlorothalonil U Fungicide
Fos-Jet 60 Phosphite U Fungicide
Leaf curl Copper oxychloride III Fungicide
Tricyclazole Tricyclazole II Fungicide
Amine 720 2,4.D III Herbicide
Butachlor Butachlor U Herbicide
Glyphosate Glyphosate U Herbicide
Gramoxone Paraquat II Herbicide
Grasskill Glyphosate U Herbicide
Boracol Ethylene glycol + II Timber treatment
Eco-Bor Disodium
Octaborate
Tetrahydrate
U Timber treatment
Cockroach gel bait Boric acid U Cockroach bait
Invicta Abamectin U Cockroach bait
Contrac Bromadiolone 1A Rat bait
Rat tracking powder Diphacinone 1A Rat bait
Talon pillet Brodifacoum 1A Rat bait
Scarecrow bird
repellent
Polybutene U Bird repellent
Quick Bayt Imidacloprid II Fly bait
Mortein Allethrin,
Resmethrin
III Household pests
1A – extremely hazardous
1B – highly hazardous
II – moderately hazardous
III – slightly hazardous
U – unclassified (not hazardous in normal use)
Describe the current pesticide use patterns in the country and assess whether pesticides
are used in the context of IPM.
All the farmers who use pesticides for crop pest control use them on calendar basis, irrespective
of the pests are causing damage or not. There is no IPM programme currently in operation;
therefore, no pesticides are used in IPM context. Most of the pesticides available to farmers are
25
broad-spectrum and many are ineffective on the target pests. Farmers don’t have the knowledge
of pests and natural enemies of their crops, therefore, in some cases the unscrupulous use of the
pesticides are causing more problem than good to the farmers. For example use of Orthene
against BPH on rice crops failed to control the pests and farmers losing more than 3 hectares of
rice crop in Fiu on Malaita. A Kakara watermelon farmer sprays Carbaryl every week for
control of pumpkin beetle. The farmer doesn’t know the difference between the pest and natural
enemy species of the beetles.
ii. Indication of type and quantity of pesticides envisaged to be financed by the
project and/or assessment of increase in pesticide use resulting from the
project.
Component 2 is involved in improving the agricultural services and provides support so that rural
community income growth improves. To improve agricultural productive farmers need to have
access to agricultural inputs. The continuous growing of same crops in same land has also
significantly increase demand for high use of chemical fertilizers. It is envisaged that pesticide
use will increase to manage the pests that constantly causes serious damages to crops production
and quality.
Table 3: List of pesticides that may need to be purchased by RDP – this is an indicative
list only
Formulations Common Names Quantity Purpose
Delfin Bacillus
thuringiensis var.
Kurstaki
20 Kg Demonstration on
slippery kabis, cabbages,
watercress, etc.
Xentari B. t. var. aizawai 20 Kg ,,
Success Spinosad 20 Kg ,,
Suncloprid/Mustang/Confidor Imidacloprid 50 litres Taro beetle
demonstrations
Bifenthrin Bifenthrin 50 litres ,,
Steward Indoxacarb 20 litres Testing caterpillars of
various crops
Prevathon Rynaxphyr 5 litres For testing on slippery
kabis, water melons,
cabbages, etc.
Force Cyfluthrin 5 Kg For testing against taro
beetle
Kopi Copper
oxychloride
10 Kg For use on vegetables
against bacterial spots
Glyphosate Glyphosate 50 litres For weed control
26
iii. Circumstances of pesticide use and the capability and competence of end-
users to handle products within acceptable risk margins
Pesticide applications are essential to over the menace from pests and vector control.
Pesticide use is an integral part of pest control system in the crop development
programmes, such as in the rice expansion programme to the rural communities.
Overuses of pesticides are usually the case as a pre-emptive measure, without considering
recommended doses or synergetic effects.
Many farmers have used pesticides for a long time, but they lack the know-how to handle
them properly. There has been no study or data to measure pesticide effects on the
farming community health. To avoid risks, that the appropriate pesticide should be
applied in correct amounts, at the right time, and with appropriate precautions in terms of
storage, preparation and application, and the cleaning of equipment. There is a scientific
consensus that the effects of an inappropriate use of pesticides can seriously affect human
health and the environment.
iv. Selection of pesticides authorized for procurement under the project
If required, prepare provisional lists of pesticides which may be procured under the
project taking into consideration (i) the criteria in OP 4.09 on Pest Management, (ii)
the above hazards and risks, and (iii) the availability of newer and less hazardous
products and techniques (e.g. bio-pesticides, traps)
The pesticide list as in (ii) above is recommended to be purchased in limited quantities by
the project at the approval of the Registrar of Pesticides.
27
6. Policy, regulatory Framework and institutional capacity on Pest
Management
a. Policies on plant protection
Study if a national IPM Policy exists and determines whether it is integrated into the
national agricultural development policy/strategy.
Currently in SI there is no over-arching government policy or strategies for integrated pest
management (IPM) promotion or implementation. However, recently a policy on organic
agriculture was developed and MAL has an extension policy under which it operates and makes
its annual work plan.
It is highly recommended that an overall IPM policy is developed and implemented so that pest
management interventions and the use of pesticides can be safely and better regulated.
Establishment of an IPM committee comprising of relevant agricultural stakeholders is again
highly recommended. This IPM committee will then draft the IPM policy for action in
consultation with experts. IPM committee may also consider and align with other relevant
policies such as policy on SRI.
Although, there is a pesticides regulation in place, it has not been in operation for some time,
therefore no control on pesticide imports, distribution, sales and use has been recorded. MAL is
responsible for the operation and management of the pesticides regulations and registration.
Although pesticide registration activity appears in annual work plan and budgeted for some time,
it has not been implemented. MAL lacks capacity to operate the pesticide regulations; therefore,
external assistance is required to work with MAL staff and develop capacities in the registration
processes.
Pest management activities are under MAL’s Research and Development programme with all
staff based in Honiara. There is a qualified and trained plant pathologist and entomologist, who
just returned from Australia to complete his PhD thesis. Pest management technical staff either
have diploma or certificate in general agriculture from Solomon Islands College of Higher
Education (SICHE) and Fiji College of Agriculture (FCA) and only few of them have had
attachment training at organisations such as SPC on basic pest management.
Crop Health staff has recently been relocated with other research staff in a building with office
space only. There are no proper laboratories and fields to conduct experiments. Basic equipment
has recently been provided under IPPSI project and from SPC, and now in the Crop Health Lab
within the PEQ area at Henderson International Airport.
Capacities on pest management in the provinces are very scanty. Pest management terms are
misunderstood or wrongly used. Some basic training on pest identification, symptoms of damage
and on interventions is currently conducted, but this needs a more inputs of expertise and
resources to the efforts of the local staff. Field staffs are hungry for information and know-how
on pest management so that they can better advice the farmers.
28
It is essential that the basic pest management skills of the field staff be developed in the
provinces by conducting basic and hands-on training. Province field offices also be equipped
with basic pest management tools such as hand lenses, magnifying glasses, collecting bags,
insect nets, storage boxes, preservatives, etc.
b. Description and assessment of the national capacity to develop and implement
ecologically-based IPM
The pest management service within the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) in
Solomon Islands is in a parlous state. There is no policy on ecologically based pest management
and farmers have no access to information. There are no incentive based schemes to promote
alternatives to conventional pesticide uses. Staff within the extension service desperately
requires training and capacity building in all areas, including IPM.
c. Assessment of the country's regulatory framework for control of the distribution
and use of pesticides.
Pesticides control of distribution and use in SI is regulated under “The Safety at Work
(Pesticide) Regulations 1982” which is administered by MAL. A copy of the regulation is
attached as Appendix 3.
The act requires that no pesticide maybe imported, used, or offered for sale unless it has been
registered with the Registrar. The pesticide registration is governed by Pesticide Registration
Advisory Committee (PRAC) which comprises of:
a) Senior Government Officer responsible for Agriculture (understood to be PS of
MAL), who shall be the chairman:
b) The Registrar (assumed to be the Director of Research), who shall be secretary
c) Public Officers from:
a. Government Pharmacy
b. Government Officer concerned with industrial safety
c. Government scientist concerned with plant protection
d. Public Officers concerned with public health and environment protection, and
e. Not more than 3 other public officers appointed by the Minister.
The aim of PRAC is to advise and make recommendations on all aspects of pesticide registration
process to the Registrar.
Under the act, the Registrar is given the powers to:
a) Register pesticide with or without conditions
b) Refuse registration
c) Require label changes on registered pesticides
d) Cancel a registration
29
The framework of the current pesticide regulation has sufficient control on importation,
distribution, sales and use of pesticides in SI. However, there has been no work carried out on the
pesticide regulation for about 22 years. Therefore, pesticides are freely imported, distributed,
sold and used. To bring control on pesticides it is vital that PRAC is in place and to see that the
pesticide regulation comes into operation.
d. Assessment of the institutional capacity for effective control of the distribution
and use of pesticides
Institutional capacity is lacking for effective control of the distribution and use of pesticides in
SI. Although the pesticide registration activities are budgeted in MAL’s annual work plan for
few years, but no work has been carried out. The following is recommended to develop the
institutional capacity for the pesticides regulation:
a) PRAC needs to be brought into action immediately by appointments of the public officers
as stipulated in the pesticide regulations
b) PRAC advisers the registrar on registration process to bring control of all pesticides in SI.
c) Establish liaison with SI judicatory on the pesticide regulation
d) Establish liaison with Customs to bring control on importation of pesticides
e) Conduct training on pesticide registration process
f) Training of pesticide inspectors
g) Updating of pesticide inventory and list supplied to Customs
30
7. Monitoring and evaluation
Since there is no pest management policy in place, therefore, no monitoring and evaluation of
pest programmes are currently in operation. From the following recommendations it is expected
that when new programmes are in place, performance indicators will be included so that
evaluation of projects can take place. From the objectives and outputs table and once pesticide
regulations start operating all records of pesticides imported and used will be kept. To make this
an easy process an evaluation template can be prepared.
Pesticide management:
- Operation of pesticides legislation, number of meetings held
- Number of pesticides recommended for registration, deregistration
- Record of pesticides imported
- List of selective pesticide available for IPM programmes
- Revised pesticide legislation enhancing better pesticide management
Pest management
- Number of field staff and farmers trained on pest management
- FFS established
- IPM programmes in operation
- List of pest and natural enemies identified and phenology studies conducted
- Level of adoption on new pest management techniques
- Reduction in sale and use of broad spectrum pesticides
As the pest management programmes are developed and implemented applications and
indicators will be identified so that success and failures of programmes can be measured.
Monitoring and evaluation of any project is always a vital component of the project plan. This is
usually neglected because many times they are not incorporated in the project plan or the process
is difficult to follow or there is no budgetary allowance made or there is no compulsion for
follow up from management office because there is nothing in the plan. The result being that
work may or may not be done or completed and everything remains in status quo which makes
future planning and funding justification very difficult to make.
Ideally continuous and systematic evaluations of projects, programmes, personnel, performance,
policies, strategies, products, services, process and systems etc should be conducted in order to
have effective projects with successful outcomes. With proper evaluations we will be able to
identify areas for improvement and /or to generate an assessment of overall quality or value for
future policy planning and funding.
Therefore it is highly recommended that monitoring and evaluation of projects are thought of and
clearly written and understood by the staff right from the beginning. Where there is capacity
lacking in this area, steps ought to be taken to strengthen this capacity with training workshops.
31
8. PEST MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN
The livelihood of Solomon Islands rural communities is largely dependent on
agricultural activities. Increasing urban population puts increasing demands on
food production, thereby increasing intensification of agricultural activities. The
farmers require accessibility to quality agricultural service to support them in
producing quality crops. In order to prevent pests destroying crop production it is
crucial to have appropriate pest management strategies implemented.
Current agricultural programmes lack pest management activities at farmer level.
Field staff and farmers are not well conversed with sustainable pest management
approaches. The farmers use pesticides indiscriminately.
The following pest management plan is designed strengthen the national capacities,
and to address pesticide and pest problems for the progress of crop development
and to support rural services in SI.
a. Pesticide Management
i. Pesticide Regulation
To enable control of importation, distribution, sales and use of pesticide, the
existing pesticide regulation must be operative and enforced.
ii. Pesticide Registration Advisory Committee (PRAC)
“The Safety at Work (Pesticides) Regulations 1982” requires the pesticide registration processes
to take effect. It is highly recommended that PRAC be established as soon as possible.
