A laboratory is being built in Hanimaadhoo to curb the agriculturally dangerous population of Coconut Hispit beetles.
The government has commenced efforts to establish a laboratory in Haa Dhaalu atoll Hanimaadhoo to control Coconut Hispid beetles in Maldives.
The Agriculture Ministry announced this on the 'Sarukaaru' website that one of the agreements signed with China during President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's state visit to China earlier this year was an agreement to assist in controlling the Coconut Hispid beetle in the country, which damage local coconut palms.
The Coconut Hispid beetle is known to be one of the most dangerous insects that damage Maldivian coconut palms.
Under the agreement with the Chinese government, a special laboratory will be set up to breed and multiply the parasitoid which would attack the beetle. The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) has also been awarded a special project to improve the skills and abilities of the employees working there, the ministry said.
The ministry said four professors from the institute arrived in Maldives on Wednesday.
The purpose of the visit, the ministry said, was to conduct the latest studies on the construction of a natural enemy laboratory for the Coconut Hispid beetle control in Maldives, inspect the laboratory site, identify the work to be done there and prepare to start work as soon as possible.
Experts from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare (MOAAW), visited HA. Maafahi Island to explore efforts in establishing a biological control program to combat the Coconut Hispid… pic.twitter.com/G2PcrolsZd
— Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare (@MAAWmv) December 14, 2024
The decision to build the laboratory in Hanimaadhoo was made based on the land and space availability of the island's Agricultural Centre, as well as the likelihood of work starting as soon as possible there.
As such, the team of technical experts from CATAS is currently in Hanimaadhoo.
“The team shared important technical information on biological control management protocols and insect-pest interactions with the ministry's technical staff during their visit to Hanimaadhoo today,” the ministry said.
CATAS experts and technical staff of the Ministry of Agriculture have also visited the agricultural island of Haa Alifu atoll Maafahi. The visit was to observe the progress of the biological control program in Maafahi to control the Coconut Hispid beetle, said the Ministry.
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