Vanuatu’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has signed an agreement with Cloud Kava Company that will assist the kava industry.
One of the components of the agreement is the delivery of kava seedlings for farmers.
The signing agreement is part of the ministry’ s policy directives through the office of the Minister and Director General, to continue to strengthen the participation of private sector within agriculture sector through long and short term contracts.
“MALFFB has been promoting public private partnership approach therefore this signing agreement today is an important milestone for the ministry and especially the Department of Agriculture, as this year, DARD’s national target for kava is one million kava seedlings to be distributed to farmers for planting, thus, increasing kava production in Vanuatu,” said Antoine Ravo, director for DARD.
“Under the National kava strategy, it provides guidance for all stakeholders to address all issues of kava value chain and for MALFFB role is to make sure that farmers and the industry continue increased production of noble varieties of kava but at the same time promote intercropping of Kava with other food crops such as Taro, kumala and vegetables for food security purposes and for gaining maximum income.
The Department of Agriculture this year will continue to assist farmers to invest in kava production, assisting them to plant kava during and off season planting all year around because kava is a crop that is market driven, high demand with good prices, in Port Vila and other islands of Vanuatu and this is why it is important to engaged in this initiative of the private sector to take lead in increasing production at the same time participate in the policy and strategy of Agriculture Department,” Mr Ravo added.
He said the agreement specified clearly the role of Cloud Kava Company and the role of DARD.
“Under the agreement, a schedule is included that stated the scope of services the Department of Agriculture will be expecting from Cloud kava company,” said Mr Ravo
Calculations of price per kava seedlings is based on factors on production, the DARD will purchase kava seedlings at 170vt per seedlings, including VAT and then sold to any interested farmers at 200vt per seedling, to recover the costs of this activity, then other similar agreements can be done with other private individuals or companies who are capable of producing kava seedlings.
Photo supplied Caption: DG for MALFFB Moses Amos signing the agreement with Jonathan Naupa owner Cloud Kava