PS VIULU THANKS AUSTRALIA FOR LIVESTOCK AND BIOSECURITY PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE

Issued Date: September 26, 2025

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), Dr. Samson Viulu, expresses sincere gratitude to the Australian Government for its partnership with the Ministry through the Livestock and Biosecurity Partnership Dialogue currently underway in Honiara.

This two-week program unites animal health systems experts from both national and regional backgrounds to explore practical solutions for enhancing animal health systems. The dialogue agenda includes a national stakeholder consultation, a three-day regional workshop, and a three-day national training workshop focusing on portable, affordable, and effective field-based diagnostic tools tailored for resource-constrained communities.

PS Viulu in acknowledging the Australian Government for this partnership, emphasized that this program equips our officers with new tools and information that can help those who work in key areas of agriculture. “Resilient animal and plant health systems are vital for safeguarding the food security and livelihoods of our people,” he stated.

Animal health is the cornerstone of national food security, rural livelihoods, and human health in the Solomon Islands and across Pacific Island countries. The enhancement of diagnostic capabilities is crucial for the timely diagnosis and reporting of transboundary animal disease events and emerging risks.

The program is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and delivered in close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), Solomon Islands Government.

Australia’s High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton, expressed his support for the collaboration.

“Australia is truly proud to be able to share our world-class expertise in agriculture and biosecurity to help strengthen food security and safeguard community livelihoods. It demonstrates the commitment of both countries to building and protecting rural industries, supporting the livelihoods and food security of the vast majority of Solomon Islanders who live in rural areas,” High Commissioner Hilton said.

The national stakeholder consultation provided the platform for experts from Agriculture Victoria to present their findings and recommendations following their November 2024 visit to the Solomon Islands. The session also highlighted updates from ongoing animal health surveillance activities by veterinarians and livestock officers from MAL and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), underlining the need for a coordinated approach to animal health and strengthened biosecurity systems.

The regional workshop this week has convened animal health officers from Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs) to share experiences, report institutional and technical challenges, work through practical training, and exchange knowledge. Importantly, the lessons learned from neighboring countries where exotic diseases such as African Swine Fever (ASF) have had significant impacts are shared and discussed, ensuring the Solomon Islands is better prepared to prevent and respond to similar threats.

Key objectives of the program include:

• Presenting the application, benefits, and limitations of LAMP technology within the Solomon Islands context.

• Identifying challenges and opportunities for integrating mobile diagnostics into the national animal health system.

• Facilitating dialogue among national and provincial livestock officers, laboratory staff, and other stakeholders to localize approaches.

• Developing a shared roadmap for piloting or expanding mobile diagnostic capacity in the country.

By contextualizing regional lessons to meet the Solomon Islands’ specific needs and capacities, the program aims to strengthen animal health and biosecurity systems, ultimately safeguarding communities, livelihoods, and the agriculture sector.

Stakeholders who attended the dialogue came from MAL, SINU, poultry and piggery farmers, apiary farmers, other private sector partners, DAFF Victoria, and DFAT.