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Indigenous Practices in
Wild Vegetables
and
Fruits
A Dialogue with Community
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18204 – Indigenous Practices in Wild Vegetables
and Fruits — A Dialogue with Community
ISBN 978-93-5292-854-5
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Foreword
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) has

emphasised on redesigning the curriculum and pedagogy
strongly rooted in the Indian and local context and ethos in
terms of culture, traditions, heritage, customs, language and
so on. The policy also recommends the Indian knowledge
systems, including tribal knowledge, to be integrated in
various disciplines.
Taking into account the concerns of NEP 2020, the
Department of Education in Science and Mathematics
(DESM), National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT), New Delhi organised two consecutive
National Interactive Meets on ‘Indigenous Knowledge on
Wild Vegetables and Fruits and their Conservation’ in
the years 2022 and 2023. These two National Interactive
Meets were envisaged to provide a platform to discuss and
strengthen the indigenous knowledge and practices followed
by scheduled tribe communities for identification, gathering
and utilisation of wild vegetables and fruits and their
in situ conservation. During the meet, scientists, doctors and
academicians working in formal institutions, independent
scholars, freelancers and resource persons from scheduled
tribe communities participated and discussed the precious
indigenous knowledge which they have gained through their
age-old traditional practices.
The book titled ‘Indigenous Practices in Wild Vegetables
and Fruits: A Dialogue with Community’ comprises of
research papers, articles, compendium of wild edibles
showcased by different scheduled tribe community resource
persons and also discusses the way forward. This book will
be a valuable resource for the teachers teaching in diverse
geographic locations of the country including tribal areas
for contextual curriculum transaction and will also provide
new insights to policymakers, curriculum developers,
textbook writers, researchers and others working in the
field of Indian Knowledge System.

Scientists, academicians from various institutions
and resource persons from scheduled tribe
communities have contributed to the development of
this book. We are thankful to all the individuals and
organisations who have put their efforts and made this
endeavour possible. I appreciate the efforts and academic
contribution of Sunita Farkya, Professor and Head,
Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, as an
academic editor, for bringing out this material in the form of
a book.
I hope all the policymakers, curriculum developers,
textbook writers, researchers, teachers, teacher educators
and others will benefit from this material.
Dinesh Prasad Saklani

Director
New Delhi National Council of Educational
Research and Training
iv

Preface
The present book is the proceedings of ‘National Interactive

Meet on Wild Vegetables and Fruits and their Conservation’
organised by the Department of Education in Science and
Mathematics, National Council of Educational Research and
Training, New Delhi. The National Meet provided a common
platform to all stakeholders working in the field of Indian
Knowledge System, especially in the field of wild vegetables
and fruits, who gathered, utilised and made efforts for their
in situ conservation by Scheduled Tribe community. The
unique feature of this National Meet was that the Scheduled
Tribe community representatives were involved as ‘resource
of indigenous knowledge’. In this National Interactive
Meet, around 100 resource persons from Scheduled Tribe
community, scientists, academicians and freelancers
participated, shared their views and displayed wild vegetables
and fruits, representing approximately 20 tribal communities
hailing from 11 States of India.
The National Meet was envisaged keeping in view the
guiding principles of National Education Policy 2020, that is,
go back to our roots and create a future of our own strengths.
The policy lays strong emphasis on realising the importance
of and taking pride in our own knowledge system; and to
come out strongly from long etched colonial historical roots
in collective Indian psyche. Thus, this is quintessential to
not only generate a dialogue among the wider stakeholders
from diverse sections of our society but also to conceptualise
and develop an inclusive curricular framework which
introduces and developes a deeper, critical understanding of
our traditional knowledge systems in school education.
The book comprises of three parts; first part of the book
contains research papers and articles contributed by experts,
whereas second part of the book comprises of the compendium
of wild edibles showcased by ‘Community Resource’ during
the Interactive Meet and the third part comprehends the
way forward, suggestions and conclusion as the end product
of the event. This book will help teachers and learners to

