Taro, an edible aroid, is the most important staple crop in American Samoa. It is inherently tied in to the tradition, customs and culture of the Samoans. With two thirds of American Samoa's 197 square kilometers having slopes greater than 30% and a rainfall of up to 5,000 mm per year, soil erosion is a constant threat. In preparation for planting, land is cleared leaving most of the trees. To minimize the risk of erosion, farmers cut weeds to use as mulch and use a planting stick, the oso, in the no-till cultivation of taro. Typically, a legume, Erythrina variegata, is grown in these hillside plantations to fix nitrogen. Periodic weeding is practiced with weeds left as a mulch for the 6 - 8 month crop. 

With periodic rainfall of 250 mm in a 24 hour period, substantial soil erosion still does occur. More practices such as contour hedgerows, strip cropping along the contour, etc., need to be incorporated to further aid in reducing soil erosion from taro fields. 

Conserve Resources

Using weed mulches and no-till cultivation conserves soil.

Use Renewable Resources

Using weed mulches recycles on-farm nutrients. The incorporation of Erythrina variegata uses biological nitrogen fixation.

Manage Ecological Relationships

In preparing land for taro, only the tops of grasses and shrubs are cut, leaving the roots intact along with the larger trees, so that disturbance to the soil and plants is minimized, and perennials continue their growth.

Maximize Long-Term Benefits

Leaving the larger perennials and trees intact incorporates long-term sustainability into the overall agroecosystem management.