“CAMOTE: A TYPHOON RESILIENT CROP”
Did you know that Philippines is a country wherein it experience more than 20 typhoons a year? Did you know that it is rich in natural resources? And one example of thi is the camote.
The food production is highly affected through the ever changing climate which creates extreme effect specifically in agriculture; some main effects could be addressed primarily through the change of patterns, soil nutrients, temperature, and also the visibility of pest and other diseases.
The Tarlac College of Agriculture ventures and participates through the development of technologies and the testing of crops across some location. In order to identify specific crops which suites for commercial products one of the resilient crop varieties is the camote.
So what makes the sweet potato a very resilient tuber crop, humble one and underutilized in securing food for people which specifically during calamities here in the Philippines which are prone to typhoon?
Ipomoea Batatas, is a scientific name of sweet potato a dicotyledonous plant belongs to the family of Convolvulaceae. According to PIA (Philippine Information Agency), Alvin Abejuela being a Chairman on Agriculture in the province of Samar convinced the farmers of Balente, Roxas to marginally eat rice and instead substitute camote to it. Also, he encouraged the people to change and decide their eating lifestyle. Abejuela added “one bowl of cooked rice is a caloric equal of ten teaspoons of sugar. This does not matter whether it is white, brown or herbal rice”. To ensure a whole year supply, farmers where taught to establish a calendar for planting camote. As a starter the farmers where task and produce camote for their immediate community.
Our country is a good place for growing camote, since it grows throughout the tropical and warm temperate region. Camote is very resilient crop especially during calamities for the reason that there’s a possibility that the prizes in the market will rise up and the camote is cheaper and more convenient for the people. In that state we prefer to be more practical because we are experiencing shortage of food supplies especially the prize of rice will rise. Sufficient water and little attention are needed to successfully grow the crop. Camote is also good for our cardiovascular health; it also consists of Vitamin A which the human body required for integrity of skin and mucus membranes. In addition, the camote are very essential for protein and carbohydrate metabolism that has good amount of vital minerals that is rich in iron, calcium, manganese, potassium and magnesium. As stated of the local legislator, camote is effective on losing weight and having a firmer skin.
Camote is also called the Musical Fruit. Due to the presence of trisaccharide the crop eaten does not undergo the usual process of digestion. When eating the musical fruit, you will toot!
Sources:
http://www.tca.edu.ph/index.php/2013-08-16-04-01-19/research-development/climate-resilient-crops
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