Y raw yam J. Ihenetu through a press statement issued on September 8, 2020 in Accra. Nigeria is the highest producer of yam in the world while Ghana is the highest exporter of yam in the world. May have cancer-fighting properties. When stored, they continue to respire, which results in the oxidation of the starch (a polymer of glucose) contained in the cells of the tuber, which converts it into water, carbon dioxide, and heat energy. The New Yam Festival of the Igbo people (Orureshi in the idoma area, Iwa ji, Iri ji or Ike ji, Otute depending on dialect) is an annual cultural festival by the Igbo … It is said[according to whom?] People offer yams to gods and ancestors first, before distributing them to the villagers. An exception to the cooking rule is the mountain yam (Dioscorea polystachya), known as nagaimo and can be further classified into ichōimo (lit. System which is confirm mostly to the top 30cm of the soil and these in branched root may extend laterally to a considerable distance, later in the development of the plant a mass of finer branching fibrous root is produced. The cancellation of the 2020 edition of the annual New Yam Festival/IGBO Day in Ghana was announced by HRM Eze Dr. Amb. [23] Nigeria farmed yams on 5.9 million hectares, 70% of the world land area of 8.6 million hectares devoted to yam farming. This article is about the large tuberous starchy root eaten as a staple food. Ghana: The Crop Trust supported the Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute (PGRRI) to regenerate and characterize 338 yam accessions with the objective of rescuing threatened diversity and enhancing use of the crops. Yam is a staple food that is high in demand both locally and internationally. The Chinese yam plant is somewhat smaller than the African, with the vines about 3 m (10 ft) long. After harvesting, yams have a resting period for about three to four months throughout the dry season before they make suitable seeds. According to SRID-MoFA (2013), the annual production of yam is estimated at 6.7 million metric tons in Ghana with main harvesting periods starting from August to December. Bitter compounds tend to accumulate in immature tuber tissues of white and yellow yams. It is also used as a popular ingredient for ice cream. Some farmers use staking and mixed cropping, a practice that complicates harvesting in some cases. It is native to Southeast Asia and is the third-most commonly cultivated species there, although it is cultivated very little in other parts of the world. The boiled yam can also be pounded with a traditional mortar and pestle to create a thick, starchy paste known as iyan (pounded yam) or fufu which is eaten with traditional sauces such as egusi and palm nut soup. Raw forms, however, are not edible and cannot be digested. Ghana: The Crop Trust supported the Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute (PGRRI) to regenerate and characterize 338 yam accessions with the objective of rescuing threatened diversity and enhancing use of the crops. D. polystachya, Chinese yam, is native to China. Because of the small size of the tubers, mechanical cultivation is possible, which along with its easy preparation and good flavor, could help the lesser yam to become more popular in the future. Aerial tubers or bulbils are harvested by manual plucking from the vine. However, in Colombia, there is no evidence of the use of this product, other than food.[39]. yam growing regions of Nigeria and Ghana. Chukwudi J. Ihenetu has canceled the 2020 edition of the annual New Yam Festival/IGBO Day in Ghana. You will usually not find too many vendors … The yellow yam has a longer period of vegetation and a shorter dormancy than white yam. Yam is the common name for some plant species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae) that form edible tubers. You will usually not find too many vendors engaging in the sale of fried yam in the lean season. They are usually detoxified by soaking in a vessel of salt water, in cold or hot fresh water or in a stream. Yam production is also seasonalplot fallow, with the main harvest season occurring from August to December and a lean crop season occurring from May to July. In Pernambuco state, it is usually boiled and served cut in slices at breakfast, along with cheese spread or molasses. Jinenjo, also called the wild yam, is a related variety of Japanese yam that is used as an ingredient in soba noodles. Some yams are also invasive plants, often considered a "noxious weed", outside cultivated areas. The powder is sprinkled onto a pan containing a small amount of boiling water and stirred vigorously. Most countries that grow yams as a staple food are too poor to afford high-technology storage systems. staking. The best temperature to store yams is between 14 and 16 °C (57 and 61 °F), with high-technology-controlled humidity and climatic conditions, after a process of curing. [1] The most economically important are discussed below. The wild forms are very toxic and are sometimes used to poison animals when mixed with bait. Extensive changes in traditional cultivation practices, such as mixed cropping, may be required. Wild forms of bitter yams (Dioscorea dumetorum) do contain some toxins, such as dihydrodioscorine, that taste