Wild Yam Assessment: Demographic Characteristics, Cultural Management, Processes and Preferences

This research focuses on the assessment of wild yam in terms of its demographic characteristics, cultural management practices, processes and preferences. The study made use of qualitative and quantitative method of research. Fifty-five respondents were purposively identified and selected based on those who are planting, harvesting and selling yam from six upland municipalities of Ilocos Sur. Frequency count, percentage and mean were the statistical tools used. This was conducted in the five upland municipalities in the 2nd district of Ilocos Sur. Frequency count, percentage and mean were used as statistical tool in treating the data gathered. Based on the result of the study, it is concluded that majority of the yam gatherers/producer are males, aged ranges from 56-60 years old, having 4-6 family members, elementary graduate, a farmer and having a monthly average income of 5,001 to 10,000. Gathering/harvesting of wild yam only requires a simple hand tools due to its inadequate sources, marketing is limited with unstable price in the market. Most of the wild yam processing are easy to prepare except for “karrot”, cooking is done mostly by boiling and usually served as snack food. “Kamangeg” and “ube” are excellently accepted as food and for production purposes. It is then recommended that wild yam could be planted in lowlands areas to increase production thereby turning these wild yams into processed products and awareness of people in the community on the importance of wild yam should be implemented.

Keywords – cultural management, food preference, marketing, wild yam