Traditional use and management of NTFPs in Kangchenjunga Landscape

Implications for Conservation and Livelihoods

Bibliographic Data

ID4725787
AuthorsYadav Uprety (0000-0003-2654-5108, Tribhuvan University), Ram Chandra Poudel (0000-0002-6603-0822, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology), Janita Gurung (0000-0003-1053-4412, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development), Nakul Chettri (0000-0002-3338-8879, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development), Ram Prasad Chaudhary (0000-0002-1839-0727, Tribhuvan University)
Year2016
Volume12
Issue1
Pages19
Publication date2016-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1746-4269 • E-ISSN: 1746-4269
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1186/s13002-016-0089-8
PMID27142597
OpenAlexW2346869971
LanguageEN
Citations received27
References cited42

Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs), an important provisioning ecosystem services, are recognized for their contribution in rural livelihoods and forest conservation. Effective management through sustainable harvesting and market driven commercialization are two contrasting aspects that are bringing challenges in development of NTFPs sector. Identifying potential species having market value, conducting value chain analyses, and sustainable management of NTFPs need analysis of their use patterns by communities and trends at a regional scale. We analyzed use patterns, trends, and challenges in traditional use and management of NTFPs in the southern slope of Kangchenjunga Landscape, Eastern Himalaya and discussed potential implications for conservation and livelihoods. A total of 739 species of NTFPs used by the local people of Kangchenjunga Landscape were reported in the reviewed literature. Of these, the highest number of NTFPs was documented from India (377 species), followed by Nepal (363) and Bhutan (245). Though the reported species were used for 24 different purposes, medicinal and edible plants were the most frequently used NTFP categories in the landscape. Medicinal plants were used in 27 major ailment categories, with the highest number of species being used for gastro-intestinal disorders. Though the Kangchenjunga Landscape harbors many potential NTFPs, trade of NTFPs was found to be nominal indicating lack of commercialization due to limited market information. We found that the unsustainable harvesting and lack of marketing were the major constraints for sustainable management of NTFPs sector in the landscape despite of promising policy provisions. We suggest sustainable harvesting practices, value addition at local level, and marketing for promotion of NTFPs in the Kangchenjunga Landscape for income generation and livelihood improvement that subsequently contributes to conservation

Agriculture · Agroforestry · Biodiversity · Biology · Business · Commercialization · Economics · Ecosystem · Ecosystem services · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Livelihood · Natural resource economics · Political science · Provisioning · Sustainability · Sustainable Management · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management · Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies · Ecology · Marketing