Nipa Palm Surga
Nypa fruiticans, commonly known as Nipa Palm,
is a species of palm native to the coastlines and estuarine habitats of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Since Nipa Palm can be used to produce nipa palm sugar, natural nipa palm forests have the potential to generate sustainable rural livelihoods for those living in the lowland zone. More recently, nipa palm has been identified as a potential source of renewable energy. The sugar rich sap can be used to produce ethanol, a biofuel. Because of this potential, the KELOLA Sendang Project is exploring the potential of nipa palm for ecosystem restoration and climate change mitigation, sustainable rural livelihoods and renewable energy.
Nypa fruticans is the only palm considered adapted
to the mangrove biome, where it prefers brackish water conditions. The natural habitat of Nipa plan has
an optimum salt concentration of 1 to 9 parts per million with soil types described as muddy and rich in alluvial silt, clay and humus and a pH of around 5. There is usually
a high content of various inorganic salts, calcium, and sulphides of iron and manganese. Nipa palm can survive at an average minimum and maximum temperature of 20oC and 32-35oC, respectively.
Nypa fruticans is best adapted to grow in mangrove coastal areas with only moderate salt loads, and grows best in calm estuaries and coastal zones. The species can dominate in a single channel or complex tributaries, bays, tidal flats and creeks, as long as there is a tide and a freshwater outflow action. Nipa palm usually thrives in the sediments deposited by an accreting process by the sea, creating a clayish type of soil, with brackish water that promotes an anaerobic system. Nipa palm can be found inland, as far as the tide can deposit the Palm’s floating seeds. It can tolerate infrequent inundation,
so long as the soil does not dry out for too long. Its horizontal underground creeping stem stabilizes river banks preventing soil erosion. New fronds emerge quickly after damage and so quickly protects the land after storms and also continuously produces useful products for local people.
The nipa palm’s trunk grows beneath the ground and only the leaves and flower stalk grow upwards above the surface. This unusual palm tree can reach 9 m (30 feet) in height. The younger leaves appear from the middle of the crown and push the older leaves aside before they dry and fall, leaving bulbous leaf bases or scars behind. The diameter of the cluster can be up to 75 cm. The mature crown may contain 6 to 8 living leaves and 12 to 15 bulbous leaf bases at a time.
Nipa is a monoecious palm. The flowers are in a globular inflorescence with female flowers at the tip and catkin- like red or yellow male flowers on the lower branches. The flowers produce woody nuts arranged in a globular clusters up to 25 cm across on a single stalk. The ripe nuts separate from the ball and float away on the tide to be widely dispersed. Nipa palm can be found as far inland as the tide can deposit the floating nuts. The seeds exhibit viviparous germination (germinating while still attached to the tree), like many other mangrove species.
Once established from seed, nipa palm spreads by means of thick, prostrate-branching, subterranean rootstock. Thus, nipa palm forms extensive pure stands by virtual of its rhizomatous dichotomizing habit. Nipa palm favours brackish water, often forming a wide border beyond the fringe of adjacent mangroves or swamp forest. It does not occur on shores exposed to heavy wave action and never in hypersaline conditions.
Because of these characteristics, it is relatively easy to
rehabilitate disturbed brackish areas with Nipah palm. If left, most disturbed areas will regenerate as a result of natural regeneration. Once established by seed, Nipah palm will quickly increase to occupy the site through the branching of subterranean rootstock and develops into extensive pure stands.
Nipah palm can also be planted and grown from seed, and this technique has been successfully used to
reclaim paddy fields where the subsoil is under saline conditions. Nipah palm has also been successfully planted in abandoned shrimp ponds to rehabilitate such brackish ecosystems.
Under field conditions, germinating nipa seeds can be planted in small holes and buried. Without burying, the nuts are easily attacked by rats or swept away by flood water. Planting time is normally in the dry season.
where there is adequate soil moisture and depth. Normally, a spacing of 2 x 2 m is recommended. One year after planting, seedlings reach 50 cm in height, and by year three seedlings reach 2 m in height. Due to the dichotomous branching of the underground stem, a thick clump is formed when the Nipa plant is 5-6 years of age.