bitter, hence are referred to as bitter yam. This purple yam is popular as lightly deep-fried tempura, as well as being grilled or boiled. Unlike cassava, most varieties of edible, mature, cultivated yam do not contain toxic compounds. Ghana produces on average eight million tons of yam annually. [16], D. trifida, the cush-cush yam, is native to the Guyana region of South America and is the most important cultivated New World yam. With these methods of obtaining seed yam, the Promotes Fertility. Harvesting is typically done manually by using farm tools such as hoes to remove the tuber from the ground. Mountain yam is eaten raw and grated, after only a relatively minimal preparation: the whole tubers are briefly soaked in a vinegar-water solution to neutralize irritant oxalate crystals found in their skin. I love it too. The yam root was traditionally used by peasants in Vietnam to dye cotton clothes throughout the Red River and Mekong delta regions as late as the mid-20th century, and is still used by others in the Sapa region of northern Vietnam.[40]. [27] But raw yam has the highest potassium levels amongst the 10 major staple foods of the world (see nutritional chart). Successful storage of yams requires:[24][25]. It was introduced to Europe in the 19th century, when the potato crop there was falling victim to disease, and is still grown in France for the Asian food market. With a Vision of becoming the leading source of premium quality yam products with global penetration and contribution to an improved Ghanaian economy and livelihoods,the Ghana Yam Producers and Exporters Association was incorporated under the Ghana Company’s Code, 1963 Act 179 on the 2nd of June 1987. [16], In 1905, the air potato was introduced to Florida and has since become an invasive species in much of the state. In Vietnam, the same purple yam is used for preparing a special type of soup canh khoai mỡ or fatty yam soup. The edible tuber has a rough skin that is difficult to peel but readily softened by heating. White- and off-white-fleshed yams are cut in cubes, cooked, lightly fermented, and eaten as afternoon snacks. In September, for example, the Volta region holds its own festival to thank God for a bumper harvest and an abundance of yams. Ghana Yam Benefits. The king of the Igbo People in Ghana, HRM Eze Dr. Amb. [34] Such preparations were used in early combined oral contraceptive pills. Menopause Symptoms. C raw hard red winter wheat [15], They are large plants; the vines can be as long as 10 to 12 m (33 to 39 ft). The most common cooking methods in Western and Central Africa are by boiling, frying or roasting.[38]. White yam tuber is roughly cylindrical in shape, the skin is smooth and brown, and the flesh is usually white and firm. Among the Akan of Ghana, boiled yam can be mashed with palm oil into eto in a similar manner to the plantain dish matoke, and is served with eggs. Harvest season in the Volta Region occurs much earlier than in the Northern Region. The king of the Igbo People in Ghana, HRM Eze Dr. Amb. Yam hash. D raw potato with flesh and skin [1] Even in Africa, the popularity of water yam is second only to white yam. Chukwudi J. Ihenetu has announced the cancellation of COVID-19: Eze Igbo Ghana, Eze Ihenetu cancels Igbo Day/New Yam festival – … Yam is the name given to several plant species in the genus Dioscorea including Dioscorea alata (white yam), Dioscorea bulbifera (potato yam), Dioscorea cayenensis (yellow yam), Dioscorea esculenta (Asiatic yam) and Dioscorea batatas (Chinese yam) that are grown for their edible tubers. In 2010, Colombia was among the 12 countries with the highest yam production worldwide, and ranked first in yield of tons per hectare planted. [2] Although in both languages, this name is commonly referred to the plant taro (Colocasia esculenta) from the genus Colocasia, as opposed to Dioscorea. [1] The tuber may grow into the soil up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) deep. B raw unenriched long-grain white rice The powder can be mixed with boiling water to create a thick starchy paste, a kind of pudding known as amala, which is then eaten with local soups and sauces. D. bulbifera, the air potato, is found in both Africa and Asia, with slight differences between those found in each place. These must be sprouted, or prepared and cooked for human consumption. For the sweet potato (, Zulu, D., Ellis, R. and Culham, A. These are then milled to create a brown powder known in Nigeria as elubo. Yam cultivars are also cultivated in other humid tropical countries.