BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Franklyn Wasi, Minister for Agriculture & Livestock (MAL) has outlined the ministry’s achievements when he spoke during the Sine Die Motion in parliament on Monday this week.

Delivering his speech on the floor of parliament, he read out 20 summary achievements of the ministry.

Among these achievements, Wasi shed light on a number of them.

He said in-service training of 32 MAL staff at Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and abroad, including staff who attended six different short-term trainings in China and Japan this year, is one of the Ministry’s achievements.

He also spoke about another achievement, the launch of the country’s first-ever Agricultural National Advisory Council (ANAC).

This a technical oversight body to assist the Ministry with policies and plans to develop the sector.

Wasi went on to state that another milestone MAL reached is a new historic record of cocoa exports surpassing the previous high of 2011.

“The largest increase in the export volumes of both copra and cocoa in the last 10 years. Copra export volume stands at 13,000 metric tonnes, 5,000 metric tonnes more than last year,” Wasi said.

He said that cocoa export volume is at 6,782, 500 metric tonnes more than last year.

In relation, the ministry also achieved the rollout of the cocoa revolving fund, contributing an additional 1,000 metric tonnes of cocoa and copra to the total export volume this year.

Then there is the provision of fuel-subsidised shipping services.

“Provision of fuel-subsidised shipping services to Makira, Guadalcanal and Choiseul, with planned expansion to all provinces in the new financial year,” he said.

Other achievements, according to Wasi, include; 

• Recruitment of 42 new staff, a new director for communication and two new veterinary science officers to join in 2026.
• Contracting of directors for MAL’s seven departments, the human resource manager and the financial controller.
• Commencement of the construction of two new double-storey office complexes in Auki and Kirakira.
• Construction of the National Cattle Breeding Centre in Isabel.
• The replanting and rehabilitation of coconut and cocoa farms.
• Purchasing new outboard motors and canoes for biosecurity borders.
• Successful trials with a very high yield than the world average yield per hectare; current trials were 9,000 kilograms per hectare.
• Launching of the Sape Cassava processing facility.
• Operationalisation of the vapour heat treatment facility at Henderson and the construction of a new incinerator at the biosecurity disposal site.
• Partnership with the private sector to improve the availability of alternative feedstocks.
• Completion of a new slaughter facility at our KG6 farm.
• Funding assistance to small and medium-sized business enterprises.
• Funding assistance to young business entrepreneurs through EXE.
• Securing new funding opportunities from FAO, IFAD, UNICEF and the Government of Japan.

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