Bio-resource and food
from wild
Pandurang Hegde
Highlights the traditional species which are consumed as food by
the forest dwelling communities in few taluks of Shimoga district
Introduction
The Western Ghats represent one of the
high biodiversity regions in India. People
have lived in the midst of the forests for
several centuries.They have interacted
with plant diversity in a mutually
supportive way.The agricultural system is
also closely linked to the forest resources
as it provides agricultural equipment,
implements, manure, fodder, biopesticide,
fibre, etc. In addition to agriculture, the
plant diversity is a source of food and
nutrition for forest dwellers.
Bio-resource for Agriculture
During the British rule, the farmers in
this area were given forest land
bordering the farm, called Betta Land, for
meeting the green manure requirement
of the farm. Now it is the property of the
government.The farmers can collect
green leaves and grass from this land and
in turn the farmers have to protect the
trees. Green leaves are taken in alternate
years from mature trees which are more
than 10 to 15 years old. The leaves are
used directly in the areca garden or
Figure 1: Bio-resource flow in Sirsi, North Karnataka Western Ghat
farming system
paddy field.They are also used to prepare
compost. Grass is collected to feed the
cattle, to cover the trenches in the areca
garden as manure and to use as thatching
material for houses. Fuel wood is also
collected from the Betta Land. Besides
this, Betta Land consists of many useful
trees like cashew, jackfruit, mango,
uppage, etc. and many medicinal plants.
Food from Wild
In Manjagalale and Nagodi villages in
Hosanagara taluk, Shimoga district,
Karnataka, forest dwelling communities
use 90 different species as food (Table 1).
Tender leaves, sproutings, climbers, wild
roots, ripe and unripe fruits, bamboo
shoots and mushrooms are used for
preparing vegetable dishes. People
extract oil from seeds collected from the
forests. Children also eat fruits from the
wild.
Women and Biodiversity
Women have played an important role in
using the biodiversity wisely. In majority
of the cases, the utilization of the forest
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Karnataka
resources is done by women.They are
involved in processing activities too. For
cooking vegetable dishes, the women
fetch green leaves and dry them in the
sun and use it for the whole year. Also
the wild roots are powdered and stored
for use throughout the year. Hence,
women have been instrumental in
passing on this traditional knowledge
through several generations.
Traditional knowledge on the
way out?
In recent years, increased access to
transportation and linking of the remote
areas of Western Ghats to markets have
caused changes in the use of these wild
plant resources. People have started
buying vegetables from the market.The
taste and food habits are changing
influenced by growing consumerism.
Unfortunately, the younger generation is
not interested in wild plants.They look
down upon it as ‘primitive’.Thus, the
neglect of wild species among younger
generation is leading to the reduction of
knowledge on biodiversity for the people
in Western Ghats.
Parvati, a 60 year old woman from
Nagodi said “I gained the knowledge
about wild plants as food from my
grandmother. Now I find that young
women do not have the knowledge
of these because they are not
interested in wild species. When
they do not know how to use a
particular plant, they are also unable
to identify wild plants which can be
used as food”.
Pandurang Hegde
Parisara Samrakshana Kendra
Hulemalgi Building
chowkimath road
Sirsi - (dist. Uttar Kannada)
Karnataka - 581 401
Acknowledgement:
(The study on NTFP was supported by
financial assistance from Netherlands
Committee for IUCN, Amsterdam).
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Table 1: List of plant species used by people in their everyday life.
Sl. No Local Name Botanical Name Uses Sl. No Local Name Botanical Name Uses

