The Department of Biosecurity has confirmed that donor partners from New Zealand will extend funding support for ongoing Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) work in Vanuatu until 2027.
The decision was made after a joint meeting in New Zealand between Biosecurity Vanuatu, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), Agri research partners, and the Pacific Community (SPC). During the meeting, the Principal Biosecurity officer Mr. Lindon Tair presented progress made since CRB was first detected on Efate in 2019.
Principal Biosecurity Officer, Mr Lindon Tari, told VBTC that part of the renewed funding will go towards completing a new laboratory at the Biosecurity station in Port Vila. The lab will focus on rearing fungus and biocontrol agents for release on affected islands, including Epi and Santo.
“Donor partners appreciated the progress of the CRB programme since 2019,” Mr Tari said. “Once the lab is completed, it will greatly improve Vanuatu’s ability to control CRB, especially in new areas of spread.” He noted that monitoring on Efate already shows positive changes in coconut trees treated with the biocontrol fungus (V2B strain).
The Department of Biosecurity has allocated VT 20 million in this year’s budget for CRB work, Mr. Tari confirm that most of this budget already spend in CRB work on Santo. According to its 2024 annual report, a total of VT 25.9 million was earmarked for surveillance, awareness, containment, and management activities across Efate, Santo, and offshore islands. Of this, VT 23.9 million was spent on surveillance and monitoring in Santo alone, while the remaining budget supported awareness and management activities in affected areas. Much of this was funded through New Zealand MFAT.
Since the detection of CRB on Epi Island, Biosecurity deployed six staff to conduct surveillance and surveys, but limited budgets forced operations to pause, with staff returning to Port Vila. Materials and equipment are already stationed in Epi and will be used once additional funding is released. No biocontrol agents have yet been deployed on Epi.
Mr Tari added that once the Port Vila laboratory is operational, Biosecurity will also import fungus stock from Malaysia to strengthen the programme.
He made a strong appeal for communities in affected islands to work with Biosecurity to manage the pest.
“The extended donor support gives us an opportunity to step up integrated control measures,” he said. “But success will depend on community cooperation to protect our coconut resources.”