imbibe values regarding the indigenous practices and their
importance in learning of science concepts. The concept of
biodiversity conservation, values towards plants and value
additions are some of the aspects entrenched within these
indigenous practices.
This book will be a great resource for teachers teaching in
diverse geographic locations of the country including tribal
areas for contextual curriculum transaction. It will provide
new insights to policy makers, curriculum developers,
textbook writers, researchers and others working in the
field of Indian Knowledge System. It will also be helpful
during the curriculum reforms, development and delivery
in all subject domains specifically in science education
and environmental education, and also for achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals. This book is expected to
bring new perspectives for active involvement of indigenous
communities in the curriculum delivery during the teaching
and learning process. This will also address the attitudinal
gaps due to socio-economic inequalities and bring changes
in the outlook for all kinds of skills and works with dignity.
I am highly thankful to Professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani,
Director, NCERT for guidance, motivation and support
provided by him throughout the programme and development
of this book. The administrative support provided by Professor
Sridhar Srivastava, Joint Director, NCERT is gratefully
acknowledged.
The book will definitely help to spread awareness
about saving precious heritage of indigenous knowledge
of wild plants and vegetables and also to develop a vision
and conceptualise a curricular framework to integrate the
indigenous knowledge of wild plants and vegetables in the
present education system.
Sunita Farkya
Professor and Head
DESM, NCERT, New Delhi
vi

Review Team Members
Review Members
Ashutosh Murkute, Director, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of
Rural Industrialisation, Vardha, Maharashtra
B.K. Tripathi, Former Director, IUCTE, BHU, Varanasi, U.P.
Monika Koul, Professor, Department of Botany, Hansraj
College, Delhi University, New Delhi
Sheo Kumar, Former Scientist ‘F’, (Former Additional Director)
CRC, Botanical Survey of India, Allahabad
Academic Editor
Sunita Farkya, Professor and Head, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi
Academic Support
Prabhat Kumar, JPF, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi
Preeti Sharma, SRA, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi
Sonali Chaturvedi, JPF, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi

Acknowledgments
The National Council of Educational Research and Training

(NCERT) acknowledges the valuable contribution of the
individuals and organisations involved in ‘The National
Interactive Meet on Wild Vegetables and Fruits and their
Conservation’ and the development of this book. The Council
acknowledges the valuable inputs of Dinesh Kulkarni,
Secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh; Anupam Mishra,
Vice Chancellor, Central Agricultural University, Imphal,
Manipur, India; Gajanan Dange, President and Kapil Ramesh
Sahasrabuddhe, Senior Vice President, YOJAK Centre for
Research and Strategic Planning for Sustainable Development,
Mumbai, Maharashtra and Ashutosh Murkute, Director,
Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industrialisation, Vardha,
Maharashtra. Acknowledgments are due to Sanjay Patil,
Senior Thematic Programme Executive, BAIF Development
Research Foundation, Nasik, Maharashtra for identification
of some wild vegetables and fruits, and Priyanka Varshney,
Assistant Professor, Lady Irwin College, Delhi University for
her contribution in initial review process of all articles and
research papers.
The administrative and technical support provided by
A. P. Behera, Joint Director, CIET and his team is sincerely
acknowledged. The Council acknowledges the administrative
support provided by Ashita Ravindran, Former Head, PMD
and Dinesh Kumar, Head, PMD for organising the National
Interactive Meet 2022 and 2023.
The efforts of Soumma Chandra, Editor (Contractual);
C. Thangminlal Doungel, Assitant Editor (Contractual);
Deepti Garg, Proof Reader (Contractual), Publication Division,
NCERT; Surender Kumar, Incharge, DTP Cell, NCERT;
Mohan Singh, DTP Operator (Contractual); Gandharv,
DTP Operator (Freelance); Arun Verma, DTP Operator,
(Contractual); Poonam, DTP Operator, (Contractual); Kunal
Rajoria, Graphic Designer (Contractual) and Fatma Nasir,
Artist are highly appreciated.
The administrative contribution of Chandrakala Mohan,
Section Officer, Manish Siwach, UDC, in Secretariat of
DESM; APC office of DESM, and Secretariat of NCERT are
also acknowledged.
Prelims.indd 8 17-Oct-24 3:25:04 PM

