Seinwar Students Visit Banana Collection

by Amy Levendusky

On 19 May, 2005, the 6th grade students of Seinwar Elementary School visited the Pohnpei Banana Collection, which now has 33 different varieties of bananas found on Pohnpei.

Seinwar students took a field trip to the FSM Pilot Farm in Pohnlangas, Madolenihmw to see the Pohnpei Banana Collection as part of CSP's Youth to Youth Program. Semes Silbanuz, Extension Aide III, at the Pilot Farm, gave a brief lecture on the purpose of the Pilot Farm and the Pohnpei Banana Collection . The collection was formed to conserve and display all the bananas found growing on Pohnpei, especially those rare yellow-fleshed bananas, which have unique health benefits, including the Karat, Karat en Yap, Akadahn Weitahta, Utin Iap, Utimwas, Mangat, etc. Some varieties of Pohnpei bananas have been neglected and are not being planted as much today as they were in the past. This collection ensures that these neglected, now rare bananas, will not be lost. Banana varieties are still being collected in order that all 55 banana varieties documented by Raynor, 1991, are included in the collection. The collection was initially funded by the Pacific Agriculture Plant Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN) and its maintenance is now supported by the Pacific German Regional Forestry Project and the New Zealand Government.

The students were instructed to take a close look at 4 yellow-fleshed varieties, including Karat, Karat en Yap, Utimwas, Taiwang, and 2 white-fleshed varieties including Utin Menihle and Utin Pihsi because they will be illustrating the appearance and explaining the characteristics of each of those bananas on a poster board for CSP's Environmental Fair on May 27, 2005. The students enjoyed getting out of the classroom and having a hands on experience on the Pilot Farm.

Those that facilitated the field trip were Semes Silbanuz, Pilot Farm, Ben Namakin, CSP, Leinson Neth, CSP, and Amy Levendusky, Island Food Community of Pohnpei.