A new study has documented a range of wild edible plant species that four ethnic groups in the Kashmir Himalaya have traditionally relied on for food, medicine and livelihoods. The authors say wild edible resources show potential for mitigating food shortages and adapting to climate change, but remain subject to threats from overharvesting, climate change and loss of traditional knowledge. Local food advocacy groups are urging communities to cultivate and eat wild edible plant species to protect traditional knowledge of the rich diversity.
In the western Himalayan region of Kashmir, where mountain people are preserving their traditional knowledge through food, local food advocates are working to bring more of the abundant wild edible plant species, such as guchchi (Morchella esculenta), that have traditionally been cultivated by forest communities, to the table.
Continuing to cultivate these species can increase food security, strengthen resilience to climate change, and help people avoid being forgotten, according to a new study published in the journal Forest Policy and Economics. Over the past few decades, development projects and climate change have significantly impacted the availability and cultivation of wild edible species, leading to a loss of knowledge. To reverse this trend, local activists argue that everyone must continue to collect, cultivate, and eat these species.
The authors documented 99 wild edible plants and nine fungi from 38 families used in hearty meals and cooking by four ethnic groups: Pahari, Gujjar, Kashmiri and Bakarwal. Among them, the Pahari used the highest number of wild plant species, followed by the Gujjar, Kashmiri and Bakarwal. Tender leaves were used most frequently for food and medicine, while tubers were used least frequently.
Although there were similarities and differences in food types and eating habits among the groups, the intergenerational traditional knowledge gap between elders and youth was the main driver of traditional knowledge loss in these communities.
“The first documented food ethnobotany records the species richness and [loss of traditional] “Knowledge is influenced by multiple factors,” says Sheikh Marifatul Haq, an ethnobiologist at Ilia State University in Georgia and one of the study’s authors.
One of the sampling sites for data collection in Bangas Valley, Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir. Image by Shiekh Marifatul Haq.
From Lost to Found
Unlike other mountain communities, Kashmiri communities, whose economic situation is more stable, are losing their traditional plant knowledge as locals prefer to buy vegetables from markets and shops rather than picking them in the wild.
“This economic transition has failed to consolidate the valuable knowledge that exists in communities and preserve it for future generations,” Haq told Mongabay.
In contrast, Gujjar and Pahari communities living close to forests actively use traditional wild plants and medicines to strengthen their memory. They collect wild foods and successfully sell them in local markets at affordable prices. The authors say this is an example of how traditional foods can help improve food security. Of the wild plant species studied, 19 were of high economic value, easily available and able to thrive in harsh climates.
In the face of climate change, some of these plant species may help adapt to weather extremes such as reduced rainfall and snowfall likely in the Kashmir Himalayas, holding promise for improving food security, the authors say.
“There are many herb species such as Palanga (Capsella bursa-pastoris), Haando (Cichorium intybus), Masnouri (Portulaca oleracea), Lactogal (Plantago lanceolata) and Haando (Taraxcum officinale) that are climate tolerant and grow as weeds in the study area. These could also be part of home gardens to overcome the problem of food shortage in the near future,” Haq said.
Some plant species such as longado (Diplazium maximum), used to treat hemorrhoids, and oora (Rumex nepalensis), consumed to cure rheumatic pains, also had market and medicinal value and played an important role as food during the harsh winters.
Mohammed Abdullah, a 58-year-old Kashmiri farmer, worries that the knowledge of his entire community is being lost because of its value. He stresses the need to revive traditional knowledge and techniques to protect food sources and foster food sovereignty for future generations. Recognizing the lack of traditional ecological knowledge, members of his community, including his family, go out in the spring, from mid-March to May, to forage for food in the Himalayas.
“Traveling through the Himalayas in search of food was a normal part of our culture, but now we are involving our children in this too to instill these values and knowledge in them,” Abdullah told Mongabay.
Bergenia ciliata, locally known as Butpewa, is used as an herbal tea and medicine by the Gujjar, Pahari and Bakarwal communities. Photo by Sheikh Marifatul Haque.
Phytolacca acinose, locally known as hapat chaar or brand, used by the Gujjar, Pahari and Bakarwal communities. Image by Aadil Abdullah Khoja.
Dried Pteridium revolutum, locally known as kunj, is a winter food source for the Gujjar, Pahari and Bakarwal people. Photo by Shiekh Marifatul Haq.
Portulaca oleracea, locally known as Nunner or Masnoori, is used as food by the Gujjar and Kashmiri communities. Image by Shiekh Marifatul Haq.
Geophora arenicola, locally known as Shajikan or Kanmandu, is used as food by the Gujjar, Pahari and Kashmiri people. Photo by Sheikh Marifatul Haq.
One of the sampling sites for data collection in Bangas Valley, Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir. Image by Shiekh Marifatul Haq.
Wild vegetables are used in the diet fried or boiled, while wild fruits are mostly eaten raw. For example, the stems of the kunj (Pteridium revolutum) and the tender leaves of the herb (Phytolacca acinose) are boiled, dried and stored for consumption in winter. Some species are used medicinally. The bark of the Western Himalayan fir, locally known as bandar (Abies pindrow), the fern Diplazium maximum, the tender leaves of the herb (Phlomoides bracteosa) and the fruits of the shrub (Viburnum grandiflorum) have both edible and medicinal value.
But beyond the knowledge gap between young and old, many challenges remain. Gender influences who remembers and knows and who does not: women are the most active participants in food gathering and therefore have more knowledge about wild edible plants (51.49%) compared to men (45.51%) who move around outdoors mainly for work.
Abdullah of Tandipora-Dardopora says they have also observed a decline in medicinal plant populations and migration of species due to unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change.
“Several species, including the coos (Saussurea costus) and tulpatri (Trillium govanianum), have declined over the years. Despite over-harvesting, fluctuations in rain and snowfall could be the main reason,” Abdullah said.
However, the popularity of this species can also lead to problems of depletion for the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities. For the Gujjar people, their lands and forests are home to an abundance of plant species which they regularly harvest, leading to people from outside the community coming in to over-harvest the resources for financial gain.
“This is having a negative impact on the conservation of species with high economic value,” said Idrees Katana, 24, of the Gujjar community in Satboin, Kuralpora. But he told Mongabay that the community knows how to cultivate wild foods sustainably and allow time for these resources to replenish.
To prevent these species from becoming depleted, elders are teaching young people how to recognize the abundance of food sources and seek out alternative food sources to protect valuable species.
“Following the guidance of our elder members, we have been collecting seeds of wild plants that mainly grow in areas far from water sources and reservoirs. These activities help in conserving both water and food sources that support the sustainable growth of species, as well as improving food quality.”
Banner image: Morchella esculenta mushroom, locally known as gucci. Image by Anita Sobrino and available via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0).
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Quote
Haq, SM, Khoja, AA, Waheed, M., Siddiqui, MH, Alamri, S., Alfagham, AT, … Bussmann, RW (2024). Food ethnobotany of forest resources in the high Himalayas: strengthening food sovereignty of ethnic groups. Forest Policy and Economics, 164, 103247. doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103247
Adaptation to climate change, Biodiversity, Climate change, Climate change and conservation, Climate change and food, Community-based conservation, Conservation, Environment, Ethnobotany, Agriculture, Food, Food security, Indigenous cultures, Indigenous cultures, Indigenous peoples, Natural resources, Plants, Traditional knowledge, Traditional peoples
Asia, Himalayas, India, South Asia
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