Fiji Kava partners with the iTaukei Trust Fund Board
Fiji Kava Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the iTaukei Trust Fund Board (TTFB) to develop Fiji Kava’s supply chain and relationships with commercial partners in Fiji.
Under the MOU, Fiji Kava and TTFB will provide access to desirable Noble Kava plantlet varieties.
And would help local farmers transition to larger scale kava farming that meet Fiji Kava’s supply requirements.
The strategic partnership includes establishment of additional commercial nurseries in Fiji to grow and supply Noble Kava plantlets to contracted farmers.
The nurseries are expected to be run and managed by selected women’s groups.
Fiji Kava will develop opportunities for vocational graduates of a local training centre, as vocational post-graduate fellows on Fiji Kava’s nucleus estate in Cawatara, Ovalau and other selected locations in the provinces of Bua, Cakaudrove. and Lomaiviti.
New arrangements
Under the MOU, TTFB and Fiji Kava will pilot the new arrangements in selected communities that have already been identified.
If successful, the programme will be rolled out to the other provinces.
TTFB chief executive officer Aisake Taito said: “This relationship established with Fiji Kava, satisfies one of our key pillars in our ‘Entrepreneurship Framework’, which links resource owners to private sectors with an established export markets like Fiji Kava.
“This is an attempt to advance resource owners from subsistence-based agriculture to semi-subsistence and eventually on a commercial level.
“We would like to capitalise on this growth through developing a more sustainable kava industry.”
Fiji Kava chief executive officer Anthony Noble said: “Creating shared value with the traditional users and growers of Noble Fijian Kava is key pillar of Fiji Kava’s success.”
“Working with TTFB through the agreement will significantly strengthen the quality, volume and consistency of our supply, which will underpin the future growth of Fiji Kava’s ‘Noble Kava’ range of products across our global market,” Mr Noble said.
“We continue to invest and focus on supply chain robustness through inventory management, commercial partnerships and geographical diversity.”