The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Blue and Green Economy has intensified efforts to control the Giant African Snail as the invasive pest continues to spread into farming and residential communities across Dominica.
Extension officers from the island’s seven agricultural regions participated in a one-day field training exercise at the Botanic Gardens, where they were taught how to identify, capture and safely dispose of the snails. The officers are expected to take the information into communities and train farmers, schoolchildren and householders.
Director of Agriculture Keian Stephenson said the Giant African Snail was first detected in northern communities, including Dublanc and surrounding areas, and had been controlled there for several years. He said movement of soil, plants and other materials contributed to its spread across the island.
“Unfortunately, through movements of material and other things, it has spread throughout the island,” Stevenson said.
He explained that controlling the pest will require broad public participation because it is no longer confined to agricultural holdings.
“To control the Giant African Snail, it has to be a community approach,” he said. “Seeing that it’s now spreading in different communities, we have to train all the extension officers in all the seven regions.”
The training focused on a bucket-trap method designed to attract and concentrate snails in a controlled area. Bait is placed inside the trap, allowing the pest to be collected and disposed of without broadcasting large quantities of chemical bait across farms or backyards.
Extension Officer Charles said the system could help farmers lower their pest-control expenses because a small quantity of slug bait can be divided among several traps.
He described the approach as a useful cost-saving measure at a time when agricultural chemicals remain expensive.
North East Agricultural Region Extension Officer Egbert Nelson also encouraged farmers and householders to adopt the method. He said placing chemicals inside a contained trap makes it easier to manage the snails while reducing waste.
Nelson noted that the problem has moved beyond farming communities, with residents increasingly encountering the pest around their homes and yards.
The ministry hopes the trained extension officers will help residents establish traps, identify affected areas and follow proper disposal procedures. Officials are also urging people to avoid moving soil, plants and other materials from infested locations without taking precautions, as this can contribute to the further spread of the invasive species.
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