Facilities at Bodles Research Station to be Rehabilitated

To continue the rehabilitation of selected facilities at the Bodles Research Station and directly impact the level of support given to farmers, an allocation of approximately $39.6million has been made.

The provision is contained in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, which was tabled in the House of Representatives recently.

Targets of the project include the expansion, upgrade, and restoration of infrastructure at North and South Bodles and strengthening the responsiveness of the research programme to the immediate problems or needs of clients.

This is in addition to the separation and expansion of commercial and research activities to support maintenance of research infrastructure and the strengthening of management, administrative systems and the capacity-building of staff.

Targets of the project for the upcoming fiscal year include the renovation of office (Accounts unit) and installation of modular office space (Bodles); the completion of small ruminant house and yard, security paraphernalia at renovated spaces (Bodles); to survey and design animal performance testing facility; to establish a herd management system, and to implement project management and supervision.

Up to December 2022, several physical achievements were realised, such as the renovation of two houses, project office, sanitary facilities and piggery, restroom at stockyard, crop research office and post-harvest facility, biological control lab of apiculture office and lab, library and server room, citrus budwood greenhouse, pesticide house and roof, milking system and hardening facility.

Security lighting was also installed and security access in renovated areas facilitated. There have also been the installation of fire extinguishers and an overhaul of sewerage system.

Additionally, an energy audit was conducted and an ICT upgrade in the Bio-Control lab. There was also the construction of a barn facility, chlorination house and perimeter wall at South Bodles.

At various stages of completion are the erection of barbed wire fencing for cattle bar; installation of security access in apiculture office, laboratory, library and greenhouse; upgrade of irrigation system and domestic water supply (70 per cent); renovation of medium and high-tech greenhouses (40 per cent), and the installation of a milking system and renovation of milking parlour.

The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.