THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tapioca, a staple or subsidiary food of 400 million people in the tropical and subtropical countries, has emerged an antidote for cancer, R Heli, former director of Agriculture Department and agricultural scientist said here on Tuesday.
After the inauguration of Tuber Crops Day organised by the Indian Society for Root Crops (ISRC) at the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops
Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, as part of its Thrikkarthika fest, he said scientific and research work in the Western and few Asian countries has established that the incidence of cancer was less among the tapioca consuming population in the Africancountries. He said Indonesians were the first to reveal the anti-cancer properties of tapioca, though a medical doctor Cynthia Jayasuriya from Sri Lanka had proved the cancer-curing properties of tapioca. Researchers from Nigeria have established that the leaf extract of tapioca can help cure prostate and bladder cancer. The Linamerin and Lotaustralin extracted from cassava leaves and tuber rind are responsible for anti-cancer properties of the plant. Heli recalled that tapioca acted as Saviour Crop during 1960s, when the people of Kerala experienced a severe food shortage.
The cassava-based bio-pesticides Nanma, Menma and Shreya developed by C A Jayaprakas and his team, at ICAR-CTCRI have changed the pest management scenario in Kerala. Heli said that these bio-pesticides are befitting alternatives to chemical pesticides when Kerala is set to turn organic by 2016. Heli said that Keralites should not forget the wonder crop tapioca and called for initiating a massive research programme on tapioca in a coordinated manner by involving several central and state government agencies and other partners.A progressive tuber crops farmer, Ramkumar was given the ‘Best Tuber Crop Farmer 2014’ award.
S K Chakrabarti, Director, ICAR-CTCRI, presided over the meet. Oommen V Oommen, Chairman, Kerala Biodiversity Board, delivered the keynote address. C A Jayaprakas welcomed the gathering and V S Santosh Mithra proposed the vote of thanks. A large gathering of 500 tuber crop farmers representing 20 states across the country took part.