Contents
Foreword iii
Preface v
1. T
eaching and Learning of Science by Harnessing 1
Traditional Indigenous Practices of Tribal Communities
Sunita Farkya
2. ICAR-Research and Development of Wild Vegetables 41
and Medicinal Plants
Randhir Singh
3. Underutilised Vegetables in India and their Role in 54
Human Nutrition
Balraj Singh
4. W
ild Foods Consumed by the Adivasis and Other 65
Forest Dwellers from Kalasubai Harishchandragad
Landscape of Northern Sahyadri (Western Ghats)
Maharashtra
Vijay Sambare, Sayaji Asawale and Budhaji Wale
5. Importance and Health Benefits of Wild Vegetables 73
Pranita Kadu and Prabhat Kumar
6. T
raditional Knowledge of Ethnomedicine Among the 80
Baiga Tribes of Maikal Hills of Central India
Vikas Kumar Chandel and Ramesh B
7. W
ild Edible Fruits of Uttarakhand Himalaya: A 94
Potential Source of Nutraceutical
Sarla Saklani
8. N
ational Education Policy 2020: Critical Curricular 112
Insights on Environment Education
Priyanka Varshney
9. W
ild Vegetables and Fruits Utilised by Various 131
Scheduled Tribes Communities of India—An
Exhibition (A Collaborative Effort)
Contributors: Scientists, Educationist, Representatives
from various Scheduled Tribes Communities
10. C
ontemplations for Expanding Curricular Insights from 204
Community Dialogue: In Light of National Education
Policy 2020 Perspectives and Way Forward
Sunita Farkya

TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SCIENCE
1 BY HARNESSING TRADITIONAL
INDIGENOUS PRACTICES OF TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES
Sunita Farkya*
Abstract
Tribal communities have rich indigenous wisdom which they

have gained due to their proximity with nature for ages. Nature
is the ultimate source of energy to derive all amenities—food,
fibre, shelter, sustenance and growth. As a result of their
long-term association and everyday conscious and unconscious
observations the nature has equipped them with rich practical
experiences for their sustenance, and thus they could contribute
in devicing an indigenous knowledge system. Different tribal
communities have evolved an immensely rich knowledge and
infused it with the art, culture, festivals, rituals and more, for
sustainable growth and conservation of natural resources. This
traditional knowledge is an integral part of their personal, social,
cultural and economic identity, and is unique to every culture and
community with oral communication. Primary mode of sharing the
knowledge from one generation to other in an informal and non-
formal educational set-up is important. However, in absence of
proper documentation, there is a constant fear of losing this rich
traditional knowledge forever. A tribal learner has always been
embedded in community practices and has gained experiential
learning acquiring certain skills and competencies.
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) is taking
pride in our own knowledge system. The commitment to go back
to our roots and create a future of our own strengths becomes all
the more important in context of NEP 2020. It is, therefore, very
important to safeguard our intangible cultural heritage and learn
*H
ead and Professor, Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, National
Institute of Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training,
New Delhi
1
Sunita Farkya.indd 1 17-Oct-24 12:28:05 PM

