TONGA’S kava growers and exporters have welcomed a regional declaration by Pacific leaders on the ancient plant which has become a major agricultural commodity.
The Tonga National Kava Komiti (TNKK) described the declaration made at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror, Palau, as a landmark regional commitment to safeguard and promote kava as a unique Pacific cultural and economic asset.
This concept of the Kava Declaration was launched by Princess Angelika Tuku’aho in 2024 at the inaugural Pacific Kava Festival in Tonga.
“TNKK extends its sincere gratitude to the Pacific Islands Forum and its Leaders, and in particular to the Prime Minister of Tonga, the Honourable Fakafanua, for their endorsement of the KAVA Declaration and for recognising the importance of protecting Pacific KAVA’s origins, traditional knowledge, cultural identity, and heritage,” a statement from the group said.
TNKK chair, Feiloakitau Kaho Tevi, said a partnership with Nia Tero had been invaluable in amplifying the voices of Pacific kava-growing communities, and its support would remain vital as this work moved onto the international stage.
He said that with the Forum declaration and growers and communities who had held stewardship of the crop for generations at the centre of the effort, the political foundation for the kava market was secured.
“Our task now is to escalate the cultural and identity significance of kava onto the international stage with the focus now shifting to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland,” Tevi said.
“We remain deeply grateful for the support of our leaders and we look forward to their continued support in the work ahead for the PIFS Kava Working Group.”
Building on the endorsement, TNKK and the Technical Working Group will advance a coordinated programme of work including tabling the next phase of the regional kava agenda at the upcoming Pacific Islands Standards Committee Technical Committee on Kava meeting in Nadi next week.
