Ethno-Botanical Uses and Socio-Cultural Importance of White Yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) in South-Eastern, Nigeria

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge and uses of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) in South-Eastern, Nigeria were investigated. White yam is the most important species of yam in West Africa cultivated for the consumption of its starchy tuber. Yam plays a major role in the socio-cultural significance of the people of South-Eastern, Nigeria. A well-structured, pre-tested questionnaire on the uses and socio-cultural importance of yam as well as the economic status/income generation of farmers was designed and administered to obtain crucial information from the respondents within the study area. Five South-Eastern states of Nigeria namely; Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states were randomly surveyed. The results showed that 99.16% of the respondents in Anambra state use yam for religious worship, bride price/traditional marriages, funerals, and cultural and masquerade festivals. Respondents utilized yam in diverse food forms such as fries/chips, cooked/boiled, roasted, pounded, and porridge. It was also observed that respondents utilized yam as a means of livelihood to generate income and support their families. The levels of income generation from yam farming varied. Overall, respondents within the study area who were aware of the indigenous knowledge of yam were significantly (p˂0.05) higher than those who were unaware. This ethnobotanical study revealed the traditional concepts and practices relating to the socio-cultural importance of yam.