Efforts are underway to mitigate a threat to kava production and export. Initiatives are being implemented to reduce the size of large kava farms due to a dieback disease associated with deforestation.
The viral disease, linked to the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), has impacted kava-growing regions across the Pacific. In Fiji, the earliest recorded cases date back to 1934, coinciding with extensive cultivation efforts that lacked adequate safety measures.
Research indicates that the kava dieback disease notably affected the Northern Division from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2021 to 2023. During these outbreaks, rising kava prices driven by new export markets led farmers to expand planting. This resulted in significant deforestation and a transition from traditional mixed-cropping farming to intensive mono-cropping practices.
To combat the concerns surrounding kava dieback, local initiatives have been strengthened through a four-day training session focused on soil and plant health. The workshop, conducted at the Friendly North Inn in Labasa by Rohit Lal, a soil scientist from the Pacific Community, aimed to inform farmers in the Northern Division about the critical nature of maintaining plant and soil health.
Mr. Lal noted that the period between 2003 and 2007 saw a reduction in kava dieback cases, possibly due to the lessons learned from previous outbreaks and the closure of export markets, which caused kava prices in Taveuni to fall from FJ$50 per kilogram in 2002 to FJ$20 per kilogram in 2004. Consequently, farmers reduced their operations, opting for smaller plots featuring about 1000 plants each.
The recent surge in kava prices has once again led to increased planting. Mr. Lal cautioned that large-scale plantations, if not developed with appropriate precautions, could heighten the risk of kava dieback. He emphasized the importance of prevention and advocated for traditional multi-cropping practices interspersed with various crops under a tree canopy.
Symptoms of the kava dieback disease can be introduced through infected node cuttings from diseased plants. CMV-infected kava plants and surrounding weeds may exhibit a range of symptoms, with the earliest signs including leaf mosaic, yellowing, curling, and puckering of young leaves.
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