Step 1: MAL PS (Chairman) and the Director of Research (Registrar of Pesticides and
Secretary) should consult the relevant ministries for appointment of PRAC. Public officers from
each of the following departments can be nominated:
a) Government Pharmacy
b) Ministry of Labour (OHS Officer)
c) Plant Protection Officer
d) Government Public Health Service
e) Ministry of Environment
f) Three other public officers (possibly):
a. Customs
b. Ministry of Trade/Commerce
32
c. Police/Judiciary
Step 2: PRAC advises the Registrar to start with pesticide registration and management process
as stipulated in the pesticide regulation. It should further:
Approve appointment of an officer from within MAL staff (Crop Health
Section staff) who has working knowledge of computers to assist the
Registrar. The appointed officer will:
- Carry out day-to-day pesticide registration activities
- Maintain register of all pesticides
- Survey all pesticide in SI and update records
- Prepare an inventory of all pesticides in SI
The Registrar contacts all pesticide distributors to register their pesticides
within a set time-frame (3-6 months).
After this period if the pesticides are not registered then the PRAC advises the
Registrar to take appropriate enforcement action.
Consider and determine every application for registration of a pesticide and
advises the registrar accordingly
Consider and determine every application for license or permit and advise the
registrar accordingly
Determine whether exemption from registration should be granted to any
particular case
Determine the conditions that should be imposed on the grant or renewal of any
certificate, license or permit.
iii. Liaison with Customs
It is important to ensure that only registered pesticides enter the country
Customs must ensure to prevent importation of unregistered pesticides
Custom Officers should be fully versed and are aware of the pesticide
regulations
Customs is regularly provided with updated list of registered pesticides
together with the list of dealers who are granted permit to import.
iv. Enforcement - Appointment of Pesticides Inspectors
Pesticide inspectors will ensure the monitoring and enforcement of the registered
pesticides as stipulated in the pesticide regulation.
The PRAC will advise the Minister for appointment of suitably qualified officers of
MAL as pesticide inspectors; preferably one each from Plant Protection, Livestock,
Extension, Quarantine and from each Province.
33
- The inspectors will be fully trained in the pesticide regulation, formulations,
classifications and labeling, etc.
- The inspectors will be issued with ID cards (evidence of the appointment)
- They will have powers to enter any premises during normal working hours at
which any pesticide is sold, stored, repacked, distributed or manufactured
- They can confiscate any unregistered, unlabeled, or with any other irregularity
regarding that particular pesticide
- Take samples for such pesticides for analysis purposes
- The pesticide inspectors will be answerable to the Registrar.
v. Residue analysis
There is a definite need to regularly conduct residue analysis of produce from local
markets to ensure that the recommended pesticides are used in accordance with the
registration requirements. Liaise with the MOH Public Health Laboratory.
vi. Revision of the pesticide regulation
Although the current pesticide regulation is in existence it needs to be revised or
amended to widen its scope of pesticide control. The new pesticide legislation also
must be aligned with the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use
of Pesticides, which was adopted by the Council of Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations Council in November 2002 and amendments
thereafter. SPC has drafted regional generic pesticide legislation for harmonization of
the pesticide law in the Pacific. This can be used as a guideline and adapted with the
specific requirements of SI situation.
vii. Evaluation of new and selective pesticides
It is important that selective and IPM compatible pesticides are made available to the
farmers who use them for pest management on their farms. Currently farmers have
access only to broad-spectrum pesticides which have been over used on crops and
most of the crop pests are highly resistant to their uses. This problem is highly evident
with Orthene on BPH.
viii. Capacity Development
Currently the field staff and farmers have very limited knowledge on the use of
pesticides. It is necessary to develop capacities of the staff and farmers in order to
improve the pesticide usage in accordance with IPM.
The following is recommended to develop their capacities so that informed decision is
made when using pesticides:
ix. Train-the–trainer workshop
One to two week training workshop should be conducted for MAL extension and
research staff, especially from Honiara and Auki, where most of the pesticides are used.
34
The workshop should cover the following topics:
a. Introduction on pesticide usage in agricultural development programmes;
pesticide regulatory system in SI;
b. Pesticide formulations, categories, classifications
c. Pesticide safety
Toxicity
Methods of entry and protection
Safe usage
Safe disposal of left over mixtures and containers
d. Pesticide application
e. Selection of application equipment
f. Nozzles and strainers
g. Maintenance of equipment, before and after use
h. Measuring and mixing procedures
i. Calibration
j. Coverage
x. Farmer trainings
After the train-the-trainer workshop, trainers should then train the farmers. Farmer
training session can be conducted in groups or with individual farmers on farm visits.
Pesticide trainings may also be incorporated with IPM programmes of targeted crops.
b. Development of IPM policy
At present there is no policy on promotion of IPM in SI. Although there have been
projects and organisations working towards development and promotion of IPM
approaches of pest management, there has been no collective voice to raise IPM
concerns, hence no IPM policy is in existence. Although plant protection is a critical
problem at farm levels, many other disciplines related to plant protection such as soil and
crop management and natural resource management should be considered to form a
whole package for sustainable agriculture development.
It is recommended that a multi-sectoral IPM committee be established.
This committee should be tasked to formulate IPM policy and strategies and submit to
Minister of MAL for further actions.
Composition of IPM high level committee:
Plant Protection (Pathologist, Entomologist, Agronomist)
Senior Extension Officer
Senior Quarantine Officer
Environment Officer
35
Health Officer (Vector borne diseases division)
Environmental Health
Consumer group representative
NGO representative
Farmer representative
Pesticide dealers’ representative.
c. Cocoa Pod Borer
Cocoa Pod Borer (CPB) is the major threat to cocoa industry in SI. CPB is now present in
Bougainville and poses threat to spread to the neighbouring province Choiseul and
Shortland. An effective quarantine surveillance programme needs to be established in
these neighbouring provinces. A bilateral agreement maybe developed and agreed upon
by both parties on movement of CPB host materials to and from Bougainville. Weathered
and unattractive posters placed in public places must be replaced with new ones.
Quarantine surveillance must be strengthened in these provinces with regular checks
made on movement of materials to and from Bougainville.
Strategy: To develop emergency response plan (ERP) in preparedness for incursion of
CPB
The ERP may contain the following:
The document
Management structure
The initial response
The response
CPB
Understand CPB
Contingency plan
Division of labour
Preparations for the outbreak
CBP outbreak
The initial response
Activation emergency regulation
Response teams
Collation of data
Reporting to PS MAL
Assessment of data
Action: containment/eradication/suppression
Assessment of field activities
Procedures for assessment of ERP
Conduct simulation workshop on outbreak of CPB.
36
d. Giant African Snail
Giant African Snail (GAS) has recently invaded Honiara. MAL has tried to contain the
pest and put up measures to eradicate it. Despite the eradication efforts, GAS is breeding
prolifically and is spread in almost all of urban and peri-urban areas of Honiara. Its
spread into inaccessible areas which makes it difficult for physical collections and
application of Blitzem pellets. In its current situation it is difficult to eradicate the pest.
Therefore, the plan of action from eradication should now be changed to management
and taking appropriate actions to reduce the pest population so that the risk of it
spreading to other provinces is reduced.
A holistic approach using physical, cultural, chemical and natural methods are developed
to curtail prolific breeding and further spreading. A dossier on GAS should be produced
with full information on its identification and diagnosis of damages, biology, ecology and
approaches of control methods, and other relevant information.
Proposed Action for Management of GAS
Physical control:
Continue collection and killing of snails by burning or dipping them in sea-water;
encourage villagers and general public to do this
Clear rubbish heaps and weeds surrounding gardens, buildings, and other
possible areas where the snail breeds.
Quarantine
Prevent movement of planting and other possible materials across districts
which harbour the snails from infested areas to non infested areas;
Maintain continuous quarantine surveillance at wharves and airports to avoid
movement of snails from Honiara to other regions.
Biological control
Biological control of GAS is the best approach to curtail the prolific breeding.
Attempts should be made to explore possibilities of introducing suitable bioagents
into the population of GAS in Honiara.
For long term management of GAS it is vital that a natural biotic factor be
included in programme.
Currently the population in SI does not show sign of any effective natural enemies
present in the field
It may be necessary to introduce the release of these bioagents from elsewhere.
37
e. Demonstration of Taro Beetle Management Package
5.1 To promote taro beetle management packages in sustainable taro farming systems
SPC has developed and demonstrated participatory approach of taro beetle management
practices based on use of 2 insecticides, imidacloprid and bifenthrin. The SPC
recommendation has been well adopted and practiced in Fiji, PNG and Vanuatu. It is
suggested that SPC recommendations be incorporated into a taro management
programme in SI.
In addition to the application of insecticides, the demonstrations shall also include:
Crop rotation practices in multi-cropping with crops such as peanuts
Fallow with a legume (Mucuna)
Fungicide dipping and the application of compost or mineral fertilizers, where
needed.
The demonstration plots be set up on taro farms where the recommendations on 2
insecticides, Bifenthrin and Imidacloprid, be demonstrated in a holistic integrated pest
management approach for its adoption by the farmers.
5.2 Evaluation of alternative traditional control methods for taro beetle
Farmers in SI are using coleus plant in taro garden to avoid damages from taro
beetles. There is no evidence to substantiate this practice. It is essential to
scientifically prove if coleus is really effective in minimising the taro beetle
infestation. If this is proven, then it can be further developed and promoted to be
used in IPM approach to control TB.
5.3 To evaluate new insecticides against taro beetles:
Select suitable pesticides
Design trials and carry out field testing on rates and frequency of applications
Participatory demonstration for taro growers with IPM strategies
f. Development and implementation of IPM in Rice
Despite significant efforts currently put in place for development of rice in SI, rice
production has declined and farmers are highly reliable on pesticides for pest control.
Successful IPM programmes have been developed and used in Asia and elsewhere, but
they cannot be merely implemented here. There are differences in the structure of pest
and natural enemy complexes, the climatic conditions, and the pattern of rice cultivation.
Composition of pests and natural enemies of rice are poorly understood in SI.
A study towards understanding the pests, their seasonality, natural enemies present
in rice fields, and their impact on rice pests need to be determined before IPM can
be developed.
38
Strategy: To demonstrate effective IPM approaches of rice pest management:
a. Survey key pests of rice and their associated natural enemies
b. Planting in succession of rice plots in 3 monthly cycles for one year to study the
effect of key pests (brown planthopper and rice leaf roller).
c. Determine the role of natural enemies of the key pests
d. Introduce and release natural enemies from other rice growing countries where
effective natural enemies are present
e. Test selective compatible insecticides against key pests
f. Set up FFS within appropriate farmer groups
g. A master trainer’s inputs maybe necessary for the running of FFS and training
of field staff, in the first instance
g. Development and Implementation of IPM strategies on vegetable crops
where pesticides are used
The existing practices for pest management on major vegetables are heavily relied on
application of pesticides. The farms are adjacent to each other and farmers grow same
crops. This in total can be construed as mono-cropping. Therefore facilitation, adoption
and uptake of effective IPM strategies for the control of insects and other pests of target
vegetable crops (slippery kabis, cabbages, watermelons and beans) must be developed
and implemented.
Proposed IPM programme:
Demonstrates effective integrated approaches of vegetable pest management
Promotes and creates awareness of the concepts and benefits of IPM so that it is
understood and accepted by the local communities
Introduces FFS approaches for improved sustainable production systems in
vegetable crops and effective communication of project outputs
Local field officers are appropriately trained to conduct FFS for improved and
sustainable vegetable production, effective communication of project outputs and
farmers empowered to make appropriate decisions.
Determines the role of major natural enemies in the management of target
vegetable crop pests
Natural enemy status of target vegetables is established
Locally present natural enemies are properly identified
Suitability of potentially effective natural enemies introduced from similar
climatic condition.
IPM package of practice using selective plant protection products, crop and soil
management requirements for the target vegetable crops developed.
39
h. To develop and demonstrate effective integrated approaches to slippery
kabis IPM
Two common and serious pests of slippery kabis are the flea beetle (Nisotra basellae)
and shoot borer (Earias vittella). Both cause serious damage to slippery kabis and
farmers depend on insecticide sprays for their control. The research on identification and
cultural methods of control of flea beetle done by MAL entomologist for PhD studies
may be used. However, this will need to be tested first.
Conduct survey of natural enemies to study how they contribute towards
control of the slippery kabis pests.
Possible introduction and releases of effective bioagents from elsewhere
Conduct field trials to test out selective insecticide suitable for IPM
programmes
Develop IPM package and conduct active participatory demonstrations on the
essential elements of effective IPM strategies to farmers.
i. To develop and implement IPM in sustainable production systems of
cabbages
Chinese and ball cabbages are important commodities for both subsistence and
commercial farmers. Chinese cabbage production is increasing and is widely consumed
as a major green leafy vegetable. Insect pests, particularly diamond back moth (DBM)
and large cabbage moth (LCM), are major constraints to production. Under intensive
farming systems in Honiara and Auki, prophylactic applications of broad-spectrum
insecticides are used to combat the pests. DBM is notoriously known to have developed
resistance with most of the insecticides in use. Excessive use of such insecticides cause
serious economic and environmental problems upsets natural enemies and gives rise to
minor pests in cropping systems.