Indigenous Practices in Wild Vegetables and
Fruits - A Dialogue with Community
to connect them with curricular practices, that will also

reduce the curriculum load.
This chapter emphasises on the integration of informal
and non-formal learning of indigenous practices including
art and culture of ethnic communities into formal set-up
of school education. It focuses on knowledge of different
communities on traditional indigenous practices and their
pedagogical implications in teaching of science and for
developing competencies in children. It also discusses
environmental perspectives of the indigenous practices
of forest communities along with few highlights on role
and importance of indigenous knowledge system and
traditional indigenous practices of ethnic communities
on bridging some of the generic gaps while curriculum
delivery. There are suggestions and recommendations
for teachers, researchers, educationists, curriculum
developers and policymakers to visualise and carve out
a way for inclusion of more sustainable and inclusive
practices. Another important aspect is knowledge sharing
with a strong sense of pride and belief in our own logic
and evidence-based indigenous knowledge systems and
that would be helpful for learning of science concepts. This
will help us realise our dream of a healthy, sustainable,
self-sustained and progressive society and the nation.
Keywords: Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, Formal School
Curriculum, Science Education, Informal Learning, Non-formal
Learning
INTRODUCTION
Traditional practices of tribal communities have always

been a part of non-formal education or informal education,
not only in India, but all over the world (Singh, 2013).
Both non-formal as well as informal education are in situ
learning where learners are embedded in the community
practices with the community experts. While assisting
them, they experience each moment of it and inadvertently
learn skills too. They learn under the social milieu with
either of the parents or both parents, grandparents,
siblings, neighbours, community workers and more, in
an informal learning environment, such as farmers for
Sunita Farkya.indd 2 24-Sep-24 4:53:36 PM

Teaching and Learning of Science by
Harnessing Traditional Indigenous...
agricultural practices, carpenters for carpentry practices,

plumbers for plumbing practices and so on. Under
non-formal situations, learners are involved in those
practices involuntarily and learn without any stress of
learning achievement such as through local game, dance,
cultural practices, rituals and social activities. It is an
amazing way of learning while performing those practices
because these practices provide contextual learning and
skills. In this way the knowledge is being transferred from
one generation to other (Mandi and Chakravarty, 2020).
In India, there are diverse tribal groups living in harmony
with nature even under the most hostile environment
(Sargunam, 2017). And, for them nature has become a
learning lab since ages. In different geographical locations
present in Indian territory, various tribal communities
exhibit examples of organic symbiotic relationship with
nature. Their long and close proximity with nature has
equipped them with rich experiences to devise indigenous
knowledge systems about development and conservation of
forest ecosystem, farming practices, herbal medicines and
much more (Sarma, 2016; Sharma, 2015). This practical,
indigenous, first-hand knowledge has also helped them
to devise various mechanisms and practices to optimally
and judiciously utilise various natural resources and their
varied products in diverse and unique ways (Mandi and
Chakravarty, 2020). These practices seem truly scientific
and provide conceptual understanding in science;
for example, winnowing (NCERT, 2005 a and b) for
understanding of separation of substances on the basis
of gravity and mass (separation of husk from grains),
making of mahua drink for understanding of fermentation
at certain stages of school science curriculum.
Due to their prolonged relationship and continous
observations of nature, they have entered the informal
research and investigation practices and replicated their
practices with modifications over time (Ravishankar and
Selvam, 1996; NCERT, 2018). Thus, these ethnic communities
have evolved an immensely rich knowledge and infused
them with the art, culture, festivals, rituals, social activities

and so on, for sustainable

growth and conservation of
natural resources (UNESCO
Education, 2010). This
traditional knowledge is an
integral part of their personal,
social, cultural and economic
identity and is unique to every
culture and community,
with oral communication Fig. 1.1: A tribal woman collecting
being the primary mode salt formed on plant branches
during salt farming, District
of sharing the knowledge Surendra Nagar, Gujarat
from one generation to the (Personal observation)
other (Brouwers, 1993).
These ethnic communities
have always generated,
refined and passed-on the
knowledge verbally across
the generations along with
hands-on experiences. Of
course in absence of proper
documentation, there is a
constant fear of losing this
rich traditional knowledge
forever.
It is therefore, important,
relevant and pertinent to
not only revisit, cherish, Fig. 1.2: Making of mahua drink
in a tribal home, Chhattisgarh
celebrate and preserve (Personal observation)
our indigenous knowledge
system(s) and practices, but also to visualise and carve
out ways and means for more sustainable and inclusive
practices and wider knowledge sharing with a strong sense
of pride and belief in our own logic and evidence-based
indigenous knowledge systems. This will help us realise
our dream of a healthy, sustainable, self-sustained and
progressive country. The commitment to go back to our
roots and create a future of our own strengths becomes all
the more important in the context of National Education

