BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
AHETAHA Water Conservation Association recently conducted a one-day kava training for 14 sister conservation groups from East Are Are, East Kwaio and Small Malaita.
The training was held at Ahetaha in Manawai as part of AWCA’s programmes to establish and develop alternative livelihood income generating for the conservation groups.
In a statement from ACWA coordinator, Mr Eddie Huitarau said the training was facilitated by Mai-Maasina Green Belt Kava (MMGB) Coordinator, Mr Alick Kings Rouhau and covered three main areas on the commercial crop.
He said the areas covered during the training were, production, harvesting and processing kava products for market.
Huitarau said Mr Rouhau explained the three main areas of kava to the participants as they learned on site selection for kava planting, harvesting and preparing the product for market.
“During the training, participants were also privileged to witness demonstration of what they learned in the training.
“At the end of the training, Mr Rouhau handed over a bag of 400 kava stalks to AWCA as support from MMGB to boost kava programme amongst its conservation groups,” he said.
On that note, Huitarau highlighted that kava farming is one of MMGB’s economic business products aiming to assist communities and tribal lands through provision of alternative livelihood sources to people.
“MMGB came with the idea to support the need of conservation groups to become financial reliant to look after and manage its own conservation programmes and activities.
“This also can help MMGB members to be financially strong and less depends on support from grants and donor assistances,” he said.
Huitarau said under MMGB’s five years plan, it expects by 2025 to establish MMGB Kava brand with 50 farmers associated with its conservation member groups.
