The Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has mobilized a national emergency response to combat an escalating ecological crisis that threatens to decimate its agricultural industry. The invasive giant African snail (Achatina fulica) has established significant infestations across multiple regions, prompting Agriculture Minister Israel Bruce to declare an urgent need for EC$7 million in emergency funding—ten times the currently allocated budget.
Minister Bruce addressed Parliament during the 2026 budget debate on Tuesday, revealing that his newly elected New Democratic Party administration had discovered extensive infestations in Edinboro and neighboring Ottley Hall shortly after taking office in November. The minister personally inspected the affected areas with quarantine officials, confirming the severity of the situation.
Classified among the world’s top 100 invasive species by the World Conservation Union, the giant African snail represents a multifaceted threat to food security, ecosystem stability, and human health. The polyphagous pest consumes vast quantities of vegetation, damages native ecosystems, and serves as a vector for human diseases.
The government is establishing an immediate action task force comprising multiple ministries to coordinate the national response. Strategy components include a massive public education campaign through schools, churches, and state media; distribution of baits to households with proper training; incentives for public participation in eradication efforts; and consultations with agricultural stakeholders.
Minister Bruce issued a stark warning to lawmakers: “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.” He emphasized that without immediate intervention, the nation could face complete dependence on imported food supplies.
The agricultural minister criticized previous administration’s approach as inadequate, stating there seemed to be “apprehension on the part of the former administration to constrain the spread” of the invasive species. While acknowledging the current EC$700,000 budget allocation as insufficient, Bruce committed to beginning operations immediately with available resources while seeking additional funding to prevent agricultural collapse.