Solomon Islands and New Zealand join forces to combat Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

 A Grant Funding Arrangement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Ethel Tebengi Frances, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury McKinnie Dentana, and the Acting New Zealand High Commissioner Hannah van Voorthuysen. The arrangement commits approximately SBD$10 million over a two year period with the aim is of strengthening management and control of the CRB in Solomon Islands.
This funding comes at the right time when all the impacts of COVID 19 is putting a lot of pressure on our economy. As a country we need to look at how to recover and the coconut and palm oil industries are those that we need to focus on because they bring in a lot of money into the economy.Ethel Tebengi Francis

It is estimated the Pacific could lose at least $237 million every year by 2040 as a result of damage to coconut trees.