Causes and Suggested Remedies to Taro Endangerment in Four Regions of Ghana Emmanuel Oduro1* , Esther Fobi Donkor2 and Emmanuel Ackah3
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Oduro et al. Bull Natl Res Cent (2021) 45:129 https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-021-00587-x Bulletin of the National Research Centre RESEARCH Open Access Causes and suggested remedies to taro endangerment in four regions of Ghana Emmanuel Oduro1* , Esther Fobi Donkor2 and Emmanuel Ackah3 Abstract Background: Many plant species worldwide cultivated for food have been neglected and are being underutilized despite their crucial contributions to food security, nutrition and income generation to rural citizens, leading to a nearly permanent diet defciency. Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott), an important food crop in the family Araceae, is one of the neglected species. This study therefore focused on identifying potential challenges mitigating taro production and utilization in taro-producing areas of Ghana and to formulate recommendations for overall increased production and utilization of the crop. The study was conducted in Ahanta West Municipal, Dormaa Municipal, Kumasi Metropolitan and East Akim Municipal in the Western, Bono, Ashanti and Eastern Regions of Ghana, respec- tively. These districts were ever known for taro production in Ghana. Well-structured questionnaires were used to col- lect information on ethnobotany of taro, possible causes of taro endangerment and remedies to combat them from farmers, traders and consumers. Results: The survey revealed diferent vernacular names for taro, and the corm was the main part used as food. The corms were usually boiled before eaten. Major recipes of taro identifed were “Puree and Ampesi.” The study revealed that taro was mainly cultivated on marginal soils as well as near water bodies. Taro was largely cultivated on subsist- ence scale. The study also revealed that utilization as food and tool of trade has reduced drastically. Major causes of taro extinction reported included: lack of healthy planting materials, unavailability of consumable corms and disease [Taro leaf blight disease(TLBD)] of the crop. Conclusion: It was suggested that the release of cultivars which are resistant to the TLBD and publication of the nutritional benefts of the crop could revive the cultivation and utilization of the crop. Keywords: Ashanti, Bono, Causes, Eastern, Remedies, Taro, Western Background urbanization processes, are increasingly degrading the Many plant species worldwide cultivated for food have wealth of our biodiversity and the health of our ecosys- been neglected and underutilized despite their crucial tems. Modern food systems are seriously afecting both contributions to food security, nutrition and income food production and consumption patterns, with just generation to rural citizens (Akpavi et al. 2012; Barbieri fve crops, namely rice, wheat, maize, millet and sorghum et al. 2014). Tis has led to a nearly permanent diet def- providing about half of human food energy needs. Te ciency. Unsustainable crop, livestock, forestry, fsheries use of such a small number of species, often with a nar- and aquaculture practices, including other unsustainable row genetic base, increases the vulnerability of produc- productive systems such as industries and mining and tion systems and puts food security and nutrition at risk (Subedi et al. 2020). Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott), an impor- *Correspondence: [email protected] 1 Plantation Department, Norpalm Ghana Limited, Takoradi, Western tant food crop in the family Araceae, is one of the Region, Ghana neglected species (Onwueme 1999; Quero-Garcia et al. Full list of author information is available at the end of the article 2010). Taro ranks fourteenth among the world’s staple © The Author(s) 2021. 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Bull Natl Res Cent (2021) 45:129 Page 2 of 11 vegetable crops with a global harvest of about 9.2 mil- Methods lion tonnes from 1.8 million hectares of the world agri- The study areas cultural land and an average yield of 5.1 t ha−1 (Taylor Te study was a cross-regional study that covered four et al. 2010). Taro is cultivated mainly for home con- taro-producing regions in Ghana including the West- sumption in most continents including Asia, Africa, ern, Bono, Ashanti and Eastern Regions. One dis- Papua New Guinea and PI (Ecoport 2010; Safo-Kantaka trict each, ever known for taro production within the 2004). It has greatest signifcance in the Pacifc, where regions, was the main focus of this