DARD moves to restore Kava production amid Pentecost concerns

July 7, 2026 11:23 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Kizzy Kalsakau.

The Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Antoine Ravo, said the department is strengthening efforts to protect and restore Vanuatu’s kava industry under the Island Focus Initiative following concerns from farmers in East Pentecost over declining kava production in PENAMA Province.

In this week’s Capitol FM agricultural programme Yumi Groem Vanuatu, the Director of Agriculture said the department is working with Biosecurity Vanuatu and research institutions to protect kava-planting materials, manage diseases and provide farmers with improved planting stock.

Responding to concerns over the decline of kava on East Pentecost, the Director explained that the department’s responsibility is to conserve existing kava varieties, reproduce planting materials and distribute them to farmers across the country. He said kava diseases have been identified on some islands, including Pentecost and Tanna, and ongoing research and monitoring are being carried out to address these challenges.

The Director said Vanuatu currently has an estimated 50 million kava plants, based on the Agricultural Census, with kava production data being monitored since 2020. He added that the department is supporting farmers to increase production, with plans to produce and distribute more than 100,000 new kava planting materials as part of its support programme.

He said the government’s Island Focus Initiative has set an ambitious target of planting 20 million additional kava plants by 2030. To achieve this, the Ministry of Agriculture is increasing nursery production, using heavy machinery support from the Department of Livestock, engaging more farmers and providing assistance such as fencing to protect new kava plantations.

The Director acknowledged that kava remains one of Vanuatu’s most important agricultural commodities, serving both domestic and export markets. He said the department will continue working with farmers, the Ministry of Business, provincial authorities and the kava industry working group to strengthen policies and strategies aimed at securing the future of the kava sector.