Kava replanting programme

Kava farmer Christopher Toa supplied the cuttings to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD).

The Ministry and Department of Agriculture is distributing free kava cuttings to encourage farmers to increase the production of noble kava varieties in Vanuatu as part of the Government's Kava Replanting Programme.

DARD”s Assistant Agricultural Officer Justin Rihu said negotiations with the PENAMA Provincial Agriculture Officer (PAO), Andrew Butu, resulted in the distribution of kava cuttings.

During the day special speeches were made by kava exporters, kava processors, farmers association representatives, and the kava export regulator.

The purpose of the mission to Pentecost is to conduct a kava re-planting launch and training/awareness to farmers from Southern Ward up to Northern Ward of Pentecost island.

During the awareness program the department of agriculture distributed over 33,000 kava stalks to over 150 farmers.