Mwoakilloa Provides Taro and Pandanus Planting Material to Pohnpei

by Dr. Lois Englberger

The Island Food Community of Pohnpei (IFCP) just completed a trip to Mwoakilloa, 29 October to 8 November, documenting names and characteristics of the local food crops and cultivars and collecting giant swamp taro and pandanus cuttings for planting in the Pilot Farm collection in Pohlangas, Madolehnihm. The trip was supported by the Pacific German Regional Forestry Project. Despite the small size of Mwoakilloa Atoll, it has a diversity of giant swamp taro and pandanus varieties with over 20 varieties of each.

An initial documentation trip was made in November 2003, as supported by the Pacific Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Network. Food samples (6 pandanus and 7 giant swamp taro varieties) were also collected and analyzed for nutrient content at the DSM Nutritional Products laboratory in Basel, Switzerland. This was supported by the Task Force Sight and Life, a humanitarian initiative by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd in Switzerland.

Kehn Albert, Health Assistant in Mwoakilloa, ably coordinated the present visit. At a community meeting, the results of the nutritional analyses were presented. All pandanus and taro varieties contained valuable levels of beta-carotene, the most important of the provitamin A carotenoids, from 110 micrograms (mcg) per 100 grams in En Kehlen pandanus to 280 micrograms/100 g in Kipar en Majal. In the giant swamp taro, the levels ranged from 150 mcg/100 g in Nihn-Jaimon to 380 mcg/100 g in Jehm and Jikohki.

Apuhs fruit, Crataeva speciosa, was found to have the highest levels, at 1070 mcg beta-carotene per 100 grams of fruit.

Consumption of beta-carotene and other provitamin A carotenoids provides important health benefits, helping protect against diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, vitamin A deficiency (leading to greater infection and vision problems), and anemia (weak blood).

Nelson Albert, Lincoln Lebehn, Marciano Edmund, Apiner Jim, Noreen John, and Edward Dannis assisted in provided the giant swamp taro varieties. These included: Nihn-Jaimon, Nihn-Dannis, Nihn-Dijohn, Wiklale, Nihn-Limwei, Nihn-Ringlen, Nihn-Abrahm, Nihn-Doahmw, Jehm, Nihn-Eneri, Palihngaling, and Nihn-Ropis. Kehn Albert collected cuttings for eight pandanus varieties: En Pesi, Insohl, Juiaipwapw, Luarmwe, Mehkilkil, Nehnkedak, Mwajak, and Jorihm.

Amy Levendusky, Peace Corps Volunteer working with Pohnpei Agriculture and Dr. Lois Englberger made up the IFCP team. Many thanks to the Mwoakillese community, their hospitality and help in providing planting material for the Pohnpei Giant Swamp Taro Genebank Collection in Pohnlahngas, Madolenihm.