The second National Kava forum organised by Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) will be held at the Vanuatu Agriculture College (VAC) in Luganville, Santo next week.
The forum is hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB) through the DARD in collaboration with the Vanuatu Kava Industry Working Group (VKIWG), Pacific Horticulture and Agriculture Market Access (PHAMA Plus), Departments of Trade and Industry, Biosecurity and Vanuatu Cooperative Business Network (VCBN).
Kava (piper methysticum) is a key commodity crop for Vanuatu, with a high market demand both domestically and internationally and events like the kava forum provides an avenue where kava farmers and other stakeholders come together to discuss issues surrounding the Vanuatu kava industry and provide ways forward for the future development of kava.
“The theme of the kava forum is ‘Respektem Nobol Kava, Protektem Maket’ or ‘Respect Noble Kava, Protect the Market’.
“This theme is derived from the Kava Act, to ensure that we trade only with noble kava varieties as stated in the Kava Act that are required for domestic and international market,” said Peter Kwari, DARD’s Kava Officer.
The Minister of MALFFB, Matai Seremaiah, will officially open the forum followed by presentations by individuals involving in the kava value chain, including farmers, traders, vendors and exporters.
Presentations will include the overview of the kava industry, production of noble kava and kava development, nursery production in commercial farming and processing of kava for domestic market.
Other topics for discussion are sanitation and standards for the kava industry, Biosecurity export system, processing of kava for export market, kava business and transport challenges, market access and pricing, and concluding with a panel discussion on planning for the future.
Kava farmers around Luganville have been invited to attend the forum to meet potential kava buyers and exporters and to learn how the kava value chain operates, as kava is one of Vanuatu’s main cash commodities.
According to Kwari, “after the kava forum, a report will be produced which will cover the summary of the discussions, resolutions, recommendations and action points identified by the forum.
“Where possible, reminders will be issued for recommended action that has been identified for stakeholders responsible to undertake, with the aim of monitoring the impact of such activity as the forum to the kava industry of Vanuatu,” Kwari said.
Photo supplied Caption: Kava a key commodity crop in Vanuatu