Nepalese cocoyam facts for kids
Cocoyam is a special plant that grows underground, much like potatoes. It's a type of root crop, also known as a tuber. You can find cocoyams growing in many parts of South Asia. They are similar to other root vegetables like cassava and yams in how they grow and what nutrients they offer.
Why Cocoyam is Important
Cocoyam is a very useful plant, especially for farmers. In 2013, root crops like cocoyam made up a big part of all the crops sold for money in Nepal. This shows how important these plants are for the economy.
Cocoyam has a lot of potential to grow even more. If more people start growing and selling cocoyams, it could help many farmers in the hills of Nepal earn a steady income.
Parts of the Cocoyam Plant
The main part of the cocoyam plant that grows underground is called a corm. Around this main corm, smaller, potato-sized parts grow. These are called cormels.
- Cormels: These are the parts we usually eat. They can be cooked in many ways, just like potatoes.
- Leaves and Shoots: The green leaves and young shoots of the cocoyam plant are also eaten. They are very nutritious and often added to stews and traditional dishes.
- Corms: The main corms are usually saved to plant new cocoyam crops. They can also be used as food for farm animals.
Many Uses and High Yields
Cocoyam is a very versatile plant, meaning it has many uses. Farmers in Nepal can earn money by selling the cormels, which can be made into things like cocoyam chips. But it's also great because farmers can eat it themselves and feed it to their animals.
Cocoyam plants can produce a lot of food! One hectare (which is about the size of two football fields) can grow between 30 to 60 tonnes of cormels. To compare, cassava usually yields 20 to 40 tonnes per hectare. This high production shows that cocoyam could be grown in very large amounts.
Scientists and farmers are always working to make cocoyam even better. By choosing the best plants to grow and improving farming methods, the amount of cocoyam that can be produced could increase even more in the future.