Cabbage IPM programmes have been recently conducted in Fiji, Samoa, Malaysia, Korea
etc. Outcomes of the cabbage IPM project in Fiji and Samoa can be used as base to
develop cabbage IPM programme in SI. However, IPM programme from elsewhere
cannot be directly used. A collaborative research and extension activities to facilitate the
adoption and uptake of IPM needs to be developed, viz:
Study of the cabbage pests and their natural enemies
Cultural practices
Selection and testing of IPM compatible insecticides
Participatory trials to demonstrate the essentials elements of effective cabbage
IPM
Development of IPM package of practice to fit into to SI conditions
Setting up and running of FFS
40
7.2.1 To determine the role of natural enemies of key pests in sustainable
management of cabbage pests.
Survey cabbage farms to determine key pests and associated natural enemies
Determine impact of natural enemies on the key pests in absence of pesticide
applications
If natural enemies of key pests are not present in SI, then search should be
made of effective bioagents (Cotesia plutellae, Oomyzus sokolowskii) from
elsewhere such as from Fiji, Samoa or Queensland for their importation and
releases in the fields
Set up rearing facilities – quarantine and mass rearing
7.2.2 To develop IPM products to suite local conditions
Selective and effective insecticides against key pests are essential for refining strategies
in IPM programme. Formulations of biocides such as Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) (Delfin,
Dipel, Thuricide and Xentari) and Spinosad (Success) are used elsewhere and works well
in cabbage IPM programme. New insecticides such as Rynaxphyr and Indoxacarb,
although not very specific can also be tested and used on cabbages.
Testing of selected biocides and other selective products against the key pests
Assess economic thresholds for selective product interventions
7.2.3 Introduction of FFS and demonstration of effective IPM to improved
sustainable production systems in cabbages
Participatory approaches based on FFS developed in other Pacific Islands and Asia will
assist in adoption of cabbage IPM practices in SI. Cabbage farmers in a locality get
together regularly (weekly at a fixed day and time) throughout whole crop cycle (sowing
of seed to harvest). IPM and non-IPM plots of cabbage set up at a farmer field at a central
location within that community. At FFS gathering core observations and discussions are
conducted on agro-ecosystems, pests and their damages, natural enemies and analysis to
make decisions on interventions, if necessary. The FFS group is guided by trained
facilitator on field observations, discussions and ensures that important issues are covered
at each gathering.
Training of extension and research staff in FFS techniques by a master trainer
in vegetable IPM
Running of FFS in selective cabbage growing areas and communities.
41
j. To develop and implement IPM strategies in sustainable production of
watermelons and other cucurbits
Watermelon is an important cash crop in SI and there is high usage of pesticides against insect
pests and diseases. The pesticides that are available locally are over used and sometimes do not
work, even ones supplied by TTM with the seeds do not work. Despite this farmers continue to
use them and upset the balance between pests and natural enemies. Most of the sprays are on
prophylactic basis and during flowering kill the pollinators which result in poor pollination and
fruit quality. The key pests are flea and pest species of ladybird beetles, melon fruitfly, cucumber
caterpillar, aphids, mites, and diseases such as gummy and late blight.
The pest and natural enemy complexes and structure are not understood, therefore, studies will
need to be conducted to fill this gap. It is proposed to:
Conduct surveys to study pest and natural enemy species on each pest.
Carry out field experiment to study the pest and natural enemy phonologies
Test appropriate pest management products such IPM pesticides, soil fertility
improve inputs, suitable crop varieties to region, and other factors
Set up active FFS of appropriate farmer group and run FFS
k. Coconut leaf miner
Coconut is an important commodity in Temotu and other provinces in SI. The coconut
leaf miner (CLM) cyclic outbreaks are growing concern on Santa Cruz. CLM reduces
yields and severely infested plants stop nut production, and in some cases death of plants
occur. It is vital that a comprehensive study be conducted to understand the causes of
CLM outbreaks so that preventative measures can be put in place to overcome this
problem.
Action:
Conduct monitoring surveys to study the pest and its natural enemies present in
Temotu and other provinces where CLM is present
Introduction of more effective natural enemies, possibly from PNG, Fiji or
Vanuatu.
l. Yellow crazy ant
Yellow crazy ant (YCA) is an invasive species and very destructive wherever it is
present. It is considered as an agricultural pest because it nurtures insect pest species such
as scales, mealy bugs, aphids, whiteflies, etc. for food and chases away their natural
42
enemies. Spread of YCA into new areas will give additional concerns to the farmers who
are already struggling to combat the existing pest problems.
Action:
d) Prevent movement of planting and other possible materials which harbour the ants
from infested areas to non infested areas
e) Maintain continuous quarantine surveillance at wharves and airports to avoid
movement of ants from the Reef Island.
43
9. Objectives and Outputs
Table 4: Objectives and outputs.
Objectives &
Activities
Outputs Applications/Indicators Risks/Assumptions
Objective 1: To facilitate the operations of the pesticide regulation in SI.
Activity 1: Establish
the Pesticide
Registration Advisory
Committee (PRAC)
PRAC is established
and advises the
Registrar. Pesticide
registration processes
take place.
Public officers from
relevant ministries
appointed to represent
PRAC and convene
meetings. Registered
pesticides recorded and
inventory available.
The public officers
from respective
Ministries actively
participate in the
operation of PRAC
Activity 2: Establish
liaison with Customs
Only registered
pesticides are imported.
Customs makes regular
and constant checks of
imported pesticides and
allows in only registered
pesticides
Registrar is notified of
unregistered pesticides
imported into the country
Custom officers are
involved and they have
updated list of
registered pesticides
Activity 3:
Enforcement –
Appointment of
Pesticide Inspectors
(PIs) and powers
legislated and gazetted.
Enforcement of the
pesticide regulations;
All pesticides
imported, distributed
and sold are in
accordance with the
pesticides regulations.
Regular visits to pesticide
operations and reports
filed. Pesticides are
properly labeled; pesticide
dealers adhere to
requirement of pesticide
regulations.
Pesticide importers and
dealers register their
pesticides; they have
capacity to fill in the
registration form and
submit to the registrar
Activity 4: Revise the
pesticide regulation
and replace with new
and comprehensive
legislation
An improved and
international standard
of pesticide legislation.
A comprehensive
legislation in operation.
Pesticide management
issues addressed in
accordance with
international standards
SI judicatory assists in
the process. Parliament
enacts the revised
legislation
Activity 5: Test
potential selective and
effective pesticides for
use in IPM
programmes
Selective and effective
pesticides available for
use in IPM
programmes
Selection, procurement and
testing of IPM pesticides;
List of IPM pesticides
tested in SI.
IPM pesticides are
available and registered
in SI; IPM pesticides
are affordable
Objective 2: To develop capacities in management of pesticides
Activity 1: Conduct
training in pesticide
registration processes
Improved capacities in
pesticide registration
processes developed
Improved pesticide
registration; improved and
efficient client dealings.
Professional capabilities
improved.
Training programmes
facilitated; resources
available to conduct
training.
Activity 2: Training of
field staff and farmers
on pesticide usage
Improved knowledge
to handle pesticides;
Misuses and abuses of
pesticides prevented
Improved judgment on
decision making for use of
pesticides; reduction
reliance on pesticides for
Resources for training
available; field and
farmers participate in
training programmes
44
and avoided pest management
interventions. Farmers
empowered to make
decisions on use of
pesticides
Objective 3: To develop IPM policy so that support for appropriate pest management strategies
applicable to SI situation is addressed
Activity 1: Establish
IPM committee &
issues identified
A forum to address
IPM issues;
IPM working committee if
formed and conduct
regular meetings. IPM
issues addressed and
improved pest
management options for
farmers.
IPM committee
members convene
regular meetings and
address IPM issues
concerning pest
management
developments
Activity 2: Develop
IPM policy
A working document
which provides
guidelines of use of
products for
sustainable crop
production systems
IPM committee drafts
policy and passes onto the
Minister. A working
document addressing pest
management issues
available
IPM policy adopted by
MAL and other
relevant organisations
Objective 4: To develop emergency response plan (ERP) in preparedness for incursion of
CPB
Activity 1: Develop an
emergency response
plan (ERP)
ERP which effectively
goes into action in case
of incursion of CPB
CPB stakeholders involved
in the ERO process; A
manual addressing
activities for incursion of
CPB
ERP adopted by MAL
and other stakeholders
Activity 2: Conduct
ERP simulation
workshop on CPB
MAL staff and other
stakeholders trained in
case of outbreak CPB
In case of incursions, MAL
and other stakeholders
capable of responding to
the demands of CPB
outbreaks
MAL staff and others
attend the workshop;
resources available to
conduct simulations
Objective 5: To manage Giant African Snail (GAS) to contain it within the infested area and
reduce breeding populations
Activity 1: Conduct
quarantine surveillance
to create awareness at
sea and air ports
Public aware on
importance and
destructive nature of
GAS.
GAS posters at strategic
places at sea and air ports;
Public avoid movement
materials habouring GAS
Public cooperation; no
vandalism of posters.
Activity 2: Exercise
integrated approaches
of GAS management –
physical, cultural,
biological, chemical &
environmental
Reduced populations of
GAS at infestation
sites;
Several – less incidences
of GAS; dead GAS;
bioagents present in field
populations, etc.
Appropriate
managements tools and
effective bioagents
available;
Objective 6: To promote taro beetle management packages in sustainable taro farming
systems. Activity 1:
Demonstration on the
use of recommended
insecticides in
Sustainable
management TB
Participatory
demonstrations with
appropriate farming
communities; taro farmers
Taro growers
participate and adopt
the technology.
Recommended
45
sustainable TB
management
participating in
demonstrations.
insecticides available
to farmers.
Activity 2: Evaluation
of coleus in taro fields
for control of TB
Coleus use
substantiated in taro
fields
Testing coleus plants in
replicated field
experiments
Coleus is effective in
TM control
Activity 3: Evaluation
of new insecticides
against TB
New insect available
for sustainable TB
management
New products in market;
alternative choices
available
New insecticides
available for testing;
they are effective
Objective 7: To develop effective IPM approaches in sustainable rice production systems
Activity 1: Conduct
surveys and
phenological studies of
pests and their natural
enemies in rice fields
Composition and
seasonality of rice pests
and their natural
enemies
Data recorded and
processed; List of rice pest
and their natural enemies.
Rice fields are
accessible; trained
persons to conduct
surveys;
Activity 2: Testing of
selective IPM
compatible insecticides
against BPH, rice leaf
roller and other pests
IPM insecticides for
rice pests.
Selection, procurement and
testing of insecticides; IPM
compatible insecticides
available.
Availability of IPM
insecticides; fields
available for
experiments; data
recorded processed
Activity: Training and
running of rice FFS
Field staff trained in
rice FFS; trained
trainers run FFS with
appropriate rice farmer
groups.
FFS trained staff are
empowered to make
appropriate pest decisions.
Master trainer for rice
FFS; Appropriate rice
farmer groups.
Objective 8: To develop and implement IPM in sustainable production systems of slippery kabis
Activity 1: Conduct
field surveys of natural
enemies and
phenological studies
Composition and effect
of natural enemies on
pests of slippery kabis
List of natural enemies of
slippery kabis pests;
Slippery kabis fields
available to conduct
surveys and monitoring
studies.
Activity 2: Test
selective and effective
IPM insecticides
against key pests of
slippery kabis
Selective and effective
insecticides for use
against key pests of
slippery kabis in IPM
programmes
IPM insecticides available
for use on slippery kabis.
Testing samples of
insecticides available;
field for experiments;
resources for
experiments
Activity 3: Establish
and run FFS for
slippery kabis farmers
Slippery kabis FFS
established; Reliance
on pesticide usage
reduced
Field staff and farmers
empowered to make
decisions for appropriate
interventions for pest
management on slippery
kabis
Farmer participate in
FFS; Effective
insecticides available
for use in Slippery
kabis IPM programmes
Objective 9: To develop and implement IPM in sustainable production systems of cabbages and
watercress
Activity 1: Conduct
field surveys of natural
enemies and
phenological studies
Composition and effect
of natural enemies on
pests of cabbages
Field surveys and
monitoring fields
established; List and
composition of natural
enemies of cabbage pests;
Cabbage fields
available to conduct
surveys and monitoring
studies.
