After one month of laboratory production, the cultivation of local Metarhizium fungus has been successfully completed, and the first release has begun to help manage the spread of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) in Vanuatu.
The first batch of locally produced Metarhizium fungus, a proven biological control against CRB, was released this week on Efate. The production took place in November at the Biosecurity Department laboratory, with technical support from facilitators of the Bioeconomy Science Institute (AgResearch) in New Zealand, through funding support under the MFAT Extended Project.
Mrs Lilly Fatdal Antfalo, Acting Director of Biosecurity, confirmed that Biosecurity officers successfully reared small and medium-scale quantities of the fungus at the Biosecurity laboratory following specialised training conducted in November. She stated that the fungus will also be supplied to other islands, both affected and not yet affected, as part of a proactive approach to control the spread of CRB, which continues to threaten coconut trees nationwide.
Metarhizium fungus is one of the most effective biological control measures used in Vanuatu, alongside sanitation practices and virus control, to manage CRB infestations in coconut plantations. Mrs Antfalo highlighted that in 2025, Biosecurity continues to respond to CRB outbreaks by carrying out surveillance and monitoring in affected areas, despite limited resources.
She further emphasised that Biosecurity’s goal is to promote sustainable CRB management at a level that is effective, environmentally friendly, and does not place financial burden on farmers.
Mrs Antfalo confirmed that CRB has now spread to Aneityum, in addition to Efate, Epi, and Santo. The department plans to continue applying the Metarhizium fungus in 2026 across all affected islands as part of its ongoing response.
Through Biosecurity’s continued efforts in monitoring and controlling this agricultural threat, there are encouraging signs of coconut tree recovery in some areas of Efate. These improvements are linked to the consistent application of control measures in recent years, as well as weekly palm assessments and monitoring. In other affected islands, CRB populations remain high; however, once management activities are fully implemented, coconut palms are expected to recover.