Thursday 3 September, Honiara – The construction of the new modern agriculture office building in Auki, Malaita Province has passed mid-way of the construction phase.
All the preparatory work including the foundation footing up to first floor column and beam have been completed, according to Engineers from the Solomon Islands Agriculture Rural Transformation (SIART) Project.
The construction of the SBD17.9 million double-story agriculture office building is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in partnership with the World Bank through the SIART Project.
SIART Project Engineer, Mr. Godfrey Hou highlighted that the construction phase has a time-frame of 12 months.
“We are now in the seventh month since construction started and just passed the mid-way point with good progress,” he said.
“From the progress so far, there are two milestones already achieved by the Contractor. They have completed the foundation footing up to the first-floor slab and the second milestone is from the slab to the beam for roofing on the second floor,” he added.
Mr. Hou said the Contractor is on track to achieve the next milestone which is roofing.
“As soon as they complete the beam for roofing, work on assembling and installation of roof frames will commence,” he said.
As of 31 August 2026, workers started preparation for roofing which included the casing for columns and beams as well as finishing off block work on the external wall of the first floor to be followed by the installation of roof frames and roof covering.
While construction is progressing well, SIART also acknowledges the Contractor, JQY Construction, for fully complying to the Contractor’s Environmental and Social Management Plan (CESMP) which is mandatory for World Bank funded projects that details how a contractor will manage environmental, social, health, and safety (ESHS) risks during project execution.
SIART’s Environmental Safeguards Officer, Mr. Steve Sae was on site on Thursday 27 August 2026 to conduct an environmental, health, social and safety audit to ensure compliance.
“From the SIART Project we are happy that the Contractor has implemented what is required of them and that they are fully compliance with their CESMP,” he said.
The SIART Project acknowledges the Solomon Islands Government through Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) and the World Bank for their continuous commitment towards the successful completion of the new agriculture office building in Auki.
“This new office facility reflects our shared commitment to improving the working environment for our staff and to ensuring that agricultural services are more accessible and responsive to the needs of our rural farmers and communities,” SIART Project Manager, William Okekini, said.
Once completed this new office will enhance collaboration, improve service delivery, and contribute significantly to the growth and resilience of agriculture in Malaita Province and across the Solomon Islands.
The SIART Project’s objective is to increase agricultural production and improve market access in selected value chains in Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Makira/Ulawa. Additionally, the project ensures a prompt and effective response in the event of an Eligible Crisis or Emergency.
Source: SIART Media Release
