Efforts are underway to combat a significant threat to kava production and export. Measures are being implemented to reduce the size of large kava farms due to a kava dieback disease linked to deforestation. This viral disease, caused by the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), has affected kava-growing areas throughout the Pacific.
In Fiji, the earliest recorded cases date back to 1934 during a period of large-scale cultivation without adequate precautions. The kava dieback disease notably impacted the Northern Division from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2021 to 2023, according to research findings. During these times, the demand for kava surged when export markets opened, leading farmers to engage in extensive mass planting.
This resulted in significant deforestation as vast land areas were cleared for plantations, causing a shift from traditional mixed-cropping practices to intensive mono-cropping.
To tackle the kava dieback issue, local initiatives have been strengthened through a recent four-day training focused on soil and plant health. Conducted at the Friendly North Inn in Labasa and led by Pacific Community’s soil scientist, Rohit Lal, the workshop aimed to educate farmers in the Northern Division on the significance of maintaining plant and soil health.
Lal noted that between 2003 and 2007, there was a decline in the incidence of kava dieback, likely due to lessons learned from earlier outbreaks. During that time, export markets had closed, leading to a decrease in kava prices from FJ$50 per kg in 2002 to FJ$20 per kg in 2004. Consequently, farmers reduced their operations, shifting from large-scale production to smaller plots of about 1,000 plants.
The recent surge in kava prices has reignited mass planting. Lal cautions that without proper precautions, large-scale plantations could lead to an uptick in kava dieback cases. He advocates for prevention, suggesting that the ideal method for kava cultivation is a traditional multi-cropping system within a partially cleared forest. This involves inter-planting kava with various crops and growing it beneath a tree canopy.
Symptoms of the disease can arise from infected node cuttings from diseased plants, potentially introducing kava dieback into nurseries and fields. CMV-infected kava plants and surrounding weeds may exhibit a broad spectrum of symptoms, with one plant potentially displaying multiple signs. Initial symptoms often include leaf mosaic patterns, yellowing, curling, and puckering of the youngest leaves on a stem.
Leave a comment