North Efate Farmers Target Increase in Kava Production

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (DARD) Extension Officer based in Paunangisu village, North Efate, has conducted a kava distribution activity under the National Kava Replanting Program, distributing at about 2,000 kava branches at North Efate mainland and Nguna island.

Awareness on noble kava varieties and training on single node propagation techniques was delivered to kava planters.

“The main purpose of implementing such activity is to revive and increase kava production in North Efate and Nguna island.

“Many farmers lack kava planting materials after the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone (TC) PAM in 2015 but I believe that this distribution will restore their kava plants and will stimulate the interest of farmers to commence replanting of kava,” the Agriculture Assistance Officer (AAO) for North Efate, Keith Amos, stated.

AAO Amos commented that all the kava branches must be raised in a nursery before distribution to community members for planting.

“Since we have limited branches, nursing the plants is very vital before planting.

“Two farmers’ groups were identified, namely Tanoropo Farmers’ Group from Malaliu village on Nguna island and Saama Farmers’ Group on Efate, to implement the activity of establishing kava nurseries before distributing the kava seedlings to other interested farmers.

“It has been six years now after TC PAM but the people still lack access to planting materials. The demand is high but the supply of branches to farmers was a challenge,” AAO Amos said.

A total of 8,000 single nodes were raised in the two nurseries in Saama village and another nursery on Malaliu village on Nguna island and this is to ensure sufficient kava seedlings are raised before the farmers can have access to them.

“Farmers were encouraged to nurture the plants well until DARD team comes around again to do a verification check to ensure the kava replanting program is well implemented.”

The communities of Nguna and North Efate appreciated the National Kava Replanting Program under the DARD for putting more emphasis on increasing kava production in Vanuatu, recognizing the importance of kava as a cash crop that contributes to Vanuatu’s economy.

“The two communities acknowledged the initiative of the Government through the DARD to engage them in replanting kava and they believe that after three to five years, the production of kava will grow back to where it was before TC Pam.”