Last month we received an invitation for a book discussion with Kiloner Wenda the author of Sweet Potato. A Source of Life and Livelihood for the Papuan People.

Organized by AJI, the Alliance of Independent Journalists and OXFAM, an organization that works to reduce poverty and injustice, the talk took place at Bakoel Koffee, a coffee shop in Jakarta with history that dates back to the 1870. 

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an easily cultivated plant tuber.  According to the Crop Trust , sweet potato is a tough crop since it can grow in unfavorable conditions with minimum water and fertilizer. Its versatility and adaptability makes sweet potato the world's seventh most important food crop.

Sweet potato is high in carbohydrates, vitamin A and C and can produce more edible energy per hectare per day compared to wheat, rice or cassava. Its leaves are edible for additional protein, vitamins and minerals.

As food, sweet potatoes can be processed into different types of food ingredients, such as noodles, biscuits and flour. This food crop is also a source of animal feed, industrial raw materials, energy resources and alternative income.

Sweet potatoes have been the staple food and the important aspect of life in Papua, Indonesia for many generations.

Kiloner Wenda, a native of Papua who works for OXFAM, became interested in sweet potato when he saw how the social development in the area has gradually remove the plant tubers from the Papuan life.

Changes in lifestyle has altered the eating habit in the area towards an instant food diet. Government programs providing rice and money when there is food shortage or natural disaster have diminished the motivation to plant sweet potatoes and created dependency on rice distribution.

Historically, sweet potato is the backbone of livelihood in Papua. According to Kiloner Wenda it has 10 important values that can be linked with development issues in Papua.

Ecological System

There are three interrelated elements in Papua, namely sweet potatoes, pigs and humans. A change in one element will affect the other two. In this case Kiloner gave an example: Should deadly cholera killed thousands of pigs in the mountains,and farmers had not clear some lands for sweet potatoes, they would not be able to put their children through school.

Science

The Papuans are basically social beings that live in harmony with nature.  Therefore interdisciplinary science approach is needed so that its society can produce and market  sweet potato for a good life.

Social system

Sweet Potato can not be separated from the life cycle of the  Papuans as it is always a part of the social ceremonies in marriage, birth, life, and death. The following expression translated the importance of sweet potato in their life: Sweet potato gives hopes of life. It breeds for pigs and humans. Sweet potato is a moneymaker, allowing people to have what they need.

Culture

Sweet potatoes have a cultural significance for the people of Papua as seen from their realm of thoughts. In forming a collection of  ideas, values, norms and abstract regulations Papuans will discuss all and passed them to the next generation in sweet potato yards.

Health

Sweet potatoes have  good nutrition contents for health. Empirical evidence proves, eating sweet potato is good for health since it contains fiber, minerals, carbohydrates, anthocyanin and carotene.

Economic system

A measure of poor and wealth in traditional Papua is determined by the ownership of pigs and sweet potatoes. The more someone has pigs and sweet potatoes his/her source of income will increase and in turn creates jobs for the surrounding community.

Spiritual life

Sweet potato has a spiritual significance in Papua. Spiritual ceremonies always have sweet potatoes in activities such as praying, prostrating, sacrificing, communal eating , dancing and singing.

Peace

Sweet potato is a symbol of peace and can resolve any problem. In intertribal war, sweet potatoes are always used to bring peace to warring tribes. By raising sweet potatoes in the midst of war another tribe will know that it signifies peace to the warring tribes.

Environmental protection

Papua development that involves division of the province, county, district, and the mushrooming villages have reduced crop lands. Traditional wisdom about biodiversity is reflected in the pattern of utilization of biological resources, agriculture and irrigation, as well as conservation of the living in many communities in Papua.

History

Since ancient time the Papuans are familiar  with sweet potato as a source of life. The all-round value of the sweet potato is then conceptualized as "the sweet life-giving". Sweet potato stays with the Papuans of the past, present, and future.

Kiloner Wenda hopes his book Sweet Potato. A Source of Life and Livelihood for the Papuan People will encourage people to boost the crop potential and preserve its existence as the backbone of livelihood in Papua.

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Images: Ministry of Agriculture,  OXFAM, Elena Tsilberg, Hong Vo, Sergei Udyanikov/Shutterstock, Omar Niode Foundation