Stakeholder perspectives on the giant African land snail and its spread in Samoa : a dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Applied Science in International Rural Development, Lincoln University

Abstract

The Giant African Land Snail (Achatina fulica Bowdich) is native to East Africa and occurs in a large number of countries around the world. All of the countries in which it is established have tropical climates with warm, mild year round temperatures and high humidity. The snail has several negative impacts on the ecosystem and the environment and once the population is established it is extremely difficult to eradicate. The most adverse impact is that the snail is a significant pest of agricultural crops. More than 500 plant species in the world are host plants to Achatina fulica. That includes a huge variety of crops, fruits, vegetables, and garden and ornamental plants. The snail was first reported from Upolu Island, Samoa in 1993 and since then has had devastating impacts on agriculture. There are many books and scientific articles about the Giant African Snail available internationally on the snail's use and adverse impacts. However, the information comes from various different countries but not Samoa. The latest data on the snail's status in Samoa, which was available internationally, was up to 2001. According to this data the snail's population was established on Upolu Island only and seemed not yet have reached other islands of Samoa. Also, there was no detailed information available on the snail's impacts and control methods used in Samoa. The purpose of this study was to determine farmer, NGO, and Government official perspectives on the snail and its spread in Samoa. The objectives of the research were to determine negative and positive (if any) impacts of the snail in the country, to explore the control methods used in Samoa, and their effectiveness, and to assess the pest status of the snail in Samoa. A qualitative research approach was adopted to undertake the study. It was based on a four­ week visit to Samoa, which occurred in November - December 2007. The following qualitative data collection methods were used: a literature review, semi-structured interviews and a review of secondary data. In total thirty two people were consulted during the trip to Samoa, including farmers from Upolu and Savaii islands and Government and NGOs officials. Some of them were interviewed formally, some informally, and some were casual encounters. Secondary data was collected during the visit to the country. It was mainly in the form of internal Ministries' and NGOs' reports. The research determined that the snail had spread to Savaii Island and was established in 8 villages there. The following control methods are used in Samoa: physical, manual collection, chemical and biological. A combination of the above methods should be used in order to achieve the best and fastest results in controlling the snail. The research also determined that the snail only has negative impacts in Samoa. The main adverse effect is as an agricultural pest. However, there is a potential positive impact of using the snail as a food source for livestock, if Samoan people know how to prepare the feed for their animals. The study also found that the snail no longer has a 'significant pest' label but it still needs to be controlled.