Emergency response as giant African snail threatens SVG’s agriculture

By Ashford Peters

The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has initiated a national emergency response as the country’s agricultural sector faces the threat of being wiped out by the giant African snail—a situation with serious implications for food security and an important trade dollar.

Minister of Agriculture Israel Bruce, in his contribution to the 2026 budget debate, told Parliament on Tuesday that his ministry needed EC$7 million — 10 times the $700,000 allocated in Budget 2026 — to start the emergency response.

Bruce, whose New Democratic Party (NDP) was elected to office in November, ending the 25-year rule of the Unity Labour Party (ULP), told lawmakers that he had recently received a phone call about an infestation of the giant African snail in Edinboro, West Kingstown.

“I summoned the Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer and the head of the Quarantine Plant Protection Unit,” Bruce said, adding that they sprang into action.

“This is the practicality of the ministry that I’m talking about. We headed to Edinboro. We saw for ourselves,” he said.

The agriculture minister said he and his team visited neighbouring Ottley Hall, where they found another infestation.

The giant African snail (Achatina fulica) is a polyphagous plant pest that has spread rapidly since leaving its native region in East Africa. The pest was introduced to other areas as a commercial food source and a novelty pet.

The World Conservation Union has classified the giant African snail as one of the world’s top 100 invasive alien species.

It is a threat to the sustainability of crop systems and native ecosystems, negatively affecting fauna and vectors of human diseases

“The giant African snail has been an issue in this country for a while. Again, the former administration played a practical game of kicking the ball downstream,” Bruce told Parliament, a swipe at the former administration’s laxity.

“We are putting in place … an immediate action task force comprising of members of several ministries to take on an immediate fight on the African Snail.”

The agriculture minister emphasised the importance of urgent action.

“…  let me tell you, those of us who think we have a struggling agricultural sector, if we don’t put hands on this, we will not have an agricultural sector,” Bruce told lawmakers.

“So, I want to say no to some of the staff at other departments. I said this, and it may have sounded a bit cruel. I said to the deputy chief agriculture officer … — and I apologise before I say it, please accept my apology.

“I rather to hear that we have lost 10 animals at a facility in Dumbarton because the feed couldn’t get there on time than to not have … transportation to move workers across this country, in particular the infested areas, to put an immediate halt to the infestation of the giant African snail. One is chalk and the other is cheese,” the agriculture minister told lawmakers.

“If we are to do this, we will find ourselves where we have to import practically every agricultural food that we need.

Bruce said there will be a massive education campaign as a component of the emergency action and the schools, churches, and various state media entities will be involved.

He said there will also be consultations with farmers.

“I was told that there seemingly was an apprehension on the part of the former administration to … constrain the spread of the giant African snail. I don’t understand how that made common sense,” he said.

Bruce said the government will purchase baits and put them in the hands of households, “so that they can help us in the fight against the giant African snail”.

Bruce said that the households and individuals involved in assisting the government in eliminating the pest “will receive incentives”.

“We’ll tell you how to do it so that you don’t transfer the eggs,” Bruce said, informing that the snail can produce 1,200 eggs “in no time”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  “And I want the housewives who are here, I want the husbands who are here, I want the young farmers who are here, I want them all to understand that this could have a crippling effect on the industry.

“I am not saying it to drive anybody into fear, but it is important, Madam Speaker, that we deal with this giant African snail phenomenon now and forever,” Bruce said.

Bruce said EC$7 million was needed immediately “if we are to commence that fight properly.

“There is a budgetary allocation, I think, of $700,000. That’s what we have budgeted right now.

“That is not sufficient, but it is a starting point. We will start with what we have.

“But colleagues, if we are to save the agricultural sector, which we have agreed … one of the major pillars of economic development for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, well, I hope you will say, we are going to have to band we belly and fight the giant African snail,” Bruce told lawmakers.