Policy 2020. The policy lays strong emphasis on realising

the importance of and taking pride in our own knowledge
system; and to come out strongly from long etched colonial
historical roots in collective Indian psyche (NEP, 2020).
The process of learning is a social enterprise and the same
implies for science as well (Vygotsky, 1978). Community
participation in the teaching–learning process is a
prerequisite to a good science education. In India the idea of
community involvement in learning is not new. Community
has always been involved in the informal learning through
their social practices, rituals or festive events. NEP 2020
has emphasised competency-based learning and skills
development. It lays emphasis on community involvement
in the teaching and learning process too.
In this chapter, the author has tried to bring into
the attention of scientists, educationists, curriculum
developers and policymakers about the importance of
strengthening informal and non-formal education and
integrating it to the formal education system, particularly
in relation to science learning. This integration recognises
the value of traditional indigenous community practices
and seeks to incorporate them into mainstream education
and implies on science learning as well. It is strongly
suggested that community involvement in teaching and
learning of science is important.
THEORETICAL FOUNDATION IN LITERATURE
Traditional indigenous practices of scheduled tribes
communities provide informal as well as non-formal
learning (Mandi and Chakravarty, 2020; Sarma, 2016;
Sharma, 2015). These practices are useful in learning
of science. Coexistence of the three channels of learning
including informal, non-formal and formal education in
India is age-old. Though for better understanding, these
terms have been defined in context of Indian traditions,
needs, cultures and policies by Naik. According to
Naik (1977), without efficient integration of the non-
formal learning, formal education cannot be effective for
development and social transformation.

As mentioned by J.P. Naik in his work (GoI, 1971), it is

desired to combine the diverge cultures of formal, informal
and non-formal learning for strengthening of educational
reforms in India. It is the need of the hour to intervene
the formal school system by inclusion of overhauling
traditional forms of non-formal education, and also bring
improvement in the quality of informal education for all
(Naik, 1977). Better learning opportunities in science
may be optimised by utilising overall international
educational contemplation (Faure et al., 1972; UIL, 2012)
of encouraging integration of non-formal and informal
education to formal education as a comprehensive
curricular reforms (Naik, 1977).
Informal education refers to the learning that occurs
outside the traditional classroom of educational instituition
such as through community activities, cultural practices
and everyday experiences. Non-formal education, on the
other hand, refers to learning that occurs outside the
formal school system through community programmes
and vocational training and beyond.
NEP 2020 emphasises tribal and local rooted knowledge
and indigenous pedagogy in school education. Some of the
related excerpts from NEP 2020 are following:
In its para 4.27, it says about inclusion of tribal
knowledge:
“Knowledge of India” will include knowledge from ancient
India and its contributions to modern India and its
successes and challenges, and a clear sense of India’s future
aspirations with regard to education, health, environment,
etc. These elements will be incorporated in an accurate
and scientific manner throughout the school curriculum
wherever relevant; in particular, Indian Knowledge
Systems, including tribal knowledge and indigenous and
traditional ways of learning, will be covered and included
in mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, yoga, architecture,
medicine, agriculture, engineering, linguistics, literature,
sports, games, as well as in governance, polity, conservation.
Specific courses in tribal ethnomedicinal practices, forest
management, traditional (organic) crop cultivation, natural
farming, etc., will also be made available.

