Simon Baete has been sworn in as Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD) at a ceremony at Government House on 29 October, the ministry said. He was sworn into office by the Governor-General, His Excellency Sir David Tiva Kapu.
Mr Baete had served as Deputy Secretary for Special Duties at the ministry from June 2024 until the swearing in. The ministry, which described him as an agri-business expert and a public-sector leader, said he has worked in agriculture since 2008, approximately 18 years, in technical, management and leadership posts.
His duties have taken in capital development projects, government and donor-funded programmes, ministerial performance systems and agricultural policy, the ministry said, and in 2026 he led the technical work on the Agriculture Development Plan 2026-2030.
Mr Baete holds a Master of Agri-Commerce, majoring in Agribusiness and Development Management, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Agri-Commerce from Massey University, New Zealand, as well as a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of the South Pacific, Samoa.
His earlier work includes service as a Project Specialist with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Project Manager for the Livelihood Sector at Save the Children International, and Agribusiness Partnership and Grant Manager under the Solomon Islands Rural Development Program, supported by the World Bank, the ministry said.
Before that he was Deputy Director of Livestock and Veterinary Service at MALD, where the ministry said he helped shape livestock policy, planning for the sector and biosecurity legislation.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development press release, "Simon Baete Sworn in as Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development", published on the Solomon Islands Government portal on 29 October 2026. https://solomons.gov.sb/simon-baete-sworn-in-as-permanent-secretary-for-ministry-of-agriculture-and-livestock-development/