Activity 2: Test
selective and effective
IPM insecticides
Selective and effective
insecticides for use
against key pests of
IPM insecticides available
for use on cabbages.
Tests samples of
insecticides available;
field for experiments;
46
against key pests of
cabbages
cabbages in IPM
programmes
resources for
experiments
Activity 3: Conduct
FFS train-the-trainer
workshops and
establish cabbage FFS
Field staff trained in
running cabbage FFS;
Trainees run FFS of
cabbage farmers
Field staff and farmers
empowered to make
decisions for appropriate
interventions for pest
management in cabbages.
Trainer is available to
conduct FFS training;
Activity 4: Conduct
experiments on
submerging of
watercress rafts to kill
insects
Submerging rafts
adequately tested and
data available.
Technique adopted by
watercress growers;
reduction on use of
insecticides on water cress.
Watercress rafts and
test insects available;
data recorded and
processed properly
Objective 10: To develop and implement IPM strategies in sustainable production of watermelons
and other cucurbits
Activity 1: Field
surveys of pests and
natural enemies of
watermelons and other
cucurbits
Inventory of pests and
natural enemies of
watermelons and
cucurbits understood
Surveys carried out and
data recorded; Natural
enemies of key pest
known; Pests and natural
enemies listed
Field for surveys;
existence of natural
enemies of watermelon
pests.
Activity 2: Testing of
IPM insecticides and
other products
Effectiveness of IPM
insecticides confirmed
Watermelon IPM
insecticides identified and
available for use.
IPM insecticides
available; fields to
conduct tests
Activity 3: Set up and
run FFS of watermelon
farmers
FFS established to
conduct IPM
programmes
Field staff and farmers
empowered to make
decisions of intervention
for pest management
operations.
Farmers participate in
IPM programme;
availability of
resources
47
10. Proposed schedule of activities
Table 5: Proposed schedule of activities for pesticide registration process
Objectives &
Activities
Tasks Time line
(Year &Month)
Milestones
Objective 1: To facilitate the operations of the pesticide regulation in SI.
Activity 1:
Establish the
Pesticide
Registration
Advisory
Committee
(PRAC)
PS/US(T) and
DOR meet to
consult ministries
for nominations of
representatives;
List sent to the
Minister and
gazetted; PRAC
conducts meetings
and advises the
Registrar;
Registrar appoints
assistant to carry
out day-to-day
activities
Yr 1; M 1-3
PRAC gets acquainted with the pesticide
regulations and a forum established for
pesticide registration processes and
control.
The appointed officer is trained in
pesticide registration and caries out
registration processes under supervision
of the Registrar. Registered pesticides
recorded and inventory in place.
Activity 2:
Establish liaison
with Customs
Registrar meets
Customs and
briefs the pesticide
regulation;
updated registered
pesticide list
provided to
Customs
Yr 1; M 4-6 Customs allows in only registered
pesticides.
Activity 3:
Enforcement –
Appointment of
Pesticide
Inspectors (PIs)
and powers
legislated and
gazetted.
The Registrar
selects staff and
submits to
Minister for
appointment;
inspectors trained
Yr 1; M 6-9 Enforcement of the pesticide regulations
in effect.
Activity 4: Revise
the pesticide
regulation and
replace with new
and
comprehensive
legislation
PRAC considers
revision of the
pesticide
regulation. Seeks
assistance for the
revision and
amendments;
submits proposal
to SI judicatory.
YR 2; M 3-9 New and comprehensive pesticide law
takes effect. Pesticide control meets
international standard.
Activity 5: Test
potential selective
and effective
Experiment design
planning,
selection and
Yr 2; M 1-12
Selective and defective pesticides known
ad available for use in IPM programmes.
48
pesticides for use
in IPM
programmes
procurement of
pesticides
Conduct field tests
Objective 2: To develop capacities in management of pesticides
Activity 1:
Conduct training
in pesticide
registration
processes
Conduct training
on pesticide
registration
processes
Yr 1; M 3-6 Pesticides registration process
understood and carried out
professionally.
Activity 2:
Training of field
staff and farmers
on pesticide usage
Conduct pesticide
training
Yr 1’ M 6-12 Field staffs understand the importance of
pesticide in pest management and are
able to make decisions when to use
them. Judicious uses of pesticides. Field
staff and famers empowered in pest
management decision making.
Objective 3: To develop IPM policy so that support for appropriate pest management strategies
applicable to SI situation is addressed
Activity 1:
Establish IPM
committee &
issues identified
Consultations on
IPM committee
Y r 1; M 6-12 IPM committee as a collective voice on
IPM issues established.
Activity 2:
Develop IPM
policy
IPM committee
dwells on IPM
policy
Yr 1; M 6-12 IPM provides guidelines on integrated
approaches of pest management.
Objective 4: To develop emergency response plan (ERP) in preparedness for incursion of
CPB
Activity 1:
Develop an
emergency
response plan
(ERP)
Draft CBP ERP in
consultation with
SPC biosecurity
Yr 1; M 3-6 ERP is in place for consultation on CBP
incursion. COB prevention plan in place.
Activity 2:
Conduct ERP
simulation
workshop on CPB
Conduct training
workshop on ERP
Y r 1; M 9
MAL staff and other stakeholder trained
in carrying out CPB ERP.
Objective 5: To manage Giant African Snail (GAS) to contain it within the infested area and
reduce breeding populations
Activity 1:
Conduct
quarantine
surveillance to
create awareness
at sea and air ports
Placement of
posters; quarantine
checks, etc
Continuous Public are constantly aware of the
importance of GAS and its effect of rural
communities.
Activity 2:
Exercise integrated
approaches of
GAS management
– physical,
cultural,
Carryout control
measures to reduce
to GAS breeding
Y r 1-3 GAS population reduced to manageable
level and reduces risk of spread to other
places.
49
biological,
chemical &
environmental
Objective 6: To promote taro beetle management packages in sustainable taro farming
systems. Activity 1:
Demonstration on
the use of
recommended
insecticides in
sustainable TB
management
Select
demonstration
sites;
Conduct meeting
and discussion
with famer groups;
Land preparation
and procurement
of materials
Planting and first
demonstration of
insecticide
application;
Second application
of insecticides;
Harvest and
evaluation of
demonstration
with a field day.
Yr 1; M 1-12
Participating farmers are well versed
with insecticide applications in
sustainable management of TB.
Pesticide used safely; environment
pollution avoided.
Activity 2:
Evaluation of
coleus in taro
fields for control
of TB
Planning, trial
design,
procurement of
materials
Field experiments
Yr 2-3; Data of use of coleus in taro plantations
substantiated.
Activity 3:
Evaluation of new
insecticides
against TB
Planning and
procurement of
materials
Field experiments
Yr 2-4;
New insecticide available for use in
sustainable management of TB.
Objective 7: To develop effective IPM approaches in sustainable rice production systems
Activity 1:
Conduct surveys
and phenological
studies of pests
and their natural
enemies in rice
fields
Conduct rice pest
and natural
enemies surveys
Yr 1; M 1-12 Rice pests and their seasonality
understood; range of natural enemies
rice pests known.
Activity 2: Testing
of selective IPM
compatible
insecticides
against BPH, rice
leaf roller and
other pests
Plan and
procurement of
materials
Planting of rice
plot of 100m2
every 3 months
and monitoring
every week
Yr 2-4 IPM pesticides for sustainable pest
management in rice
Activity: Training Plan and Yr 2-4 Field staff and empowered to make
50
and running of rice
FFS
procurement of
material
Conduct
experiments
appropriate pest management decisions;
reduction of reliance of pesticides.
Objective 8: To develop and implement IPM in sustainable production systems of slippery kabis
Activity 1:
Conduct field
surveys of natural
enemies and
phonological
studies
Field surveys and
monitoring of
pests and their
natural enemies on
slippery kabis
Yr 1; M 1-12 Composition of pest and natural enemies
on slippery kabis understood.
Activity 2: Test
selective and
effective IPM
insecticides
against key pests
of slippery kabis
Conduct
experiments on
insecticides
against slippery
kabis pests.
Yr 2-4 IPM insecticides tested sustainable
slippery kabis pest management.
Activity 3:
Establish and run
FFS for slippery
kabis farmers
Establish FFs with
appropriate
communities
Yr 2-4 Farm learn from each other on slippery
kabis crop management
Objective 9: To develop and implement IPM in sustainable production systems of cabbages and
watercress
Activity 1:
Conduct field
surveys of natural
enemies and
phonological
studies
Conduct pest and
natural enemy
surveys on
research stations
and on farms
Pests collected and
reared to
determine
parasitism levels
Natural enemies
collected and
appropriately
stored
Yr 1, m 1-12
Temporal variations in pest abundance
determined
Inventory of pests and their natural
enemies established
Activity 2: Test
selective and
effective IPM
insecticides
against key pests
of cabbages
Bioassays of
selective plant
protection
products
performed
Yr 2-4 Bioassay data analysed and effectiveness
of selective plant protection products
against pest complex confirmed.
Activity 3:
Conduct FFS
train-the-trainer
workshops and
establish cabbage
Conduct FFS
training of
extension
personnel
Yr 2-4 Local extension staff thoroughly trained
in the concepts and mechanism of the
FFS approach
51
FFS
Activity 4:
Conduct
experiments on
submerging of
watercress rafts to
kill insects
Conduct
submerging
experiments
Yr 1; M 1-12 Submerging method adequately tested
and data available
Objective 10: To develop and implement IPM strategies in sustainable production of watermelons
and other cucurbits
Activity 1:
Conduct surveys
of pests and
natural enemies of
watermelons and
other cucurbits
Conduct pest and
natural enemy
surveys on
research stations
and on farms
Pests collected and
reared to
determine
parasitism levels
Natural enemies
collected and
appropriately
stored
Yr 1-2
Temporal variations in pest abundance
determined
Inventory of pests and their natural
enemies established
Activity 2: Testing
of IPM
insecticides and
other products
Bioassays of
selective plant
protection
products
performed
Yr 2-4 Bioassay data analysed and effectiveness
of selective plant protection products
against pest complex confirmed.
Activity 3: Set up
and run FFS of
watermelon
farmers
Conduct FFS
training of
extension
personnel
Yr 2-4 Local extension staff thoroughly trained
in the concepts and mechanism of the
FFS approach
52
11. Acknowledgement
Thanks are due to all persons who assisted the PMS to obtain the materials necessary to complete
this report. Special thanks are due to the Component 2 Coordinator, Mr. Gabriel Hiele and
Component 2 Adviser, Dr. Mark Johnston for their guidance and advice. MAL staff at HQ
particularly Director of Research and his plant protection staff who were often consulted for their
opinion, Director of Quarantine and his staff, Director of Extension, Senior Adviser, and the field
staff in the Provinces are also thanked for their assistance. I would like to thank many farmers
who allowed me to visit their farms and for frank opinions and discussion on pest management
issues concerning them. Lastly Solomon Island Rural Development Programme for hiring me to
conduct this study on pest management needs and help improve the rural services.
53
12. APPENDICES
Appendix 1:
Field Visit Reports of the 4 RDP Provinces
Purpose:
- Familiarize with pest management activities and services in the provinces
- Meet field staff and discuss on the existing pest management programmes
- Assess and make recommendations for possible improvements of capacity building in pest
management in the provinces
- List pest management needs of the provinces
Choiseul Province
Dates of travel: 10-13 October 2010
Traveling staff:
- Mr. Gabriel Hiele - RDP Component 2 Coordinator
- Mr. Belden Taki - Deputy Director of Extension, Head Quarters (HQ)
- Mrs. Jacqueline Qaloboe - Human Resources Manager, HQ
Activities:
- Attend the provincial staff meeting
- Meet the field staff in the province
- Familiarize with the agricultural services in the outer provinces
- Visits the project sites
- Discuss pest and management issues with the field staff and the farmers
- Plan possible future activities for pest management
- Make recommendations for pest management
Staff conference
The visit to Choiseul Province was arranged to attend the staff meeting and to meet with the field
staff and discuss their activities in their regions.
First day of the meeting was devoted to presentations from HQ staff on extension policies, issues
and extension human resources. The regional field staff from the 3 regions in Choiseul Province
presented their progress reports, concerns of the farmers and proposals for the 2011 programme.
Mr. Taki presented the extension policies highlighting the need for them in the annual work.
Some of the plans need to address the issues of the farmers and needs highlighting and to align
with the work plan to comply with the overall extension policies of MAL
PMS presented the management of taro beetles using insecticides
Following are some of the pest problems highlighted in the presentations by the Choiseul
field staff:
Northwest Choiseul
- Taro beetle (TB) is a major pest problem for taro production; farmers currently do shift
planting or use coleus to manage TB.
