TOKOU FARMERS RECEIVE TRAINING ON KAVA DIEBACK DISEASE
Participants of the Farm Management training
0inimizing the risk of diseases such Proper management of as .ava Dieback on the local kava yaTona is the best way to combat industry was the focus of a Farm it, following the traditional method 0anagement training held for kava and if diseased plants are younger, it farmers of Tokou 9illage on 2valau is best to dig them out and replace recently. them with fresh cuttings, he said.
Permanent ecretary for The kava industry is a thriving Agriculture, 0r. 5itesh Dass said the industry and precaution must be training was important as it provided undertaken from an early stage to empowerment to farmers, raising avoid losses. awareness on the effect of diseases Training participant and yaTona that affect kava production. farmer Tonio %ainimoli said the There is potential in rural training provided him valuable farmers, and accessibility to insight on diseases that could affect information on the diseases that his production. can affect production is vital. This This is the exact disease that is a rapidly spreading black soft rot we are having on the island and of the stem tissue and symptoms we are not aware of how severe it appear on the leaves before the is and I am grateful the 0inistry of visible rot starts, he said. Agriculture is creating awareness
It is a very serious disease and and giving us an insight of what this production losses are high, therefore dieback disease is and how we can the supply of Tuality planting combat it, he said. material is also essential. %efore this Farm 0anagement
The 0inistry of Agriculture is training, we were applying all sorts working on efforts to control the of chemicals to the yaTona plants to spread of the disease on yaTona combat it and now we have come to farms. learn the best way to eliminate it. The disease is a virus and there Also, yaTona farmers received is no spray that can kill the virus and training demonstrations on the only way you can tackle it is to detection, inspection and practical burn the whole planting material, maintenance methods of the 0r. Dass said. dieback disease during the training, There is no known resistance while also being introduced to the among the varieties of kava grown 13 noble yaTona varieties available in FiMi and cultural control is the way in FiMi. to manage kava dieback.
Technical Officer Makereta Ranadi (right) showing farmers Kava dieback disease management.