Yam planted on the ground

Yam is the most important agricultural plant in Pohnpei where life is conditioned by two seasons. During the rainy season (April-August) or the season of plenty (rahk), people enjoy abundant breadfruits, which require less labor input. In contrast, yam is the staple food during the dry season (September-March), which is considered to be the season of scarcity (isol) when people need to rely on various crops such as banana, taro, and fermented breadfruit.