54
- Vegetables have a range of pest problem, such as aphids, mealy bugs, cluster caterpillar,
leaf miner; Bean pod-sucking bug (Riptortus sp.) on beans and DBM on cabbages are the
major insect pests of vegetables
- Rice pest problems are brown plant hopper and leaf roller; farmers are asking for
insecticides to manage the rice pests; since the withdrawal of TTM inputs of pesticides,
fertilizers, farm tools, etc. The farmers have lost interest in rice and the rice production
in the region has declined.
- CLIP has generated new interest in cocoa and old plantations are currently being
rehabilitated. New planting programme is also underway in the region. There is a concern
of increased incursion of CPB and its consequence on cocoa industry. CPB posters have
been placed at public offices, stores and other places to create awareness amongst the
cocoa producers and general public.
- There are a few semi-commercial farmers who do mix farming of root crops, vegetables
and fruits with a small plot of rice. The produce is sold at the Taro market.
East Choiseul
- TB is a major pest and farmers do shift cultivation to manage the pest. According to the
extension officer farmers are interested in more taro cultivation but TB is a constraint.
- Rice pests were also highlighted from this region; farmers are requesting for continuation
of supply of pesticides for rice to manage the pests.
- Like other regions CPB concerns have been raised in the region as well.
South Choiseul
- TB is also a concern for taro farmers here. As in other regions farmers practice shift
cultivation away in newly cleared forest areas to avoid TB damage. Despite this farmers
still lose a lot of harvest from TB damages.
- Rice concerns are same as in other regions in Choiseul
- Assorted vegetables face similar pest problems as in other regions. There has been
demonstration on use of PDPs (Derris) for use against the vegetable pests.
- CPB concerns were highlighted.
Proposed Oil Palm industry in the Choiseul province
- SIG is proposing a oil palm plantation as an enterprise in the province; currently a project
manager is based in Taro and working with communities to establish the oil palm
plantations
- It is envisaged that once the oil planting programme starts herbicides will be used for
clearing the land and weed management in the plantations.
- Large land clearing may upset current ecological environment in the region which may
give rise to new pest problems.
Farm visits
The semi-commercial farm was visited which is located at Rabakela settlement in the Northern
Choiseul. The farmer grows mixed crops of rice, root crops (sweet potatoes, taro, cassava),
vegetables (slippery kabis, eggplants, beans, Chinese and ball cabbages, spring onions, pepper,
pumpkins, watermelons, cucumber, lettuces and corn), and fruits (bananas, guava, karambola).
The produce is sold at Taro market.
Rice – a small plot of less than a quarter hectare rice was at panicle initiation stage. There was
slight infestation of the rice leaf-roller, causing no problem. The major rice pest, brown
planthopper was not found in the plot. The rice field was surrounded with sweet potato, beans,
spring onion, sweet pepper and cabbages. The farmer rotates rice with other crops each season.
55
Larger areas of rice were planted during the TTM project period and pesticides used for control
of the pests.
Sweet potato –infestation of flea beetle (Monolepta semiviolacea) and tortoise beetle (Cassida
papuana) had caused severely perforated leaves. The farmer does not know if the beetle
infestations brought any yield losses as there had been no assessments done. Sweet potato scab
was also common and affecting the shoots.
Taro – taro is rotated with other crops and always planted in new area to avoid the TB damage.
The farmer loses over 50% of the crop from the beetle damages. The farmer is very keen to grow
more taros provided he has solution to TB problem. Taro sells well at the Taro market. Although
the farmer rotates taro for every new planting, he does not have access to virgin land, like other
farmers in the area, and repeated planting of taro in same area is impossible. Despite that taro is
still grown and produces not very good quality yields.
Vegetables – both Chinese and ball cabbages were infested with DBM and LCM. Ball cabbages
were severely damaged. Although Chinese cabbages are also damaged by insect pests, it is
harvested early before full maturity to minimize losses. Beans suffer attacks from the bean pod-
sucking bug, which usually bring losses to yields. Capsicum plants did not look very healthy
with few bacterial spots. Eggplants and slippery kabis are doing well without major concern, but
occasional attacks from the shoot borer on slippery kabis are common. On pumpkin, water melon
and cucumber, pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora similis) is the most common pest with occasional
attacks from aphids.
The farmer does not use pesticides and fertilizers on his farm now. Extension has demonstrated
use of derris and chilies for control of insect pest to the farmer. The farmer used rice pesticides
and fertilizers during the TTM project, but now since they are not available, he does not use any.
The rice area has also reduced to manageable size of less than quarter ha for each cropping cycle.
Observations and outcomes from Choiseul visit
1. CPB – Choiseul and Shortland have greatest risk for introduction of CPB, since it is now
confirmed to be present in Bougainville. Following strategies needs to be considered and
adopted for prevention and preparedness for incursion of CPB:
a. Old and torn CPB posters need to be replaced with new ones. This needs to be
done regularly so that public’s attention is drawn towards the importance of CPB
b. Quarantine surveillance programme to be upgraded in the light of CPB now
present in Bougainville. Public regularly travel to and from Bougainville, which
increases the risk of CPB coming to Choiseul. A quarantine bilateral agreement
should be developed so people at both ends are aware of and movements of CPB
host plants and other materials are not moved around.
c. ERP be developed on CPB in preparedness in case CPB came into Choiseul.
d. Conduct ERP simulation workshop involving all stakeholders
2. TB – is a concern for taro production and following action is recommended:
a. Carry out participatory demonstration of taro beetle management practice
developed by SPC
3. Capacity development in pest management - training
a. Field staff lack basic skills in pest management which needs to be developed with
basic hands-on training on recognizing or identifying pests, symptoms of
damages, natural enemies and diagnosis.
b. Training on awareness of IPM concepts
c. Pesticide training on formulations, safety, application and equipment
56
d. Semi-commercial farmers need simple interventions to manage pest damages,
including use of selective pesticides
e. Active participatory activities on holistic pest management are carried out on
farmers’ field by establishing FFS for important crops to the regions.
Staff:
1. McDonnell Hiva - CFO
2. Mark Biloko - SFO (North)
3. Joe Doe - SFO (South)
4. Aldrin Soqati - SFO (East)
5. Morris Vagalo - Project Manager (Oil Palm)
Western Province
Dates of travel: 14-16/10/10
Traveling staff:
Mr. Gabriel Hiele, C2
Mr. Roy Timothy, SFO Munda
Gizo
Mile 6 farm – is a provincial farm developed to raise breeding stock and planting materials.
There aren’t many activities at the farm due to lack of resources. A small piggery with few pigs
and a honey-bee colony is maintained. A plot of mucuna, cassava and collection of few fruits are
maintained. Rice was also grown, but currently no planting of rice due to unavailability of seeds
and other inputs provided from TTM. The stock and plants are just barely maintained, otherwise
not much activities due lack of resources. A hectare of cocoa and coconut seed garden also
established to supply planting material for distribution to farmers in the region.
Gizo town – a backyard gardener in Gizo town grows vegetables and fruits, and fresh water fish.
MAL staff use this garden for conducting FFS. The gardener is concerned with the shoot borer
on his slippery kabis and requested for insecticides for control of the pest.
Ringi Field Experiment Station, Kolombangara.
This is a government owned and operated field experiment station (FES) comprising of about
100 hectares. The FES, however, is run down and needs lots of maintenance of facilities and
housing. A taro beetle demonstration field was established at the station, but due to lack of
resources for proper maintenance of the trial it has been abandoned. Red nose birds common to
the area also contributed towards destruction of the taro plants. Taro is important crop to the
region, but production is constrained by TB damages. According to the station research officer,
Mr. Roy Vaketo, the farmers are very keen to grow taro if only they can manage TB.
Ringi FES is the only place which does not have any land disputes, therefore, an ideal place to
conduct field experiments for crop development and pest management programmes.
Noro Quarantine Station
Giant African snail (GAS) was intercepted in 2009 at the wharf area where containers with
building materials for Gizo hospital coming from Lae in PNG were stored. Upon interception of
the snail, an immediate eradication programme was carried out by the quarantine staff in
collaboration with Noro wharf management and communities. Blitzem baits were placed at the
infested sites and collecting the nails which were destroyed by burning and dipping in sea water.
57
The whole wharf area was sprayed with sea water using the local fire truck. Regular blitzem
baiting and collection of snail has continued since it was first intercepted. Last record of finding
the snail was 29 June 2010, after which there has been no record of finding of dead or alive
specimens. It seems that the eradication programme was successful. Monitoring of the snail is
continued and will remain in force for a while in and around the Noro wharf and sites where the
materials were moved to.
Munda
By the time we arrived in Munda, it was approaching evening; therefore, no field visit was
possible. However, PFO Mr. Lesley Kiadapitu was available in the office to discuss about crops,
pests and their management issues in Munda.
As in other places in the province, Munda also has same range of crops with same pest problems
and issues. There, however, are few semi-commercial farmers growing vegetables and roots
crops for Munda market and hotels and resorts in the area. Some of these farmers do use
pesticides which they obtain from Honiara. As common rice farmers are requesting for pesticides
and fertilizers. Farmers’ interest in rice has declined after the TTM project.
Taro – few farmers grow taro and sell at the Munda market. Farmers generally don’t show much
interest in taro growing because of TB problem. Few farmers who were selling taro at the market
the corms had typical TB damage holes on them. Talking to the taro vendors they showed
interest in TB management and willing to participate in demonstration of control programme.
Vegetables – beans, slippery kabis, Chinese and ball cabbages are also grown and sold at the
Munda market. Diamondback moth is a major insect pest on cabbages. Few farmers have used
pesticides in the past, but they failed to control the pest, therefore, they are not using them
anymore.
Observations and outcomes from Western Province:
1. Western province has demand for local produce for sale at the local markets and hotels in
the region. Appropriate crop development and pest management issues need to be
addressed accordingly. A more concerted effort needs to assist farmers so they can better
manage the pest problems.
2. Semi-commercial growers use some pesticides; therefore, availability of selective and
effective pesticide will help the crop production systems and bring confidence in farming
of the crops important to the region.
3. Field workers and farmers need basic hands-on training in pest identification, diagnosis
and pesticide use.
Diary of Choiseul and Western Province visit
Day/Date Activities
Sunday 10/10/10 Travel Honiara to Taro; accommodation arrangements;
familiarization field visit with Mark Biloko, SFO North
Choiseul - rice mill and boat ride up the river.
Monday 11/10/10 Meeting and introduction of staff – CFO MacDonald
Hiva and other staff attending the conference; after
opening of the conference by the Acting Premier field
staff from the regions presented their progress report
58
and proposals for 2011. All day spent in the conference
Tuesday 12/10/10 Continuation of the conference; Presented Taro beetle
management package using insecticides; C2
Component presented template for work plans; staff
working on the work plan proposal.
Wednesday 13/10/10 Morning continuation of the conference on work plan;
visited Taro market. Afternoon visited vegetable field
at Rabakela.
Thursday 14/10/10 Leave Taro at 12.30pm; Arrive Gizo 2pm and met by
SFO Roy Timothy; accommodation arrangements;
visited Mile 6 Farm with Roy Timothy and SLO
Ataban Zama;
Friday 15/10/10 Boat ride from Gizo to Ringi and met by SRO Roy
Vaketo who took us to Ringi Field Experiment Station;
Discussion with Roy on the activities at Ringi; TB
demonstration field abandoned due lack to lack of
resources for maintenance and red nose bird problem.
Left Ringi and boat ride to Noro Quarantine station.
Discussion with SQO Lois Daiwo on eradication of
GAS. Left Noro and arrive Munda at 4.30pm. Meeting
with PFO Lesley Kiadapitu who gave an outline of
extension activities in Munda. Visited Munda market.
Overnight at Agnes Hotel.
Saturday 16/10/10 Leave Munda and arrive Honiara at 4pm.
Santa Cruz Island, Temotu Province
Date of visit: 19-26 October
Traveling staff
Mrs. Helen Tsatsia, Chief Research Officer (Crop Health, Plant Pathologist)
Mrs. Lily Wame, Act Chief Training Officer
Activities:
- Assist in crop protection workshop
- Farm visit to familiarize with crops, pests and pest management issues
- Meeting and discussion with field staff
- Survey and assess coconut leafminer damage
Crop Protection Workshop
The aim of the workshop was to provide basic training on pest identification, symptoms of
damage, and interventions to enable the field staff to diagnose crop problems so that they can
advice the farmers for best options for their management. The workshop was conducted using
the Crop Protection Manual developed by IPPSI project funded by ACIAR and Fact Sheets
developed by MAL.
