Coconut
(Cocos nucifera)
Description:
The coconut
palm, a tropical crop, is widely distributed throughout Asia,
Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific region. Its center
of origin is still under debate. Small coconut-like fossils
going back 15 million years were found in New Zealand. Older
fossils have also been found in Rajasthan, India. It is still
unclear how the coconut reached some of the places where it
flourishes today.
Although
coconut is a major crop in countries like the Philippines,
Indonesia and India, many of the coconut producing countries
are small islands in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.
For some countries, coconut is both a primary subsistence
crop and a significant source of export earnings. Coconut
can be grown in harsh environments, such as atolls, and tolerates
swampy and water-deficient areas and poor soils.
The main
economic products derived from the coconut palm are the fruits
or nuts, the copra, which is the dried solid endosperm of
meat of the nut, the edible oil extracted from the copra,
and desiccated coconut for which the endosperm is ground before
drying.
Statistics:
Coconut now grows on about 12 million hectares in 90 countries. About 10 million families make their living from growing coconuts, about 8 million of these are in Asia and the Pacific. Nearly all of the world’s coconut crops grow on small plots of less than 4 hectares.
Uses of Coconut:
People
call coconut a variety of names, which reflect its usefulness
to societies - Tree of Life, Tree of Abundance, Tree of Heaven.
Almost every part of coconut palm is used.
Coconut
plays an important role in sustaining fragile ecosystems in
island and coastal communities and is used as a source of
food, drink, fuel, animal feed and shelter. It is also a cash
crop, used to produce many items for sale at either the local,
national or international level. The main internationally
traded products are copra, coconut oil, copra meal, and desiccated
coconut.
CGIAR
Research Activities in Coconut:
The CGIAR
believes that to enhance the sustainability of coconut production,
there is an urgent need to promote the effective conservation
of coconut genetic resources and their efficient utilization
in breeding programs. Coconut is also well suited for conservation
through use.
The CGIAR
has recognized coconut as "the oil crop most in need of international
research." An international workshop recommended establishing
a Coconut Genetic Resources Network (COGENT) under the auspices
of one of the CGIAR research centers Bioversity International. In 1993, the network
was established as part of Bioversity International's program. COGENT's priorities
are to:
- develop
an international coconut genetic resources database to enhance
dissemination to breeders worldwide;
- collect
and secure germplasm in areas which are threatened by genetic
erosion and fill gaps in national collections;
- evaluate
germplasm to identify suitable varieties for farmers;
- develop
molecular methods for assessing genetic diversity and promote
safe germplasm movement; and
- strengthen
national programs in the conservation and utilization of
coconut genetic resources.
Sources:
Technical
Advisory Committee. Priorities and Strategies for Resource
Allocation during 1998 - 2000.
April 1997.
Evolution
of Crop Plants.
N.W. Simmonds. 1976.
Bioversity International
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