Nakida Village farmers in Nagonenicolo, Naitasiri have been handed a kava pounding machine and packshed materials by the Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry in what officials say is a push to bring value‑adding and processing closer to highland producers. Assistant Minister Inosi Kuridrani, who officiated the handover, described the equipment as a practical step to reduce farmers’ reliance on middlemen and long, costly trips to urban centres for processing.
“Instead of travelling long distances to Nausori or Suva, they can now process their yaqona right here in the village,” Kuridrani said, adding that the assistance would “strengthen local livelihoods and build resilience in our communities.” He framed the donation as part of targeted support to enable farmers to meet local demand and prepare for potential export markets by processing and packaging at source.
Local farmer and middleman Laisenia Senokonoko, who received the equipment on behalf of the community, said the new machine will transform the village’s role in the kava supply chain. Senokonoko currently buys green kava from 13 farmers in Nakida at between $17 and $25 per kilogram. With on‑site drying, pounding and packing now possible, he said growers will no longer need to shoulder transport costs and time travelling to urban facilities.
“Farmers don’t have to worry about selling far from home anymore,” Senokonoko said. “The drying, pounding and packaging will be taken care of here, and I am also working with the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji to explore export opportunities. This machine will help us add value and grow together as a cooperative.” He is an active member of the Nakida Cooperative, which aims to ensure collective benefit-sharing among participating growers.
The packshed materials supplied alongside the pounding machine are intended to support hygienic drying and packaging, giving the cooperative options to present a finished product rather than raw roots. By centralising processing in the village, Senokonoko said farmers can concentrate on cultivation while cooperative members handle the technical tasks of producing a marketable yaqona product.
The move to equip Nakida reflects a broader government emphasis on rural value addition and reducing barriers for primary producers to access higher‑value markets. While most recent public attention in the agricultural sector has focused on sugarcane relief and other crop support programs, the ministry’s latest intervention targets diversification of income streams for smallholders through post‑harvest infrastructure.
For Nakida’s growers, the immediate benefits are lower transport costs and faster turnaround from harvest to sale. Over the longer term, officials and cooperative members say the equipment could help the village meet quality standards required for larger buyers and, potentially, regulated export channels if work with the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji progresses. The handover marks the latest development in efforts to strengthen village‑level enterprises and keep more of the value chain — and the profits — in farming communities.
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