The workshop was spread over 5 days with class room teaching, group exercises on pest
identification and diagnosis, field sampling and collection of pest specimens, sorting out of the
59
collections and group presentations. MAL staff Mrs. Helen Tsatsia and Mrs. Lily Wame
conducted the workshop with overall assistance from PMS.
General comments and observations on the training programme:
- The trainers Helen and Lily with the best of their ability made very good efforts for the
training, which was commendable.
- This was first of such kind of training workshop conducted in the province and for most of
them it was first time they had undergone training in pest identification.
- All participants valued the training very highly
Following improvements are suggested:
o Since many of the field staff do not have any formal training in pest management,
it would be better that an introduction of basic pest classification subjects should
be included.
o Trainers should have access to teaching aids such as power point projector and
other teaching materials
o Weeds and other pest groups should also form part of the training
o Pesticide management (pesticide formulations, application, measuring,
calibration, use of appropriate protective clothing and applicators, etc) can be
included
o The training needs to be extended for longer period (2 weeks) or split into
sessions
Participant List
1. Selwyn Meplu - PFO
2. Boaz Bero - SRO
3. Lionel Laura - SQO
4. Harold Bok - SFO
5. James Mwaplir - SFO
6. Mathias - SFO
7. Mary Waletsau - AFO
8. Marieta Olisia - FA
9. Patrick Maesuba - FA
10. Paul Mekimo - FA
11. Robinson Meabir - FA
12. Alfred Daiwo - FA
13. Ben Meleti - FA
14. George Kolia - FA
15. Sam Menoni - FA
Assessment of Coconut leafminer
The coconut leaf miner, Promecotheca opacicollis, is spread all over Santa Cruz Island with
pockets of severe damages. Recently, the damage levels have reduced and coconut palms are
recovering as compared to last year. Earlier in the year SPC technician with MAL plant
protection staff visited Santa Cruz Island (SCI) and conducted survey. Collections of the leaf
miner larvae were found parasitoid, probably, Pediobus parvulus. The reduction in damage level
may be attributed to the presence of the parasitoid in the leafminer population on SCI. With
buildup of the parasitoid levels, the leafminer damages are expected to reduce further. Therefore,
60
there is no need for alarm on the pest outbreak, but monitoring surveys need to be carried at six
month intervals. A thorough study on the cyclic outbreak is recommended.
Taro beetle
Taro beetle (TB), like in other provinces is a major concern for taro growers on SCI. Few
farmers are using mustang (formulation of imidacloprid) for control of TB. In a casual discussion
with a taro grower he revealed using icon (Lambda-Cyhalothrin), insecticide used for malaria
control and supplied to communities by the SIG health service. According to the farmer he finds
icon giving control, but still loses lots of taro from TB damages. The prominent taro grower on
SCI, Mr. Michael Lano, currently has over 7000 taro ready for harvest. He has applied
imidacloprid only once to his field.
Farmers know the benefits of insecticide applications for TB management, but current practices
are not followed according to the SPC recommendations. This may set wrong trend for mis-use
of the insecticides and lead to over or under use of the insecticides, hence ineffective control
levels. The early maturing (6-7 months) selfish taro is the preferred variety of taro on Santa Cruz,
which fits in well with the current SPC recommendations on the use of 2 insecticides,
imidacloprid and bifenthrin.
It is recommended that the use of this insecticide be properly demonstrated to the taro growers
with emphasis on proper handling procedures, application rates, mixing, application methods and
safety aspect of the insecticides. This can be done on a farmer’s field with active participation of
taro growers on SCI.
Rice Development Programme
Field tests are underway at Takila farm for the testing of performance of about 130 varieties of
rice imported from the Philippines. Thirty varieties are currently undergoing second phase of
testing. According to field staff the only observation they are recording is performance of the
varieties against BPH. There were some doubts raised on the method of recording of the data, as
field staff themselves were not very clear what they were supposed to do. Extension felt that
research staff at Santa Cruz should also be involved in such trials.
Vegetables – visit to SCI plateau to familiarize vegetable production system and pest
management issues. The range of vegetables is same as in other provinces with similar pest
problems. DBM, LCM and aphids are a concern on Chinese and ball cabbages. Shoot borer is an
occasional pest on slippery kabis, but there is no problem of the flea beetle (Nisotra basellae),
which is not yet present on SCI. Bean pod-sucking bug (Riptortus sp) however, is a problem for
bean production.
Observations and outcomes or recommendations:
1. TB – demonstration of the SPC package be carried out in active participatory approach on
rates of application, frequency, methods, and safety aspects.
2. Coconut leaf miner – six monthly monitoring surveys to study the bioagent activities and
level of damages.
3. Conduct pesticide management training for staff and farmers
4. Properly labeled TB insecticides (imidacloprid and bifenthrin) are made available to
farmers.
5. Quarantine practices strengthened to keep away pests like Nisotra, GAS, etc.
6. Active participatory approaches for pest management be developed and implemented.
Day/Date Activities
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Tuesday 19/10/10 Honiara to Lata; arrived Lata at 10.30am and checked
in at Lata Motel; afternoon meeting with PFO Selwyn
to make arrangements and logistics for the workshop.
Familiarizing tour of nearby field.
Wednesday 20/10/10 Workshop: Introductions – IPPSI training manual and
MAL factsheets; diseases and symptoms; group work
plant pests of crops in Temotu; disease cycles;
introduction to insect pests and group work
Thursday 21/10/10 Field collection of plant pests on taro, vegetables and
rice at 3 farms; visit taro fields applied with
insecticides; Takila farm where Phil rice varieties
under field tests.
Friday 22/10/10 Morning - sorting out of collections – description of
pests, stages doing damage and symptoms. Afternoon
group presentations
Saturday 23/10/10 Lecture on insect classification of major orders; group
work on possible interventions and presentations
Sunday 24/10/10 Field visits to Santa Cruz plateau and coastal areas to
survey coconut leaf miner and other pests of crops
Monday 25/10/10 Continuation of workshop – group work on pests of
specific crops and interventions. Workshop evaluation
and end of workshop
Tuesday 26/10/10 Return to Honiara
Central Region, Malaita Province
Dates of visit: 7-10 November
Activities:
- Conduct meetings and discussion with field staff
- Visit project field sites and farms to familiarize with extension and research work on pest
management
- Discuss with officers the existing programmes and performance of extension and research
activities
- Assess current capacity and possibility of improvements of extension and research on pest
management
- Visit MAL crop development projects and meet farmers and communities
- Visit Dala FES and Training Centre
- Survey of pesticide available in Auki
Meetings and discussion with staff in Auki:
Victor Kaihou (CFO Malaita Province) – Victor briefed on the MAL activities in
Malaita and assigned 2 officers Ellison Toramo (Extension Officer) and Robert
Tate’e (Research Officer) who arranged all field visits and discussions while in Auki.
Augustine Tiuti - Rice Coordinator, Malaita Province
o Overall rice interest on Malaita has declined.
62
o Four rice mills were set up of which only 2 are operating.
o Brown planthopper (BPH) is the main pest and farmers find it difficult to
control.
o Orthene which was originally supplied by TTM is widely used by farmers, but
in many cases it has failed to control BPH.
o Under NRRDP, 90 varieties of rice from Philippines have been planted to test
their performance under Malaita conditions and programmed to evaluate
further of the promising varieties. These are targeted for small holder upland
rice.
List of project sites and farms visited
FIU farmers association (FFA) – 5 ha of rice farm was developed under the TTM
rice project with inputs of rice seeds, fertilizer and pesticides and water pump for
irrigation. Three hectares of last crop of rice was lost due to BPH burn despite
regular sprays with Orthene. The field has been abandoned and covered with
weeds. Since the loss of 3 hectares, the farmer association has lost interest in
growing rice on larger areas and has just restarted planting rice on a smaller scale
of manageable size of rice field. Currently a small field of about 200 square
metres just transplanted with IR64 variety of rice. According to the secretary of
the farm association, the farm diversified into planting of sweet potato, water
melon and vegetables. The land, however, is waterlogged and may not be suitable
for vegetables and root crops, unless proper drainage system is developed.
Asia Pacific Sustainable Development (APSD) – is a Japanese funded NGO
training centre in sustainable farming systems. APSD does not use any chemical
fertilizers or pesticides. Soil fertility is maintained by compost and PDPs used for
pest control. The agricultural trainer, however, realizes that composting and PDPs
are only suitable for small scale farming. The land is all flat and prone to water
logging. According to the trainer Mr. Allan Kisi, only overseas varieties of crops
are grown at the centre. Trainees are expected to have the knowledge of local
crops.
i. Rice – about 2 hectares of rice field is used for student project and
training. Rice is grown in same field continuously season after season.
Land preparation is done by machine (power tiller), but all other activities
planting, weeding and harvesting are done manually. For pest control
during times of outbreak of BPH, Barringtonia asiatika (Dadao) fruit is
used. Dadao fruit is macerated and soaked in water for few days. The
concentrate is mixed with water and sprayed onto rice aiming base of the
plants. Soil fertility is maintained by adding compost. The rice plants
didn’t look very healthy (lack of nitrogen), but also didn’t have much pest
problem either, (just light infestation of leaf rollers), which did not require
pesticide use for pest control.
ii. Water melon - plot suffered water logging during heavy rains hence the
plants and fruits did not look very healthy. For insect control glyricidia
and ash have been used. There may have been problem of pollination, the
droopy symptoms of fruits.
iii. Ball and pakchoy cabbages – were both attacked by DBM and LCM. Ball
cabbages suffer more damages as they are in the ground longer. PDPs
63
from derris and chilies have been used but did not seem to have much
effect on the pests.
iv. Beans – as in other places the pod-sucking bug (Riptortus sp.) is common
and difficult to control.
v. Tomatoes – occasional pest of fruit worm, leaf miner, aphids and mites
were observed
vi. Composting – uses all local materials
1. Bokasi - is prepared from the rice bran mixed with poultry manure
and other organic refuse and fermented to breakdown into usable
form.
The APSD rice field is neighbouring FFA rice field. At APSD there has been no application of
Orthene and had no outbreak of BPH like in FFA rice. This suggests that Orthene is an
ineffective insecticide against BPH, which brings in more harm than good for rice pest
management. Experiments may need to be conducted to prove this.
Field Experiment Station and Training Centre at Dala – there aren’t many
activities at the station and the station is barely maintained. The centre is run
down which needs to be rehabilitated to make it functional. There are small plots
of taro, sweet potato and slippery kabis collection which need to be properly
maintained and weeded. The centre has good potential to carry out field
experiments for Malaita Province.
Naligaragara Vocational Training Centre has fields of eggplant, beans, slippery
kabis, taro and a nursery. Some of the fields are overgrown with weeds.
According to Brandon Maomaigizo the main problem of taro is the taro beetle.
There is lot of interest in taro but the TB is the limiting factor for growing more
taros. Nisotra basellae is major problem of slippery kabis.
Naligaragara training centre will be a good site for demonstration of the TB IPM package in
Auki.
Water melon farm at Kakara. This is one of the major water melon growing areas
in Malaita. The farm visited was of Mr. James Kaine who grows water melon
every year so that harvest coincides with Christmas. The farmer sprays Orthene
and farmacon (Cyhalothrin) every week probably for the control of watermelon
beetle (Aulacophora similis) and watermelon worm (Diaphania indica). The
melon plants were clean of insect infestation and only few beetles were noticed
hovering over the leaves. The plants overall looked healthy but did not have many
flowers and fruits. The melon seeds were obtained from TTM. Insecticides are
obtained from local pesticide retailer or brought from Honiara. Many fruit were
deformed probably due to lack of full pollination because of heavy rains during
the flowering or absence of pollinators due to prophylactic insecticide uses. There
were also spots on the lower leaves (probably gummy blight) and may have arisen
from too much recent rain.
Gwaunafiu Farmer Field School (GFFS) was established in partnership with
Kastom Gaden Association (KGA) with funding from AusAID under the
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Community Sector Programme (CSP). GFFS is situated on the bank of upper Fiu
River and accessible only by walking down a very steep hill. The aim of GFFS is
to demonstrate organic methods of farming, multiplication of planting materials
and seeds and to practice FFS in Busurata area. GFFS area is heavily leached soil
and lacks humous. The centre has demonstration crop plots on terracing planted
with vetivar to protect soil erosion. Mucuna planted as fallow crop has
demonstrated to improve soil fertility and humous. Crops such as beans,
cabbages, sweet potato and others planted after mucuna seem to yield better.
PDPs such as chilies, derris and sour sop are used for control of pests.
Mr. Lionel Ganu has spread the idea of using the lipstick (Bixa) plant which attracts the
bean pod-sucking bug, and avoids the beans , a possible control of the pest. According to
the community in the area, it has been noticed that insects are attracted to the Bixa seeds,
but it is not known whether the insects attracted are the bean pod-sucking bug or other
insects.