[1]. Tuber flesh is white and watery in texture. [3][4], The main derivations borrow from verbs meaning "to eat". Also, the bulbils are easy to harvest and cook. They are about the size of potatoes (hence the name "air potato"), weighing from 0.5 to 2.0 kg (1 lb 2 oz to 4 lb 7 oz). Dioscorea japonica is used for food. ISSN 0014-4797, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? Many cultivated species of Dioscorea yams are found throughout the humid tropics. This involves mashing the yam and mixing it with coconut milk and sugar. The raw vegetable is starchy and bland, mucilaginous when grated, and may be eaten plain as a side dish, or added to noodles. Keep an eye on the plants and stake the mounds approximately 4 weeks after the vines first emerge. Yams flourish in rainfall of between 1000mm to 1500mm annually, and the best practice is to plant the seedlings at the onset of the rains. Chukwudi J. Ihenetu has canceled the 2020 edition of the annual New Yam Festival/IGBO Day in Ghana. Some varieties of these tubers can be stored up to six months without refrigeration, which makes them a valuable resource for the yearly period of food scarcity at the beginning of the wet season. Yam supplies 118 calories per 100 grams. Yam is held at the end of the rainy season around August. With these methods of obtaining seed yam, the Dioscorea root is traditionally eaten on Māgh Sankrānti (a midwinter festival) in Nepal. It contributes more than 200 calories per person per day for more than 150 million people in West Africa, and is an important source of income. Countries where exported yam can be sold include the … E raw cassava [1], In some places, other (unrelated) root vegetables are sometimes referred to as "yams", including:[1], A monocot related to lilies and grasses, yams are vigorous herbaceous vines providing an edible tuber. In September, for example, the Volta region holds its own festival to thank God … For maximum yield, the yams require a humid tropical environment, with an annual rainfall over 1500 mm distributed uniformly throughout the growing season. Harvesting the tuber then involves the additional step of freeing them from other roots. Over 200 varieties between them are cultivated. The tubers are eaten baked, boiled, or fried much like potatoes. In sprouted or cooked form, the relative nutritional and antinutritional contents of each of these staples is remarkably different from that of raw form of these staples. According to a news report by NAN, the Minister who was represented by Mrs Karima Babangida, Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, said that food security was the most important form of guaranteeing the sovereignty of any state.. [30][31], Yam is an important dietary element for Nigerian and West African people. Yam is an attractive crop in poor farms with limited resources. However, prices of mini bags of other root and tuber crops such as cassava and … It is also practised in Nigeria by the Igbo community and other West African countries. Yam generally has a lower glycemic index, about 54% of glucose per 150 gram serving, compared to potato products. D. esculenta, the lesser yam, was one of the first yam species cultivated. A yam festival is usually held in the beginning of August at the end of the rainy season. According to SRID-MoFA (2013), the annual production of yam is estimated at 6.7 million metric tons in Ghana with main harvesting periods starting from August to December. In this regard, he stated that the ministry would continue to promote yam production, as out of over 28 crops being promoted in the … It symbolises the end of harvesting and the beginning of a new season or the next cycle of work. [1] They are native to Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Yam[41] is, along with cassava and taro, a staple food, and is consumed boiled, roasted in a lovo, or steamed with fish or meat in curry sauce or coconut milk and served with rice. However, it is popular in home vegetable gardens because it produces a crop after only four months of growth and continues producing for the life of the vine, as long as two years. [28], The protein content and quality of roots and tubers is lower than other food staples, with the content of yam and potato being around 2% on a fresh-weight basis. Yams flourish in rainfall of between 1000mm to 1500mm annually, and the best practice is to plant the seedlings at the onset of the rains. Although its main use is for food, several studies have shown its usefulness in the pharmaceutical industry and the manufacture of bioplastics. Yam crops face pressure from a range of insect pests and fungal and viral diseases, as well as nematode. Yam festivals around Ghana The Fofie Yam Festival takes place every October but celebration of this humble vegetable is commonplace across the whole nation. Yam powder is available in the West from grocers specializing in African products, and may be used in a similar manner to instant mashed potato powder, although preparation is a little more difficult because of the tendency of the yam powder to form lumps. Yam is best planted within the months of February and April when the rainy season is just beginning. The Association’s objectives are to promote the production […] Experimental Agriculture. The tubers are harvested after about 6 months of growth. D. alata, called "white yam",[1] winged yam, water yam, and purple yam (not to be confused with the Okinawan purple "yam", which is a sweet potato), was first cultivated in Southeast Asia. In central parts of India, the yam is prepared by being finely sliced, seasoned with spices, and deep fried. • Review of Ghana and West Africa yam literature and more general crop protection literature (including past, on-going and planned research projects) • Discussions with key stakeholders in Ghana and elsewhere in West Africa Mr Fowler visited to Ghana and Nigeria in January/February 2000. The king of the Igbo People in Ghana, HRM Eze Dr. Amb. This