A team comprises of AFNA staff and KGA Capacity Building and Networking PSO visited 3 communities namely, Bia, Boro’oni and Mamarawa who are current members of Arosi Farmer Network Association. The team carried out a Participatory Rapid Assessment on Root Crop Diversity. The team also look at local seasonal calender exercise.
The purpose of this exercise is to train AFNA staff and trainer on how to carry out PRA. This tool is very useful for trainers to collect information, data, identify problems and also it help farmer and trainers to find own ways to find solution.
Farmers of Bia community displayed their root crops during the PRA exercise.
During this process the farmers found that some important local varieties of pana, yam, african yam and taro been lost. One woman farmer confirmed to the team that almost 6 varieties of pana have already lost, during this exercise most farmers also confirmed that so far only 3 varieties of taroka was still maintained.
The team however suggested the AFNA trainer to make contact with Peter Warito to send them other varieties of toraka, while other root crops such as african yam, pana, taro and other local yam can be sourced from Hanipana Germplasm Centre in Central Province and Mouta Germplasm Centre at Ulawa.
