Investment in Kava is critical in order to enhance its value and take it to global markets, Tonga's Minister for Agriculture, Foods and Forestry, Lord Fohe, told a Kava national consultation in Nuku'alofa recently.

He was Chairman of the National Consultation workshop, held from 24-28 October. Regional consultations are soliciting the views of individual Pacific Island countries and kava stakeholders in order to determine the priorities for the development of a Pacific Regional Kava Strategy.

Tonga’s National Kava Development Committee is collaborating with the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Horticulture and Market Access Plus programme (PHAMA Plus).

They aim to identify and agree on regional support activities to be included in the regional strategy, areas for resourcing, and protecting the geographical indications for kava.

Lord Fohe said that in the process of developing the regional Kava Strategy, it would be wise to understand what makes Pacific Kava unique in the global market and to focus on actions that enhance the marketing the Pacific Kava in global markets.

The national consultation team was able to reach out to over 80 stakeholders during the consultations, which included field visits to kava farms and bilateral meetings with farmer groups in Vava‘u and Tongatapu.

It concluded with a hybrid workshop including stakeholders from ‘Eua and Vava‘u participating virtually.

Key priorities

Participants in the Tonga national consultation emphasized key priorities to be reflected in the strategy:

• Opening commercial markets for the exportation of the Kava.
• Establishing a fully equipped Kava facility for the processing and packaging of Kava.
• Ensuring the quality of Kava meets the requirements and standards of overseas markets and
• Investors to invest in other products.

At the same time, the participants highlighted the need for national governments, regional and international organizations to assist with finding markets for Kava.

To establish a Kava Industry here in Tonga, where farmers need to find buyers who will do the processing and packaging plus export. Kava growers recommended a Kava Peer Learning Platform in the Regional Strategy actions. This recommendation was supported by the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, Mrs. Distaquaine Tu‘ihalamaka.

She also suggested exploring the possibility of holding a Kava festival/expo for the region.

Members of Tonga’s National Kava Development Committee includes representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forest (Chair), Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Attorney General’s Office, PHAMA Plus, and the EU-SPIRIT Subregional Trade Adviser.

The consultations rendered progress and action to the 2021 Forum Trade Ministers Meeting's (FTMM), which endorsed the development of the Regional Kava Development Strategy, and the implementation of an agreed Action Plan by the Pacific Regional Kava Working Group meeting, endorsed on 27 January 2022.