Use of Bixa plant as a trap plant for control of bean pod-sucking bug needs to be studied
to substantiate the myth surrounding its attractiveness to the pest. The plant seeds attract
the bug which is seasonal. If the plant proves to be attractive to the bug, planting lot of
Bixa may lead it to become a weed.
CAUTION: Emphasis at GFFS and such other farms in SI are on the use of PDPs. Side
effects of PDPs are not fully understood, therefore, their use should also be restricted
unless they have been fully studied.
John Sala is a prominent vegetable farmer in Busurata. He has stopped growing
ball cabbages due to pest problems which are difficult manage. He continues
growing pakchoy which do get pest infestation but less than ball cabbages.
Kwualo, Lalita and Admiral Information centre – care taker Mr. Hensley showed
the planting of pakchoy on bamboo terraces. The information centre used to grow
ball cabbages but stopped due to pest problem. The centre is also interested in
taro, but TB is the limiting factor.
Isaac farm at Aisalinga, Busurata trans-insular road – the farmer grows ball and
Chinese cabbages, slippery kabis, beans, tomato, pepper, corn, cucumber,
cassava, sweet potato and taro. Pest problems are: ball and Chinese cabbages –
DBM, LCM with occasional attacks of aphids; slippery kabis is attacked by
Nisotra beetle; pepper by aphids and occasionally bacterial spots; beans by the
pod-sucking bug; tomato only occasionally by fruit worm, mites and leaf miner;
cucumber occasionally by cucumber worm; sweet potato by flea and tortoise
beetle; taro by TB, which has discouraged the farmer not to grow much, it needs
to be grown in new areas out in new bush and far from the house. Karate is the
only insecticide used for all pest control on all crops. It is obtained either from
Auki retailer or from Honiara.
Slippery kabis farms at Gwailiki – are situated along the main road out of Auki.
Many farmers grow slippery kabis and other vegetables for Auki market.
Discussions with a farmer in the area, Mr. Richard Laikalia, who grows 3
65
varieties of slippery kabis and needs to spray Orthene regularly (perhaps weekly
sprays) to control Nisotra beetle.
Auki fresh produce market was visited to check on the range of produce on sale.
All local produce such as bananas, slippery kabis, cassava, cucumber,
watermelon, sweet potatoes, gnally nut, peanut, eggplants, Borneo cabbage,
pumpkin, pineapple and 2 farmers selling taro. Taros they were selling were of
very low quality, with beetle holes and comparatively expensive.
2. Findings from the Auki trip:
There are significant pest management issues in Malaita especially in Auki. There
are a number of commercial farmers (in SI context) who are growing crops for
sale at Auki and Honiara markets. A number of pests, especially insects, are
prevalent on these crops and do significant damage if not managed. All
commercial farmers are using pesticides for the pest control. Insecticides used are
broad-spectrum, which in some cases are in-effective against the target pests.
Many farmers are discouraged to grow some of the crops due to pest problem and
as they have no solution for their management.
i. Ball cabbages get severe infestations of DBM and LCM;
ii. Taro beetle is a major constrain of taro growers, taro patches are always
planted in new area away in bush land to avoid TB damage. Planting of
taro in new bush land is hard work. Many farmers don’t make any effort to
grow taro. All farmers visited are interested in planting taro but only if
there is a solution to TB problem.
iii. Bean pod-sucking bug is a common problem.
iv. Nisotra beetle and shoot borer on Slippery kabis are problems faced by the
farmers. Slippery kabis is a common leaf vegetable and source of cash
crop for many farmers. All commercial growers use insecticides for
control of the insect pests. Developments of IPM approaches are important
to address this long term problem.
v. According to the Malaita Province rice coordinator, rice planting and
production has declined. The reasons for the decline in farmer interest are,
no further inputs are supplied by TTM, breakdown of machinery and rice
mills and control of pests, especially BPH outbreaks. From experience and
observations rice production needs good land preparation and water
management. Both are lacking in Malaita and elsewhere in SI. Pest control
should not be depended on prophylactic uses of one insecticide, but an
IPM approach and better understanding of beneficial organisms and pest
relationship in rice field.
vi. Watermelon is a common small holder commercial crop in Malaita.
Pesticides are mostly used on calendar basis. There is an opportunity for
development of IPM approaches for watermelons.
Dala training centre and field experiment station centre can be used for crop
development and pest management programme needs of MP. Research and
extension working together can develop good link with farmers and communities
in MP.
66
Some of the Mal staff at Auki have participated in pest identification training
organised by the IPPSI project, but their capacity on pest management
approaches, status of local pests and their associated problems, knowledge, skill
and practice of pesticides are rather limited. There is also limited access to pest
management information and resources
3. Other observations:
A large number of public and materials move in and out of Auki. There is great
risk for introduction of new pests, especially Giant African Snail (GAS), from
Honiara. Quarantine surveillance needs to be organized to monitor all travelers
and materials from Honiara for GAS. Wet conditions and lush greenery in Auki is
very conducive for quick establishment of GAS, once it’s gets in there.
Internal quarantine measures are difficult, but considering the pest nature of GAS, it is pertinent
to keep vigilance to avoid introduction of GAS to Auki. Cocoa is very important to MP;
therefore, similar actions are also needed for the cocoa pod borer.
4. Follow up activities required for MP :
Capacity development in pest management – staff training workshop needs to be
conducted on pest identification and symptoms of damage, beneficial organisms
and their uses, pest management intervention, physical and cultural controls, IPM
concepts and approaches, pesticides – categories, classification, formulation,
uses, application and safety; use and maintenance of pesticide application
equipment.
Conduct two week training workshop using IPPSI pest management and SPC pesticide
application guidelines
Provision of basic pest management equipment – field lenses, magnifying
glasses, collecting tubes with preservatives, insect collecting nets, and collecting
nest; establish a field laboratory equipped with field microscope.
Carry participatory demonstration on the use of the recommended insecticides for
taro beetle – probably at the Naligaragara vocational training centre
Evaluate other control options for TB, such as uses of coleus in taro gardens
Establish rice fields to gather information on seasonality of rice pests and their
natural enemies
Develop rice FFS based on monitoring studies and information gathered
Carry out field experiments to evaluate BT and new insecticides to develop
Brassica IPM programme
Establish ball cabbage field to study the seasonality of cabbage pests and their
natural enemies.
Information gathered from the insecticide evaluation and field monitoring studies will provide
information to develop Brassica IPM programme.
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Day/Date Activities
Sunday 07/11/10 Honiara to Auki; Picked from airport by CFO Mr.
Victor and checked in at Rarasu Motel
Monday 08/11/10 Briefing by CFO on RDP activities in Malaita;
Assigned 2 officers SEO Ellison Toramo and SRO
Robert Tate’e for field visits and facilitations; visited
Fiu Farmers Association rice and vegetable project;
APSD training centre; Naligaragara vocational training
centre; Kakara watermelons growers; pesticide survey
at retailing outlets in Auki
Tuesday 09/11/10 Visits to Gwaunafiu Farmer Field School; Busurata
vegetable growers; Kwalo Lalita Information Centre
vegetable garden
Wednesday 10/11/10 Visit slippery kabis growers at Aisalinga; discussions
with growers and pest management approaches on
slippery kabis. Return to Honiara in the evening.
Honiara, Guadalcanal Province
Activities
- Consultations, meetings and discussions with MAL HQ staff, plant protection staff,
relevant project staff (e.g. CLIP)
- Visits of farm and organizations
- Survey of pesticides
- Attend meeting and workshops
Meetings A meeting was held with the Director of Research (DOR) and plant protection staff to brief them
about the purpose of Pest Management Plan. DOR and his staff were very cooperative in PMS
activities. Plant Protection staff were often consulted on pest management issues. Most of the
field visits were accompanied by PP staff and assisted in pesticides surveys.
Meetings with the Quarantine Director were useful on quarantine matters and staff arranged for
visit to field for GAS work eradication programme.
Occasional meetings and discussions were also held with other staff such as Senior Adviser and
Information section (library) staff.
Visit to Kastom Gaden Association
Visited the Kastom Gaden Association (KGA) premises at the Burns Creek with MAL PP staff
to observe and discuss the activities of the organization’s organic methods of pest management.
The manager Mr. Jack Kalisto was very friendly and cooperative. KGA is and NGO established
to promote local crops and methods of growing of crops and conduct outreach training of the
community.
68
Visit to Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil Limited (GPPOL)
The visit to GPPOL was to discuss with the Plantation Manager, Mr. Wilfred, on the operations
of pesticides in use at the plantation. GPPOL uses only herbicides to manage the weeds. The
herbicides in use are Glyphosate and paraquat. Both herbicides are imported from Farmset in
PNG and carry PNG label. The herbicides are kept in a specially designed pesticide store in the
pesticide operations building which is surrounded by a moat to capture spills while mixing and
preparation of sprays. Pesticides spills are captured in an underground storage tank.
The spraying is done mostly by women. At the time of the visit to GPPOL, spraying was
underway by a group of women who were in their normal clothing, although the company
provides overalls and other safety spraying equipment.
According to Wilfred, paraquat will be faced out to comply with the requirements of the
Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Use of Glyphosate will also reduce as they progress
more on uses of alternate methods of weed management. Some of the alternate methods of weed
control in practice are mulching, using stalks of nuts and fronds, and cover plants such as
centrosema and other legumes.
Visit to a prominent Vegetable farmer and fruit grower in the Western Guadalcanal. The
farmer Mr. John grows a variety of vegetables, root crops, fruits and rice. Taro is also grown but
away in the bush and shifted around to TB damage. A very keen and enthusiastic farmer with lot
of interest in farming and grows crops for sale at Honiara market. It seems the farmer is not very
happy with the level of advice that he gets from MAL.
Visit to taro farm in Guadalcanal plains
The farm that was visited grows taro for Honiara market. The variety grown is early maturing
PNG variety. According the farmer Mrs. Rose, taro field is shifted around the farm every season
to avoid TB damage. The farmer is keen to grow more taros if TB problem can be solved. Over
50% of the yield is lost due to TB damages.
Honiara market – a regular visit was made to market to survey produce on sale and interview
some of the vendors. Most common produce in the market are slippery kabis, sweet potato, yard
long beans, watercress, and fruits in season (mangoes, pawpaw, bananas, guavas, water melons,
etc). Only few stalls sold taro which were of poor quality and very expensive. When asked only
few stated that they use chemicals to control insect pests. Many were reluctant to reveal control
measures.
Observations
Honiara market is the centre for fresh produce and attracts large crowd of buyers and the produce
sell well. There is a potential to increase taro sales in the market. Taro is a traditional crop and
important dietary requirement and a staple food for Solomon Islanders. However, it is not readily
available in markets due the established and serious beetle problem. Solution to TB problem may
see increase of sales for general public.
Attendance to meetings and workshops in Honiara
69
A two day meeting was organized by Cocoa Livelihood and Improvement Project (CLIP) which
I attended in Honiara. Dr John Konam, coordinator of Integrated Pest and Disease Management
(IPDM) presented his findings on management of the cocoa black pod disease. According to him
good management practice and farm hygiene can reduce incidences of the disease and disease
can be managed without use of fungicide. The management strategies and farm hygiene is being
implemented with participatory approaches.
Dr Konam also highlighted the importance of the cocoa pod borer (CPB) to cocoa industry in SI.
It is vital to avoid introduction of the CPB and all efforts should be taken by all stakeholders of
cocoa industries.
Systems of Rice Intensification (SRI) workshop for Provincial Rice Coordinators
Venue – ROC/TTM Farm, Honiara
A 3 day workshop was organized by the SI National Rice Development Programme. A SRI
specialist from Indonesia conducted workshop on SRI and demonstrated use of liquid fertilizer
produced from local crops refuse.
Comments of SRI – it is a good concept for smallholder rice farmers. Although SI rice farms are
all smallholder, lack of provisions for basic rice cultivation requirements such as good water
management, land preparation by small machines or drafts animals, etc.
