Traditional utilization and processing of gewang palm (Corypha utan Lam.) starch in Timor island, Indonesia

Abstract

Food security has recently become a major concern around the world. Since 2006, the significant price, which reached its peak in 2008, has concerned in every country about food sustainability (FAO, 2009). Moreover, the increasing of food crops as biofuels might have negative impact on food security. The population growth and consumption in the future will also increase the global demand for food and indirectly force food prices up (Godfray et al., 2010). In the future, food prices are easy being increased if agricultural intensification and extensification programs cannot fulfill national food demand in Indonesia. Hence, the Government of Republic Indonesia could have programs for developing alternative of food sources as important issues in the National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2005-2009, following the RPJMN 2010-2014 and 2015-2019. An Increasing local knowledge and exploring biodiversity by local communities play a role as one of many possible solutions for food shortages. In the eastern of Indonesia, gewang starch, example of palm species, is utilized by local communities as an alternative food source. Gewang (Corypha utan Lam.), also known as gebang or talipot palm, is a palm species distributed in dry areas from north-east India to northern Australia (Uhl & Dransfield, 1987; Dransfield & Govaerts, 2005). In Indonesia, this palm grows naturally in the savannas of Timor Island and other adjacent islands, and it commonly determines the vegetation type of the area (Monk et al., 1997). Gewang is characterized as a single-stemmed palm, with height of up to 15 m. Its broad trunk grows up to 50 cm in diameter and tapering, faintly marked with closely-spaced hoops, and faint spiral marked. It has very large shaped, fan-shaped leaves up to 3 m across and a massive petiole with a toothed margin. It can be grown in subtropical to tropical climates with adequate sunlight, moisture and space. This species has a very large inflorescence which grows at the very top of the tree with stiff, spreading branches. It can produce millions of flowers and will die after fruiting. The fruit is round and up to 2 cm in diameter, and its seed can be up to 1.5 cm in diameter (Ellison & Ellison, 2001; Gibbons, 1998; Whitmore, 1973). Like other large palm species, gewang is associated with human settlements. Most parts of this palm have been utilized to provide the daily needs of villagers in East Nusa Tenggara, including construction materials, handcrafts, animal feed, alcoholic beverages, sugar and food. The starch which extracted from its trunk is usually used as a food source (Naiola et al., 2007; Uhl & Dransfield, 1987). This study will describe how indigenous people in Nusa Tenggara produce and utilize gewang starch for their diet, particularly as a rice substitute.