The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) has read with interest the ongoing discussions about the sale of the Dodo Creek Research Station (DCRS) land, which is currently a hot topic on social media.
The Ministry hereby wishes to place our record that we hope will clarify the misinformation surrounding the said land as follows
1. MAL’s Decision on the Research Centre:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) decided not to re-establish the research centre on the DCRS land due to issues with squatters claiming ownership and the fact that there are graves on the site which will make it very difficult for the ministry to deal with .
2. The Former DCRS Role:
The former DCRS primarily hosted the Research Headquarters, laboratories, post-entry quarantine facilities, nurseries, and some plant research. However, most field research was conducted at the Tenaru FES and other provincial FESs.
3. Need for a New Facility:
Recognizing the importance of re-establishing a research facility, MAL began searching for a more suitable location.
4. Search for Suitable Land:
After evaluating other potential sites, including Dodo Creek Research Station, Mamara Land, and a proposed site at Lower Mount Austin, MAL decided to re-establish the station at the former Tenaru FES land. This decision was based on several factors: MAL already had an existing lease agreement with the Catholic Church for that land, and it offered a larger area with potential for future expansion.
MAL therefore wishes to clarify the misinformation we have no involvement in, nor any interest in the sale of the DCRS land.
We were only informed by the Ministry of Lands and Housing, that there was interest from some business entities in purchasing the land, should MAL choose not to pursue it.
This information was brought to senior management by former PS Ethel Frances, and MAL management agreed that we had no interest in the land due to the aforementioned issues.
MAL is currently developing the land at Tenaru as its new research center with assistance from the World Bank Solomon Islands Agriculture and Research Station (SIART).
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