Camote (impoea batatas) has many names in the Cordillera such as Ubi, tugui (kankanaey), gattuk (tuwali), lapne (Tuwali, Ayangan), atila (kalinga), dukto(Ibaloi), Lukto(Knkanaey, kalanguya, etc.). It is an herbaceous perennial vine that has palmately lobed leavess and bears large starchy sweet tasting tuberous roots. The plant has a wide variety with tubers in different colors, sweetness and moisture conetnt. Camote is a staple food in the Philippines and other countries as Uganda, Japan, and Papua New Guinea.
There are claims that the plant was doemsticated 5000 BC and have originated in Central America. Camote is considered and indegenous crop in the Cordillera grown by almost every family before the advent of modernization. It served as staple food for domisticated animals. Eraly Codillerans cosidered rice as a special gift from Kabunyan and such a premium staple food with some cultures revolve around the rice cycle. Unfortunately, the limitations of the local environments allowed only few families (the kadangyans or the local rich who owns a larger area of the rice terraces) to produce rice for year round consumption. The majority of families considered commoners therefore consume more camote than rice in a year.
Today, camote is hardly part of the diet of present day Cordillerans. The increased buying capacity of the population made almost every family able to buy rice and more sophisticated food commodities from the market food and animal consumption. As a result, the Cordillerans ignored and forgot camote. Today, camote could no longer be classified as food for the poor because it has become very expensive and often difficult to find in the market. Cordillerans should recognize camote as a nutritious food for good health and its other benefits and let it abound again.
Camote as food during disaster and emergencies
Camote can be an important food commodity during disasters and emergencies. In disasters and emergencies where the food supply is adversely affected, camote could be the savinbg grace. Camote is reilient crop that can grow in almost all ares in the region andand with a good campaign. It would not be difficult to have evey family in farming communities start growing camote and insure a supply of camote and contribute to ffod security in times of the worst disasters affecting food supply. Dug camote can be stocked for more than a month and taste becomes sweeter with storage. Rural families can also start relearning the indegenous technologies on preserving camote.
Camote should be part of daily diet because of its nutrient contents. Camote is a complete food with carbohydrates, fats , proteins and various micronutrients that help maintain good health and nutrition. Eating camote is like eating rice with different kinds of vegetables and meat.
Camote tops are rich in Vitamin A and also have Vitamin C. One cup of camote tops co=ntains the same amount of Vitamin A equivalent to 30 cups of cauliflower. Camote tops helps sustain good eyesight, smooth skin, fight infection and anemia and help sustain good gums and teeth.
They also contain protien, dietary fiber, lipid, and essential minerals and nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, aluminum and boron. They are important sources of vitamin A, thiamin.
Call to Action
- Advocate for the consumption of camote and camote leaves for good health and nutrition.
- Advocate for the production of camote by families for the family consumption as well as an alternative source of income.
- Conduct studies on the indigenous system of camote processing and storage.
- Disseminate and encourage application of available research outputs regarding the production, storage and processing of camote to improve camote technology.
- Encourage LGUs to create a mechanism of managing the sufficient supply of camote as food during disasters and emergencies.
- Rita D. Papey, MSW