1. Elavarige Cassia absus Vegetable dish (Tambli) 44. Kuntanerlu Elacarpus lancifolius Decoction
2. Brahmi (Ondelaga) Centella asiatica Vegetable dish (Tambli) 45. Shivanne Gmelina arborea Vegetable dish (tambli)
3. Nerlu Kudi Sizigium cumini Vegetable dish (Tambli) 46. Nachikegida Mimosa pudica General tonic
4. Doorva (Garike) Cypodon doctylon Vegetable dish (Tambli) 47. Mitle soppu Leed indica Vegetable dish (tambli)
5. Ilikivisoppu Centella asiatica Vegetable dish (Tambli) 48. Attikudi Ficus glomerata Vegetable dish (tambli), chutney
6. Chakate kudi Schleichera oleasa Vegetable dish (Tambli, Hasi) 49. Ganike soppu — Vegetable dish (tambli)
7. Nekkarike Emblica officinalis Vegetable dish (Tambli, Hasi) 50. Kaaki soppu Solanum nigrum Vegetable dish (tambli)
8. Nelanekkarike Osbekia sp. Vegetable dish (Tambli, Hasi) 51. Sambaar soppu Vegetable dish (gojju)
9. Nelli kudi Emblica officinalis Vegetable dish (Tambli, Gojju) 52. Kaadu kyanagadde Cana orientalis Sambar
Pickle, sour 53. Kadlangadle Sida cardifolva Vegetable dish (tambli)
10. Nelli fruits Emblica officinalis Vegetable dish (Hasi), Curry flavour to 54. Noregenasu Sambaar
dishes
55. Kanjige Caesalpina mimusoides Vegetable dish (tambli)
11. Karibevu Murraya koenigii Vegetable dish (hasi), curry
56. Kayare soppu Vegetable dish (tambli)
12. Gavaldekayi Careya arborea Vegetable dish (Hasi), curry
57. Bilva patre Aegle marmelos Vegetable dish (tambli)
13. Maadahaglu Momordica diosica Vegetable dish (Gojju)
58. Kummikayi Curry
14. Kannekudi Vegetable dish (Gojju)
59. Majjge hullu Citronilla Vegetable dish (tambli)
15. Gandhadakudi Santalum album Rasam, curry
60. Charekudi Vegetable dish (tambli)
16. Marakesu Ramosetia ariripara Rasam
61. Ollekudi Memecylon malabaricum Vegetable dish (tambli)
17. Marabaale Vegetable dish (hasi), rasam
62. Kakke soppu Cassia fistula Vegetable dish (tambli)
18. Bambooshoot Rasam, curry
63. Kahibevu Azardirachta indica Decoction
19. Mushrooms Bamboosa sp. Pickle, vegetable dish (tambli),
chutney, papad 64. Pudina Mehta arvensis Vegetable dish (tambli)
20. Mango Mangifera Indica Papad, vegetable dish (hasi), sambar, 65. Holedasavala Largerstroemia speciosa Vegetable dish (tambli)
chips, sweet dishes 66. Nelanelli Phyllanthus Vegetable dish (tambli)
21. Jack fruit Artocarpus heterophyllus Papad, vegetable dish (hasi), sambar, 67. Tulsi Osciumum santum Vegetable dish (tambli)
Holarrhena Antidysenterica chips, sweet dishes
68. Kaadu genasu Wild tuber Sambar
22. Kodasa flowers Zanthoxylum ovalifolium
Carissa caradus Pickle Wild fruits
23. Aramadlu Garcinia gumigattax Local Name Botanical Name
Garcina indica Pickle
69. Bilimullannu Zyzypus rugosa
24. Kouli Fagarica budrunga Oil, tamarind substitute 70. Karimullannu Zyzypus oenoplia
25. Uppage Garcinia morella Tamarind substitute 71. Ankole Alangium salvifolium
26. Kokum Cinnamom Zeylanium Pickle 72. Konde
27. Zummana kayi Asparagus racemosus Oil 73. Chaape
28. Kaadu gurise Cinnamonium Spice 74. Guddegeru Semicarpus anacardium
29. Dalchinni bark Curcuma zedoria Health drink 75. Ranjalu Mimusops Elengi
30. Shataavari Asparagus recemosus Spice 76. Sampige Michelie champaka

31. Dalchinni buds Curcuma zedoria Health drink 77. Challe Cordia myxa

32. Kadu Arishina Curcuma longa Health drink 78. Golihannu Fieus bengalensis
79. Churihannu
33. Arargadde Maranta aurundinacea Health drink, rasam
80. Bikke Gardenia gummifera
34. Kachaargadde Mysristica malbarica Health drink
81. Jam Nerlu Cizigium cumini
35. Sugandhi beru Hemidesmus Health drink
82. Nurkalu Buchania lanzan
36. Haade gaddex Cyclea burmannii Spice
83. Kuntanerlu Elaeocarpus lancifolius
37. Rampatre Caryota urens Tambli
84. Hebbalasu Artocarpus hirsuta
38. Surulikudi Polygonum chinensis 85. Dasavala Hibicus sp.
39. Vaatekayi Artocarpus lakooha 86. Hedavhagalu Myristica spp
40. Baine Caryota urens Food, wine 87. Taari Terminallia bellerica
41. Ichalu Phoenix sylvestris 88. Ekanayakana hannu Casaeria esculenta
42. Nurkalu Bucchanania lanzan Food, wine 89. Anjur (seemeathi) Ficus carica
43. Amruthballi Tinospora cardifolia Vegetable dish (tambli), fruits 90. Halige Elagnors conferta

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