Though borer eggs are almost invisible to the naked eye, and in their adult form are only a mosquito-sized moth, their presence can cause drastic drops to the quality and quantity of cocoa yields.
They are one of many challenges faced by Bougainville’s smallholder farmers, whose livelihoods depend on slender margins.
“In addition to cocoa pod borer, there are a range of difficulties that affected production – mainly accessing markets and limited technical assistance,” Ambi explained.