In its para 4.29, it lays emphasis on indigenous pedagogy:

“All curriculum and pedagogy, from the foundational stage
onwards, will be redesigned to be strongly rooted in the
Indian and local context and ethos in terms of culture,
traditions, heritage, customs, language, philosophy,
geography, ancient and contemporary knowledge, societal
and scientific needs, indigenous and traditional ways of
learning and so on, in order to ensure that education is
maximally relatable, relevant, interesting and effective
for our students. Stories, arts, games, sports, examples,
problems, etc., will be chosen as much as possible to be
rooted in the Indian and local geographic context. Ideas,
abstractions and creativity will indeed best flourish when
learning is thus rooted.”
There is very little mention of theoretical frameworks or
orientations in the literature regarding learning of science
concepts through informal and non-formal indigenous
practices of forest, tribal or nomadic communities. Mostly
researcher highlights the work of communities related
to environmental conservation or herbal medicines and
agricultural techniques. The content of the chapter
draws attention to various indigenous practices followed
by communities providing informal and non-formal
education, highlight the practices to be used for optimising
learning of science, skills, competencies, values and to
instill pride to the Indian knowledge system upon the
young generation.
COMMUNITY PRACTICES AND PEDAGOGICAL
IMPLICATIONS IN SCIENCE TEACHING
Attempt has been made to collate the existing tribal

community practices through personal observation and
cited informations. The communities are engaged in
various indigenous practices and they not only sustain
their own livelihoods but also make valuable contributions
to society at large by producing essencial items for food,
fibre and shelter. They also contribute using other skills,
art and craft for other essentials. While resolving various
concerns for leading the life, community persons innately

acquired certain skills as per their interest and capabilities.

Accordingly, they have become experts in different areas of
problem-solving skills such as plumbing, pottery, farming
and more. Apart from these they also acquire knowledge
related to their surroundings such as weather, vegetation,
flora and fauna and applications in nutritional requirements,
medical emergencies and sustainable development. Their
continuous interactions, experiences and interrelations with
the surroundings while searching for livelihood and resolving
various issues equipped them with skills for their livelihood
pursuits. Some of the important livelihood interests are
hunting, fishing and collection of forest products along with
shifting cultivation (Purkayastha, 2016).
Gatherers of Forest Produce
Collection of forest
produce is one of their
livelihood options
(Soren and Naik, 2020;
Reddy, 2018; Patidar
et al., 2018). While
collecting they keep
in mind sustainable
availability and efficient
replenishment of those
forest produces. They Fig. 1.3: Children collecting fruits of
follow certain rules Mahua, Baripeda village
for conservation and (Personal observation)
continuous supply
of these forest produces. Some of the examples are—
harvesting the crop on the basis of certain indicators such
as harvesting tubers on the basis of maturity of leaves or
colour of leaves, or harvesting of tubers without affecting
associated plant species and many more like this. Children
get continuous guidance while roaming around with their
parents, grandparents or elderly community persons,
siblings or peers in the jungle in search of these forest
produces, such as wild vegetables and fruits that have high
nutritional value and while collecting them they acquire

certain skills and learn by first-hand experiences. This

is an in situ learning of children in a non-formal set-up
that began from their childhood. While doing this work
with their elders they learn, gain knowledge and develop
skills gradually. Thus, involving these community experts
in the education system would help school learners to
build strong relationships with their environment, develop
problem-solving skills which will equip them to tackle
day-to-day challenges, and foster important values too.
Sustainable Hunting, Ethics and Biodiversity
Conservation
Hunting and trapping animals was another livelihood
option in some of the tribes before ‘The Wild Life (Protection)
Act’, 1972. They followed certain traditional rules for
hunting, such as people from a particular community
with different family name (gotra) may be restricted for
hunting of a particular animal or bird species; they do not
hunt a female bird; they protect eggs of birds religiously
and much more.
While roaming around jungle they have become
barefoot ecologists. They not only have become experts of
identifying diversity of their surroundings but they also
gain expertise in identification of eggs of a particular bird
species, their breeding time, breeding seasons, chirping
sounds of different bird species and more. They also
have developed knowledge about interdependency in a
crude manner. Besides, they also develop sharpness in
the sensory organs such as sharp eyesight, extraordinary
hearing sense, smelling the presence of a particular
animal from great distances. This indicates their acute
perseverance in acoustic and olfactory body functions.
They determine time by observing their own shadow in
sunlight. They identify seasons by sounds of insects and
birds. By leading life in the close vicinity of nature they
get indications from nature and predict seasons. They are
well-aware about the plants species they traditionally use
as medicines for different ailments.