study (using feld it has special cultural, dietary and economic impor- survey), i.e., Ahanta West Municipal in the Western tance. In many PI countries, it is considered an impor- Region, Kumasi Metropolitan in the Ashanti Region, tant component of every meal. Te highest areas of Dormaa Municipal District in the Bono Region and production, however, are in West Africa (Ofori 2004). East Akim Municipal in the Eastern Region. It also serves as an essential export commodity in sev- eral countries, including Fiji and Cook Islands, and it was in Samoa before 1993 (Taylor et al. 2010). Te crop Ahanta West Municipal also contributes to food security and has rich economic Ahanta West Municipal District is located within and sociocultural connotations in Africa (Darkwa and longitude 1°50′907’’ W and latitude 4°53′056’’ N, at Darkwa 2013; Mwenye 2009; Onyeka 2014). the southernmost point of the country. Te entire Currently, taro is among the crops that produce the West African Sub-Region with its capital at Agona lowest average yields (5.4 tonnes/ha for the world) of Nkwanta is bounded to the East by the Sekondi-Tako- all reported root crops (FAOSTAT 2015). In the past, radi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), the West by the major producers of taro globally were largely dominated Nzema East Municipal, and to the North by Mpohor by West African countries (McGregor et al. 2011). Wassa East District and Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Africa produced 9.5 million tonnes of the estimated 12 and the Gulf of Guinea to the South. Te district falls million tonnes of taro produced in the world in 2007, within the southwestern equatorial climatic zone of while 2 million were produced in Asia. In Ghana, the Ghana. Te highest mean temperature is 34 °C which yield of taro decreased from 7.1 tonnes/ha in 2015 to is recorded between March and April, while the lowest 6.2 tonnes/ha in 2017 (FAOSTAT 2017). According to mean temperature of 20 °C is experienced in August. WAAPP-Ghana, the mean annual production growth Relative humidity is very high averaging between 75 rate of taro has declined by 3.4% since 2005. Decline and 85 percent in the rainy season and 70 percent to in productivity could be attributed to lack of improved 80 percent in the dry season. Te district is located in varieties in the farming system (website: https:// waapp. the wettest region of Ghana. It experiences a double org. gh). maxima rainfall of over 1,700 mm. Te rainy season is In Africa, Nigeria is the leading producer of taro, between the months of April and September, with the followed by Ghana with a production capacity of greatest volume recorded between April and July (GSS 5,387,000 and 1,688,330 tonnes, respectively, compared 2014). to Papua New Guinea and Guinea with 285,000 and 31,200 tonnes (FAO 2008). A study by Antwi et al. (2017) indicated that TLB and Kumasi Metropolitan lack of planting materials are the main constraints to Te Kumasi Metropolis is located between latitude large-scale production. More information is required 6.35°N and 6.40°S and longitude 1.30°W and 1.35°E and on on-farm production practices, harvesting, handling, elevated 250 to 300 m above sea level. Te Metropolis storage, utilization as well as germination protocols. shares boundaries with Kwabre East and Afgya Kwa- Awareness of the benefts and value of maintaining bre Districts to the north, Atwima Kwanwoma and taro landraces also needs to be increased among farm- Atwima Nwabiagya Districts to the west, Asokore ers (Taylor et al. 2010). Regrettably, research in taro Mampong and Ejisu-Juaben Municipality to the east production, processing, marketing and consumption and Bosomtwe District to the south. Te Metropolis appears to be neglected probably because of the appar- falls within the wet sub-equatorial type. Te average ent lack of interest in the crop. minimum temperature is about 21.5 °C, and the maxi- Tis study, therefore, sought to identify possible set- mum average temperature is about 30.7 °C. Te average backs while formulating appropriate recommendations humidity is around 84.16 per cent at sunrise and 60 per for increasing productivity and utilization of Colocas- cent at sunset. It has a double maxima rainfall regime sia esculentus in the major taro-producing regions in (214.3 mm in June and 165.2 mm in September). Te Ghana. Metropolis lies within the transitional forest zone but Oduro et al. Bull Natl Res Cent (2021) 45:129 Page 3 of 11 specifcally within the moist semi-deciduous South- administered to 50 respondents each from the selected East Ecological Zone (Ghana Statistical Service 2010).