BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
A three days meeting organized for this week under the NZ Aid Project “Improving management of coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) in Solomon Islands and PNG” has started today.
The meeting is coordinated by Dr. Sean Marshall and Dr. Trevor Jackson of AgResearch, Christchurch New Zealand.
According to Bob Macfarlane, Coordinator of the CRB programme in Solomon Islands, the meeting intends to share knowledge and develop plans for successful control of the pest as the project is part of the effort to curb the outbreak of Oryctes rhinoceros.
“The objective of the meeting is to update information on the CRB attack in Solomon Islands (SI),” said Macfarlane.
“This is to develop a map of activities being carried out or planned to limit spread and impact of CRB in SI, confirm ‘best practice’ actions for CRB control and prevention of spreading, coordination of activities for control of the outbreak, develop biosecurity proposal to limit spread of CRB, develop a biocontrol plan (virus and fungus) and develop plan for implementation and evaluation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).”
“Outputs are a map of current distribution and damage by CRB in Solomon Islands, baseline report on current activities for CRB control, a biosecurity plan with roles and responsibilities defined, a biocontrol plan with roles and responsibilities defined and an IPM plan with roles and responsibilities defined.”
The meeting that commences today will conclude on the 25th of January.