In Malaysia, nipa palm plantations have been established using seedlings prepared in polybags using selected seed from superior sap producers. The company expects this to lead to improved sap production for processing into sugar and other food production, or for the production of ethanol as a biofuel.
Rehabilitated nipa palm forests sequester large quantities of carbon, and also serve as a sink with carbon store both above and below ground. It is estimated by nipa palm forests contain 4 times as much carbon as lowland forests. They also provide good breeding grounds for a range of fish, crustaceans, and molluscs.
Nipa palm has been traditionally uses by humans for many purposes. Throughout its range, nipa palm leaves have been used for housing. The long, pinnate leaves (fronds) provide material for thatching houses. In the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand the fabrication of thatching panels, called locally ‘shingles’, ‘pawid’ or ‘attap’, is a significant local source of income.
Leaflets and midribs are used for manufacturing of brooms, baskets, mats, sunhats, umbrellas, raincoats, ropes, and cigarette wrappers. Local fishermen use the leaves for sails, and the rootstock to float their nets.
In the past, salt was extracted from nipa palms. Dried leaves, petiole, stem wood, and fruit residues are used as fuel.
Nipa palm has also been traditionally used for medicines. For example, ash of burned nipa palm material is used
to treat toothaches and headaches. Newly developed shoots are used as a vermicide.
The hardened endosperm ripened fruits are used as vegetable ivory and buttons. In Nigeria, the hard shell (mesocarp) is used in the making of buttons, necklaces and other fashion apparel,
Young Nipa Palm shoots can be eaten. The petals of the flower can be brewed to make an aromatic tea. The white endosperm of immature seeds is sweet and jelly-like and is consumed as a snack, either raw or preserved in thick syrup (Attape Chee). And can also be used to provide income from the sale of nipa palm products.
In South and South-East Asia, there is a long tradition of using palm sap obtained by tapping the inflorescence stalks (peduncle) as a source of treacle (molasses), amorphous sugar (‘gula malacca’), alcohol or vinegar. The slightly fermented sap called ‘toddy’ (‘nera’ in Indonesia and Malaysia; ‘tuba’ in the Philippines) is sold and consumed as local beer. This can be further distilled to make arrack or arak Nipah, or local whiskey in Thailand.
These traditional uses are especially important for poor households living in coastal areas, where the nipa palm is used to meet many of their basic needs.
In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in producing palm sugar and other food products from nipa palm. This has led to a modernizing of methods for production, processing and marketing. The renewed interest is related to the perceived health benefits of nipa palm sugar, which is classified as an alternative sugar and is considered a healthy organic substitute for synthetic sugar which is ideal for diabetics, overweight people, and ‘the health-conscious’. Nipa palm sugar can be used as a sweetener and ingredient in foods and confectionery products like pastries and local delicacies. Simple technical improvements have resulted in improved products.
Innovations have been made to the collection system. For example, flexible pouches or sterile plastic is often used to collect the sap. This method minimizes the exposure of the sap to air and contaminants and allows for the hygienic collection of sap in line with food security requirements.
Income from collecting and processing nipa palm sap can exceed the income from other rural livelihoods.
For example, in Pak Phanang Basin, Southern Thailand, income from collecting and processing Nipah sap into sugar exceeds other livelihood options. There are 4850 farmers (60-70% of the population) harvesting nipa sap sustainably from 3,200 ha. The nipa palm stands have been harvested sustainably for over 200 years without a decline in production.
Potential sugar production from nipa palm forests in South Sumatra are similar to those from these producer areas.
There have also been improvements in the processing equipment used in cooling the nipa sap to produce sugar. The collected nipa sap is boiled or cooked using a modified fire-tube-steam jacketed kettle, replacing the direct heating in open pans traditionally used by processors. With this innovation, scorching during cooking is avoided.
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