Mission 3: Taro at Gwaiau

Kastom Gaden Association
Planting Materials Network, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, and PestNet


Linking Farmers to Plant Protection Network
(Solomon Islands)

Project #1222 infoDev The World Bank






KGA/DAL/PestNet Workshops on Taro
& Sliperi Kabis at Gwaiau and Gwou’ulu


Mission Report 3
19 to 28 January 2004









Sydney
February 2004
Kastom Gaden Association
Planting Materials Network, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, and PestNet



Linking Farmers to Plant Protection Network
(Solomon Islands)

Project #1222 infoDev The World Bank







KGA/DAL/PestNet Workshop on Taro
at Gwaiau



Mission Report 3
19 to 21 January 2004













Sydney
February 2004
Introduction

Following PRAs in the project area in October 2003, Gwaiau was selected by the Baetolau Farmers’ Network as the site of a taro workshop. The village is in the highlands of north Malaita some five hours walk from the coast (although school children make the journey in under one hour!), and from the email station established by KGA/PestNet under the infoDev Project. The aim of the workshop was for farmers to identify and prioritise taro pest problems and, together with KGA, MAL and PestNet, discuss options for control, and to put these into practice. Monitoring of the trials is to be carried out by the KGA/PestNet Community Field Officer with regular updates sent to PestNet moderators by email and to others in the network.

The workshop was held in a classroom of Gwaiau School, and attended by 24 farmers, seven of whom were women. A list of participants is given in Annex 1.
Workshop
Opening remarks

Opening remarks were given by the Chief of the village, Feni Aufiliu, who spoke of the importance of taro to the highland community, it being their only cash crop. Afterwards, the background to the workshop was explained. KGA started work on pest problems in the area in 1998, and found that there were many differences between farmers. This led to the idea of sharing experiences so that all farmers might benefit. The PestNet project is a way of doing this and at the same time gaining the technical expertise of scientists from many countries via the network. Other resource persons spoke of their interest in taro, either as members of the Planting Material Network (an NGO associated with KGA), as pioneers developing farmers’ field schools and working with youth in the area, or as researchers.

The farmers were asked to introduce themselves and to give their expectations of the workshop. The workshop agenda is presented in Annex 2.

Defining the pest problems

Working in groups, the participants noted the problems that exist on taro in the village, giving as much detail was they knew on damage, cause and seasonality. Samples were collected from gardens to illustrate the pests and diseases. The problems were then ranked in order of importance.









Ranking Problem (local name) Cause What does it do?
1 Alomae (34) Virus Kills the plants
2 Abadura (20) Phytophthora colocasiae fungus Leaf blight
3 Sisi (11) Papuana beetle Holes in corm
5 Fika (9) Pythium spp. fungus Rots the roots/corm
4 Warialo (1) Hippotion celerio moth Caterpillar eats the leaf
6 Snail (1) Snail Eats the leaves
The numbers in brackets are the votes recorded for each problem: each participant was allocated three votes.

It was not surprising that a lethal virus disease of taro should be ranked first; after all loss of the crop and planting material is of major concern. What was surprising was that there was so much disease in the gardens. It showed that customary practices of control were being neglected.

It was also a surprise that the participants did not mention Abadura, taro leaf blight, until it was brought to their notice by researchers. The disease has been on Malaita for about 50 years and it seems that it is no longer recognised as a ‘sickness’ by all growers, but rather accepted that is how taro grow. When it was said to be a caused by a fungus (Phytophthora colocasiae) its importance was immediately recognised and there was much interest in potential control measures. Papuana beetle was ranked third, but it not seen as a significant problem, at least, not compared to the first two. The root rot, Fika (Pythium spp.) was also given a relatively high score, but was considered only a localised problem in the gardens. The last two, the caterpillar and snail were considered of minor importance.

Control strategies

Following the prioritisation of the problems, the participants discussed control strategies, and demonstrated in the field the methods they currently use. For the most part, Alomae was the problem that received most attention, although one group elected to discussed taro beetle. This was followed by inputs from researchers and expert farmers. The epidemiology of Alomae was explained, together with cultural control measures and remedies based on botanical sprays.

Information was given on the way that Alomae spreads; and farmers were shown the vector of the virus, a plant hopper, Tarophagus sp. Important aspects of its life cycle were given to help farmers understand how the virus is transmitted from plant to plant. Removing affected plants as soon as they are seen is an effected method of control. How to pull out the plants without disturbing the plant hoppers was demonstrated. After removal, the plants should be burnt.

Pythium root rot was explained together with ways of controlling it. Researchers also explained the history of P. colocasiae in Solomon Islands, its introduction after World War II, its effect on the cultivation of taro as well as its biology and method of control. Emphasis was put on cultural control measures, and the use of resistant varieties bred in programmes in PNG and Samoa under a regional taro conservation and use project. It was agreed that the new lines would be requested through the MAL from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, where they are available as tissues cultures. There was concern, however, that the taste of the breeder’s lines might not be acceptable to local and Honiara markets .

As there was overwhelming interest in carrying out experiments to control Alomae, a demonstration was given on the way to make up three botanical sprays: furi (a local tree), uka (containing Derris eliptica), and tobacco. Methods of application were explained as well as safely precautions. The sprays are not to be applied to all taro in the garden, but only those immediately surrounding the plant with Alomae. Methods used to make the sprays are provided ion Annex 3.

