The Kiwa Taro’ITE launches a series on the superpowers of taro

The project is launching a new educational series dedicated to the superpowers of taro, bringing together science, archaeology and traditional knowledge. The first episode focuses on irrigated taro fields as natural sediment traps.

During heavy rainfall, water loaded with soil and silt flows through taro fields, where currents slow down. Suspended particles settle and are trapped by taro roots and the field beds. Studies conducted in the Pacific show that these traditional agricultural systems can retain up to 80–90% of sediments before they reach rivers and lagoons. Archaeology confirms this role, with thick layers of sediments accumulated beneath ancient taro fields over centuries.

The result is healthier lagoons, more resilient coral reefs and better-protected fisheries, while agricultural soils are naturally enriched at the same time. This provides a clear illustration of how ancestral practices function as true ecological infrastructures, fully aligned with nature-based approaches supported by the Kiwa Initiative.

The series will continue with a next episode on phytoremediation, showing how taro can also help filter certain pollutants.