African Regional Expert Workshop on Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Nairobi, 12 -15 December 2006

1. African Regional Expert Workshop on Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Nairobi, 12 -15 December 2006 CASE STUDY: Conservation and Sustainable Use of Taro (Colocasia esculenta and Xanthosoma sp) in Makoni district By Mr. K. Kusena Curator for the National Genebank of Zimbabwe ngbz@mweb.co.zw or kudzaikusena@yahoo.com

2. Brief Background • Taro is a tuber crop • Grows well in wetlands • Tubers are the edible parts • High nutritional value (Vit A, Dietary fiber) • Prime source of carbohydrates • Used mainly as bread or sweet potato substitute • Breakfast, lunch

3. Makoni district Background • Makoni District of Zimbabwe • High-veld agro-ecology 4 (tropical) and high altitude variation (600 to 1500 m asl) • One ethnic group and one spoken languages • 90 % of population depending on Agriculture for their livelihood • Farmers are relatively small holders (< 0.5 ha) • About four farmers groups including

4. Why conserving Taro diversity in Zimbabwe Fast erosion of taro genetic diversity • Adaptive management • Series of droughts resulting in poor wetlands • Poor technologies for bridging the dry season gap • Invasive alien species • Neglecting the crop as a low value crops in monetary terms.

5. Taro, Diversity and Market Potentials • Underutilized crop with low cost of production • Over 30 different landraces in three provinces of Zimbabwe • All parts (leaf, petiole, corms) are edible • High economic value than sweet potatoes • Traditional food crop linked with unique food habit and culture • Long storage capacity • Lower risk to pest and disease • Seasonally harvested • Market Potentials • Growing Demands of Taro products in city areas • Consumption by rich and educated people (Reduce obesity) • Changing food habits in youth (Fast food to Traditional food) • Global concerns on under-utilized crops

6. Constrains towards sustainable use • Localized market and varies quality of traditional products • Farmers are not getting premium price • Lack of adequate Research and technology for new product development • Competition (substitute by potato) • No clear supportive policies, laws and institutions • Genetic erosion • Weak co-ordination among the relevant stakeholders for the supply chain and on-farm management of taro diversity

7. Farmers Groups Farmers Cooperative Private Agro enterprise Farmers Shops, Restaurants Consumers Existing Supply Chain of Taro Products Production, Primary processing Collection, Primary processing Collection, Processing, Packaging and Marketing

8. Analysis of Existing Market Chain: Key Issues • Lacking price negotiation capacity • Inadequate capacity for quality and scale of production • Lack of ownership on value-added products Producer • Inadequate technology for processing and packaging • Irregular supply of products (quality and quantity) Processors • Inadequate knowledge on market mix • Insufficient knowledge for promotion • Very few market outlets Marketing • Irregular supply • Lack of knowledge of nutrition and recipe • preparation • Inadequate market outlets Consumer Capacity Technology Market Mix Awareness

9. Relevance and Impact of sustainable use of Taro • Increased income to the farmer through better price • Increase wetland management and Taro production • Maintenance of diversity (wetland ecosystem) • Easy access to market • Quality of taro products available • Regular supply of taro guaranteed • Increased demand from urban population • Increased number of entrepreneurs (competition) • Awareness Increased • A network of public-private sectors strengthened

10. Wetland management Ecosystem Services • Impact on ecosystem services on wetland management • Meeting the high ecosystem service value in balance with high wetland management value(Four cell analysis)

11. Who is responsible for its sustainable use • Farmers own the crop by default and they are at a better position to report on the crop status • Taro has been culturally or customary inherited from generation to generation. • The crop has clear market incentives but they are not fully explored • Usually characterized as a woman crop especially old age and widows • There are no clear mechanism used to measure status but the National Genebank has two Taro field genebanks • There is need for other conservation methods like tissue culture and cryopreservation