The methods identified by the farmers to control Alomae were listed and then each farmer decided which one to test. The concept of a control plot was explained briefly. Some farmers elected to use the ‘customary’ method of control (pull out the taro and throw away and plant one or more strong smelling trees in its place) in addition to testing one of the sprays. This ensured that the new methods would be compared with the current way of controlling Alomae (although each farmer was requested to have a control – farmers’ normal practice – as well as the experimental plot. Who is doing what trial is given in Annex 4, and the various treatments are as follows:

Method of pulling out (roguing) taro Strong smelling trees Sprays
Furi (Felix) Uka (Johnson) Tobacco
Pull out straight and burn 6* 1 0 4
Fold up leaves and burn 0 9 7 1
*6 participants decided to use this method of control in addition to a trial using one of the botanical sprays
Monitoring the trials

Farmers’ observations

The farmers decided that they would note the following:

∑ Date of observation
∑ Number of plants with Alomae (and then removed)
∑ What spray was applied
∑ Comments

There were differences of opinion on when the observations would be made: some farmers said daily, others less often, perhaps once a week.

Monitoring by KGS/PestNet

John Felaka, Extension Officer, and Roselyn Lulumae, Community Field Officer, will visit Gwaiau once a month. They will come in February to start the experiments with the participants. A second workshop will be held at about the time of harvest of the trials, or just before, to share experiences.

Sharing experiences

At the first meeting, a man’s and a woman’s taro committee will be formed and leaders elected. It was hoped that the committees would meet regularly to exchange experiences and for members to encourage and help each other.

If growers wanted to start their trials before the first meeting they were free to do so, using the 2 litre hand sprayers left with the village chief.

Workshop evaluation

Participants were asked to comment on the workshop by answering the following questions:

∑ What three things have you learned?
∑ What did you like about the workshop?
∑ What could be improved next time?

There was overwhelming support for the workshop and all the participants thought that it was a good idea to share information. Some commented that the food was good, others wished improvement next time.

The workshop concluded with an evening meal and entertainment from a bamboo band.
Acknowledgement

The organisers of the workshop, KGA/PestNet and MAL, are grateful to the Chief of Gwaiau and the community for hospitality and active participation during the three days of the workshop. We also would like to thank Felix Laukasi and Johnson Laudota, resources person from north Malaita, who willingly shared their experiences gained from years of growing taro as well as the formulations used to make the botanical sprays that they use to grow healthy crops. The infoDev World Bank is thanked for its support of this project.







Annex 1

Workshop participants

Participants

Feni Aufilu
Eunice Ellmar
Seno Veva
Akwasia Philip
Rose Siunaliko
Iva Muinari/Jason
Simon Toifea
Maekete Billy
Peter Irolanga
Ellen Thaonaliko
Anna Laukasi






Michael Monesi
James Ngeobuli
Samuel Maerofia
Jack Sunate’e
Otageria Riifalu
Tony Orosano
Rino Dinarii
John Magei
Philip Iro
Foneta Sala
Stephen Luiota
Jackson Fa’aida
Silas Maeniu
Fread Laedan

Resources persons

Roselyn Lulumae
Felix Laukasi
John Ladota
John Faleka







Tony Jansen
Grahame Jackson












Annex 2
Workshop timetable

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday
8.30

9.00 Official Opening (Community Leader)
Introductions and expectations (on small cards)

Workshop arrangements (rules and groups) Introductions – how many varieties of taro do you grow?

Recap

Small groups:
Practical demonstration in garden on reducing problems with taro Introductions – what is the future of taro

Recap

Making the sprays
10.00- 10.20 Break Break Break
10.30 Small groups:
taro pest and disease stories
∑ what is the problem?
∑ What does it do?
∑ Where does it come from?
∑ What season?
∑ What causes it?
∑ What else do you know about it? Demonstrations by groups continue in garden Making the sprays
12.00 LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH
1.30 Collect samples of pest and disease from taro gardens (Same small groups) Discuss the most promising methods for experiments

Selection of 3-5 methods for experiments Select who is going to do what experiment (small cards) and why
2.30 Small Group Presentation
3.00 – 3.20 Break Break Break
3.30 Continue group presentations What is a good farmer field trial?

Why do we want to do field trials? Monitoring and follow up – by farmers and by project
4.00 Ranking of problems – voting by group members Evaluation in small groups
Evening Official closing kai kai





Annex 3
Making the sprays

Furi (Felix) Uka (Johnson) Tobacco
∑ Scrape off outer bark
∑ Scrape white inner bark
∑ Fill a 1 kg plastic sugar
∑ 5 chillies – hammer
∑ Add 20 litres water
∑ Bring to boil
∑ Cool, strain
∑ Add 2 gram soap
∑ Use ∑ 2 roots (1 inch by 1 foot)
∑ Scrape kwato
∑ Fill 1 kg plastic sugar
∑ 5 heads toitoi
∑ Put Uka, kwato, toitoi in to a bucket, cover with water
∑ Leave overnight
∑ Add 2 lire water, strain
∑ Add 2 gram soap
∑ Use ∑ 5 large leaves
∑ Hammer
∑ Add 1 lite water
∑ Soak overnight
∑ Make up to 2 litres with water, strain
∑ Add 2 gram soap
∑ Use

Note: the sprays should be used fresh, ie do not store and use later.

Annex 4
Who is doing what?

Aimomoko (smelling tree)

Stephen (P)
Samuel (P)
Peter (P)
Jack (P)
Rino (P)
Feni (P)

Furi (Felix) spray

Ellen Thaonaliko
Silas
Maeta
Philip
Anna
Fread
Tony
Billy Mae
Jack Sunate’e
Jason


Tobacco spray

John Magei
Seno
James Ngeobuli
Samuel maeta
Stephen


Uka (Johnson) spray

Michael
Feni Aufilu
Peter Iro
Jackson
Eunice
Akwasia
Rino Dinarii



(P) = Traditional method of Alomae control ie pull out and burn