Participants:
1. Belden Taki - Deputy Director Extension
2. Edward Horiharuna - Deputy Director Projects
3. Willie Tuita - CFO, NRRDP Operations
4. Allen Ramolelea - CFO, Urban City
5. Mary Fa’alimae - PFO, Malaita Province
6. Lesley Kiadapitu - PFO, Western Province
7. Hezekiah Vahimama - Principal Rice Coordinator (PRC), Isabel
8. Selwyn Meplu - PRC, Temotu
9. Alphonse Punia - PRC, Makira
10. George Suhara - PRC, Central
11. Mark Biloko - PRC, Choiseul
12. Willie Ninivae - PRC, RenBel
13. Edward Bosali - PRC, Guadalcanal
14. Moses Misi - Rice Machinery Operator & Mechanic/NRRDP
15. Gilson Tereah - Rice Technician/NRRDP
16. Thomas Kaoni - Farm Manger/St. Joseph Tenaru School
17. Joseph Toferana - Principal/St. Martins RTC
18. Joseph S - Deputy Principal/Don Bosco RTC, Tetere
19. David Bua - Procurement Officer/Extension Services, MAL
20. Caroline Houkuru - AFO, Women’s Extension, MAL
21. Vanita Pelemo - FA
Others
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22. Hon. Selwyn Riumama - Minister of Agriculture and Livestock
23. Edward Kingmele - PS, MAL
24. John M. Harunari - US (Technical), MAL
25. Emily Teitala - US (admin), MAL
26. Joshi Ravindra - Senior Advisor, MAL
27. Jacqueline Qaloboe - HRM, MAL
28. Billy Toate’e - CA, MAL
29. W.H. Lin - Rice Specialist, TTM
30. Mark Johnston - RDP/MAL
31. Gabriel Hiele - RDP/MAL
32. Douglas Moh - Chief, TTM
33. Michael Ho’ota - Director, Extension
34. Jimi Saelea - Director, Research
35. Barnabas Kenga - Director, Livestock
36. Frank Maeaba - Director, Planning
37. Patterson Akipu - Director, Quarantine
Visit to Giant African Snail (GAS) eradication sites
Visit was made to sites at Ranadi, the site where GAS was first intercepted and to Foxwood,
about 3 km out of away from Ranadi. Quarantine ran out of Blitzem pellet, so currently the
eradication team is clearing the vegetation, collecting all the stages of GAS and destroying them
by burning. Gas is collected in thousands. At Foxwood Gas is found everywhere, on plants,
under the decaying logs, under the thick ground cover of weeds, on tree trunks. The collections
are all very healthy suggesting there is no natural or any other agent that has any effect on
breeding. The eradication programme has been in operation for over 4 years, despite which the
pest has spread to new areas.
Pesticide surveys
There are two hardware companies who import and sell agricultural, timber treatment and
household pesticides in Honiara. All pesticides are imported in ready-to-use formulations,
packaged and labeled from Australia, New Zealand or PNG. There are rumours that some
pesticides are repacked and sold at local markets. Household pesticides as aerosols, mosquito
coils, insect and rat baits are also available from local supermarkets. Vector control against
malaria and dengue fever pesticides are imported and distributed to communities. Pesticides used
by quarantine are limited to aerosols, but recently Metaldehyde (Blitzem pellets) was imported
and used for the Giant African Snail eradication programme.
TTM also sells pesticides and seeds at a reduced price. Most of the farmers buy their needs from
here.
Pesticides importers know that they are required to register all pesticides imported into the
country, but they are not concerned as there is no enforcement of the regulation. When asked for
list of pesticides, they decline to give. A list of pesticide on display at the 2 major dealers, Island
Enterprise and Farmset Limited, is attached as Appendix 4.
Day/Date Activities
14/09/10 Arrive Honiara from NZ via Nadi (overnight in Nadi; Picked up by C2
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Component coordinator and taken to Iron Bottom Sound Hotel.
15/09/10 Staff introduction at MAL and RDP PCU; banking and make other
arrangements
16-17/09/10 Consult literature and reading of RDP documents
20-21/09/10 Attended CLIP meeting/workshop
22/09/10 Office – consulting RDP documents
23/09/10 Meeting with DOR and senior staff on pesticides and pest management
activities
24/09/10 Meeting with plant protection staff
27/09/10 Visit GPPOL
28/09/10 Pesticide registration
29/09 – 01/10/10 Attend SRI workshop at TTM
04-09/10/10 Consultations and literature search
10-16/10 Visited Choiseul and Western Province
17-18/10 Office/consultations
19-26/10 Visited Temotu – workshop/training, field visit
27/10-6/11 Consultations, pesticide surveys, meetings
07-10//11 Visit central Malaita
16-23/11 SPC consultations
24-30/11 Consultations, farms visits, office
1-13/12 Report writing
14-15/12 Travel back to NZ via Nadi.
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Appendix 2:
Terms of Reference
Agricultural pest management Specialist – Solomon Islands Rural Development Program Ref: C2.? (Procurement Plan: C/n.)
Description
Sr. Agricultural pest management Specialist based in MAL. Reporting to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL)
Key tasks and responsibilities
In consultation with the project Task Team Leader (TTL) RDP and MAL, the Consultant will prepare a
Pest Management Plan (PMP), addressing the following 4 major issues, namely:
(a) Pest management approaches
(b) Pesticide use and management
(c) Policy, regulatory Framework and institutional capacity, and
(d) Monitoring and evaluation
Details of these components are elaborated on in the “Annotated Terms of Reference for the
preparation of a Pest Management Plan (PMP) for SI RDP (for the compliance with OP 4.09 and
BP 4.01 - Annex C) document” attached.
Duration
3 months.
Required qualifications/attributes
The consultant will be specialized in one or more of the following fields:
(a) Agricultural pest management in the tropics or subtropics, with particular experience in
(participatory) integrated pest management (IPM).
(b) Pesticide management in developing countries, with particular experience in pesticide
legislation and regulation, pesticide risk assessment and registration, and the
enforcement/implementation of pesticide regulations.
(c) Pest management extension methods and/or participatory integrated crop production, pest
management.
(d) Agricultural policy development in developing countries, with particular experience in
integrated pest management policies and the economic, trade and fiscal aspects of agricultural
input use (particularly pesticides).
The consultant will have experience in the identification and the analysis of technical and policy
constraints with respect to agricultural projects/programs in developing countries.
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She/he should be capable of working, using a strongly participatory approach, with the MAL staff
and senior management.
Experience in the Pacific Region would be preferred;
Good knowledge of the World Bank safeguard policies and procedures would be an asset;
Interest in working in multi-cultural environment.
Annotated Terms of Reference for the preparation of a Pest
Management Plan (PMP) for SI RDP
(for the compliance with OP 4.09 and BP 4.01 - Annex C)
1. Background
The specific objective of the Solomon Islands Rural Development Project (SI RDP) Component
2 is to improve access of smallholder households in the Solomon Islands to quality agricultural
services to support rural income growth.
The use of pesticides may contribute to increased agricultural production and improved human
health. However, inappropriate or excessive use of pesticides often results in a reduction of
agricultural production or its sustainability, increases in disease vectors, adverse environmental
and health effects, and negative effects on other economic activities (e.g. fisheries, tourism). This,
in turn, leads to increased economic costs, both at the farmer level and for the country as a whole.
Most of the food crops grown in the Solomon Islands are produced on a substance or semi-
substance level without the use of external inputs. As such synthetic pesticides currently do not
figure highly among the priorities of Solomon Island farmers, they are generally not available,
except in the major centres, and if available they are too expensive. This is not necessarily a bad
thing, as indicated in the above paragraph there can be negative effects of use of chemicals on the
environment, human health and economics. Pesticides are commonly used in rice production and
for vegetables grown for the major markets such as Honiara. It is often reported that the
chemicals are applied in an indiscriminately to these crops and application is based on crop
calendars irrespective of the pest occurrence or levels. Other examples where the use of
pesticides may be justifiably required in the Solomon Islands are:
the use of a neonicotinoid insecticide (imidacloprid) for taro beetle control,
rat poisons when rat numbers get out of control such as is currently the case in North Malaita,
the possible need for an insecticidal intervention in Reef Islands in Temotu for yellow crazy
ant management and
eradication or controlling new exotic pests such as the Giant African Snail and possibly the
Cocoa Pod Borer.
Fungicide applications may be used in high yielding cocoa plantations.
Herbicides are applied extensively in palm oil plantations.
The World Bank’s Pest Management Safeguard Policy (OP 4.09 and BP 4.01 Annex C) was
established to address these concerns and to assist borrowers to manage pests in an appropriate
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manner. A major provision of the Safeguard Policy is the preparation of a comprehensive Pest
Management Plan, or PMP, that will outline the various elements of and actions needed to be
taken to adequately address these concerns during project implementation.
2. Objectives of the Pest Management Plan
According to Annex C of BP 4.01, a Pest Management Plan is a "comprehensive plan, developed
when there are significant pest management issues.
The rapidly growing population, the extensive logging of forests and the need for cash incomes
by farmers in the Solomon Islands is resulting in changes in farming systems that are likely to
result in significant pest management issues including:
(a) intensification of existing low-technology systems
(b) new land-use development or changed cultivation practices ,
(c) significant expansion into new areas,
(d) diversification into new crops in agriculture, and
(e) Specific environmental or health concerns (e.g., proximity to environmentally sensitive areas
such as important aquatic resources; worker safety and pesticide residues in foods).
With respect to its objectives and execution, BP 4.01 - Annex C stipulates that: "A pest
management plan reflects the policies set out in OP 4.09, Pest Management. The plan is designed
to minimize potential adverse impacts on human health and the environment and to advance
ecologically based Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The plan is based on on-site evaluations
of local conditions conducted by appropriate technical specialists with experience in participatory
IPM."
4. Procedures
(a) The PMP is developed as part of the Environmental Assessment (EA)
This Pest Management Plan is developed as part of the Environmental Assessment which is
presently elaborated for the project. According to BP 4.01 - Annex C: "the EA covers potential
issues related to pest management and considers appropriate alternative designs or mitigation
measures. Depending on the issues identified, the environmental management plan includes a
pest management plan."
(b) The PMP is developed during project implementation, i.e. after adoption of the PAD
While formally the PMP is to be developed as part of the Environmental Assessment (EA) of the
project, this has not been the case. However, during project execution it became apparent that
significant pest management issues have to be addressed in the project. Therefore, this PMP was
still commissioned.
4. Contents of the Pest Management Plan
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In consultation with the project Task Team Leader (TTL), the RDP Team-
leader, and Component 2 Coordinator and Implementation Advisor and the
Ministry of Agriculture staff, the Consultant will prepare the PMP,
addressing the following 5 major issues, namely:
(a) Pest management approaches
(b) Pesticide use and management
(c) Policy, regulatory Framework and institutional capacity, and
(d) Monitoring and evaluation
(e) Budget
Details of these components may be elaborated upon as follows:
4a. Pest or vector management approaches
(a) Current and anticipated pest problems, relevant to the project
(b) Current and proposed pest management practices
(c) Relevant IPM experience within the project area, country or region.
(d) Assessment of proposed or current pest management approaches, and recommendations for
adjustment where necessary.
4b. Pesticide use and management
(i) Review of present, proposed and/or envisaged pesticide use.
Compile a list of pesticides in use in the country and the crops for which
they are used.
Classify the (commercial formulations of the) pesticides according to the
WHO classification of pesticides by hazard.
Describe the current pesticide use patterns in the country and assess
whether pesticides are used in the context of IPM.
(ii) Indication of type and quantity of pesticides envisaged to be financed by the project
and/or assessment of increase in pesticide use resulting from the project.
(iii) Circumstances of pesticide use and the capability and competence of end-users to
handle products within acceptable risk margins
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(iv) Selection of pesticides authorized for procurement under the project
If required, prepare provisional lists of pesticides which may be procured under
the project taking into consideration (i) the criteria in OP 4.09 on Pest
Management, (ii) the above hazards and risks, and (iii) the availability of newer
and less hazardous products and techniques (e.g. bio-pesticides, traps)
4c. Policy, regulatory framework and institutional capacity
(i) Policies on plant protection
Study if a national IPM Policy exists and determine whether it is integrated into the
national agricultural development policy/strategy.
(ii) Description and assessment of the national capacity to develop and implement
ecologically-based IPM
(iii) Assessment of the country's regulatory framework for control of the distribution and use
of pesticides.
(iv) Assessment of the institutional capacity for effective control of the distribution and use
of pesticides.
4d. Strengthening of national capacities
If necessary, propose an action plan containing appropriate measures, in project sub-
components, to strengthen the national capacities to improve the regulatory system for
pesticides, and implement ecologically sound management of pests and vectors.
4e. Monitoring and evaluation
(i) Description of activities that require local monitoring during implementation and
during supervision missions.
(ii) Monitoring and supervision plan, implementation responsibilities, required expertise
and cost coverage.
5. Process
For the Pest Management Plan to be accepted as part of the project, it is essential that it is fully
supported by the Borrower and other national key actors. A lack of ownership by the interested
parties will preclude effective implementation of the plan. Therefore, the development of the
PMP should, like the development of the rest of the project, be a fully participatory process in
which the consultant acts as a facilitator and a technical resource person.
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