The people of Vanuatu have traditionally practiced shifting cultivation, growing vegetables such as taro and yams in clear areas of forest. Cash crops have included copra, cocoa and coffee, and until recently, kava, until the medicinal plant was banned for sale in the US and parts of Europe. Hardwood trees and beef are also important exports. The islands are prone to natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and tsunamis, and are heavily dependent on foreign aid. 06/07/09