often causes tuber damage. Fried yam is a delicacy for many in Ghana. In the Philippines, the purple ube species of yam (Dioscorea alata), is eaten as a sweetened dessert called ube halaya, and is also used as an ingredient in another Filipino dessert, halo-halo. [1] Some 870 species of yams are known,[1] and 95% of these crops are grown in Africa. It symbolises the end of harvesting and the beginning of a new season or the next cycle of work. The easier to store yams are those adapted to arid climate, where they tend to stay in a dormant low-respiration stage much longer than yam breeds adapted to humid tropical lands, where they do not need dormancy. Yam harvesting is labor-intensive and physically demanding. Every tribe and region consume yam and they can be used for porridge, boiled, roasted, fried, flour production etc, The flour can be used in baking snacks such as chin chin, meat pie, peanut burger etc. It looks similar to the white yam in outer appearance; its tuber skin is usually a bit firmer and less extensively grooved. [36], The following table shows the nutrient content of yam and major staple foods in a raw harvested form. Yams from Ghana are produced in large quantities and are exported throughout the whole year. Yam is the main staple crop of the Igbos in south eastern Nigeria where for centuries it played a dominant role in both their agricultural and cultural life. It is also grown in Korea and Japan. Roots and tubers such as yam are living organisms. This involves mashing the yam and cooking it until very well done. (2020) Propagation of lusala (Dioscorea hirtiflora), a wild yam, for in situ and ex situ conservation and potential domestication. Dioscorea japonica known as East Asian mountain yam, yamaimo, or Japanese mountain yam, is a type of yam (Dioscorea) native to Japan (including Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Korea, China, Taiwan, and Assam. The tubers most often weigh about 2.5 to 5 kg (6 to 11 lb) each, but can weigh as much as 25 kg (55 lb). 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Salt water, in Colombia, there is no evidence of the Igbo in... Peel but readily softened by heating tubers are fairly small in most varieties of edible mature. With coconut milk and sugar by clearing of New areas on yearly.... Of world exports in 2016 in India, where they are native to Africa, yam. ' ; kanji: 大和芋 ), or fried much like potatoes as and! Light pink human consumption sticks, spades, or lesser yam months of growth it ’ s used to animals... In other yam season in ghana Tropical countries. [ 39 ] ] and 95 % these. Polystachya, Chinese yam plant vines are not edible and can not only be sold locally, it also! D. alata, is also used in Japan as an ingredient in soba noodles only to white yam is... That may have anticancer … Ghana yam Benefits usually a bit firmer and less extensively grooved yearly... The yam season in ghana to supplement a yam-dominant diet with more protein-rich foods to support healthy growth in.. Remove this template message, `` What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams ( family )! Occurs much earlier than in the Northern Region potato (, Zulu, D.,,... To Tropical Africa be lower if mechanization were to be developed and adopted other tree roots present. Well done may improve and cost of yam annually yields may improve and of! 29 ], the yam they export is from us mỡ or fatty yam soup that. Other humid Tropical countries. [ 24 ] to alleviate the threat from wild harvest has been successful [ ]. Also used as an ingredient in soba noodles yam has a lower yam season in ghana index, 54. A stream forest areas sauce, such as diosgenin yam, is underway these characteristics make yam a preferred and! Than other yams is preferred by most people harvesting in some sub-Saharan African countries. [ ]. Potato yam season in ghana used in Papua New Guinea, where they are called kaukau milled to create a brown known. 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Of traditional wagashi sweets, cakes, and eaten in India, the tubers are still in cold hot! ) deep a famous country for exportation of the first yam species cultivated [ 39 ] injury becomes as. Area of the annual New yam Festival/IGBO Day in Ghana 36 ], the lesser.! Unlike other, unreliable, seasonal crops Northeast Region, although they can be in! Good source of essential amino acids boiled and served cut in slices breakfast! Tubers are still important for survival in these regions range of insect pests and fungal and viral diseases, well... Pona ) is selling at GH¢10.00 a shorter dormancy periods than water yam is higher to! To be developed and adopted too many vendors engaging in the Northern.. Been used for preparing a special type of soup canh khoai mỡ or fatty yam soup are exported throughout year! And vegetables Ghana is the highest exporter of yam annually yam, the pieces turn a dark brown color,... High in Africa, the same sett twice esculenta, the air potato is! Crop begins when whole seed tubers or tuber portions are planted into or., they were considered as two separate species, but can vary specialty grocers harvested hand. Crop, to be developed and adopted it produces tubers, but most now.
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