Case Study
Himmatrao Kanjra Pawar, an elderly person from Phase
Pardhi community, mimics the sound of a variety of birds.
In his own words, “All Phase Pardhis have specific skill to
mimic the sound of birds for birds call.” So, they utilise
their skills to create special sound of female birds and invite
male birds. Himmat has knowledge about the diversity of
birds around his village in district Akola in Maharashtra.
This traditional skill of
mimicking the sound of birds is
now becoming vulnerable and
vanishing very fast. Because
of fast changing culture and
pseudo modernisation, youth
in the community do not want
Fig. 1.4: Himmatrao Kanjra
to learn this traditional skill
Pawar performing bird’s
without thinking of its hindsight call, Akola in Maharashtra
utilising it for biodiversity Courtsey: Shri Kaustubh
conservation. The skills and Ashok Pandharipande,
knowledge of Pardhis are Director, Foundation for
precious which can be used for Economic and Ecological
protection of bird species and Development
also other aspects of biodiversity
conservation, education and research. This traditional
skill is the strength of Pardhis, a highly knowledgeable
community having a crisis for livelihood. The promotion of
this traditional skill for biodiversity conservation may help
them to live life with dignity.
The services of skilled Phase Pardhis with their
traditional skills may be utilised for training, research and
educational purposes or community involved pedagogy to
create awareness on importance of conservation of birds,
interdependence and biodiversity.
Mimicking the sound may be useful for learning of
visually impaired students about diversity of bird species.
The Pastoralists and Cattle Herders

Many of the tribes in India are pastoralists. Pastoralism is
one of the traditional indigenous practices of many of the
tribal communities, for example, Toda in Nilgiri, Gaddi in
10

Himachal Pradesh and Maldhari, Rebari and Bharwad in

Gujarat and Banjara in Rajasthan. They are herders of sheep,
cattle, camel, etc. These cattle herders play a vital role in the
ecological restoration and sustainable management (Ingty,
2021). During the process of pastoralism, a pastoralist
learns and develops observation skills by observing the
behaviour of animals they are working with. They come
to know about the available vegetations of different places
while they migrate in the process of pastoralism from one
place to other. They get familiar with flora and fauna in detail
while observing the animals’ eating habits in a particular
landscape they moved in. They observe their animals, if
some of them are pregnant or mother, or have any ailment
which is being controlled by eating a particular plant species
are basic learning of a pastoralist. They have learnt self-
Fig. 1.5: Pastoralism in Kutch, Gujarat (Personal observation)
Fig. 1.6: Pastoralism in Fig. 1.7: Pastoralism in Chiharo,

Didihat, Uttarakhand Chhattisgarh (Courtesy:
(Personal observation) Purshottam Das Saho, Teacher,
UPS, Chiharo, Chattisgarh)
11

medication by observing behaviour of animals and applied

their interpretations for various ailments in humans
(Shurkin, 2014; Ray-Mukherjee et al., 2010). On the basis
of set indicators, they may predict any pandemic in future
while raising these animals. They have even learnt that
grazing is important for growth of plants and conservation
of biodiversity, and overgrazing or undergrazing affects the
development of an ecosystem and the diversity of species.
Accordingly, they manipulate animal behaviour by
changing direction of their movement in a particular
landscape or by allotment of grazing land or by controlling
their desire to eat a particular plant species, and so
on (Molnár et al., 2020). This is how they contribute in
maintaining biodiversity in a particular landscape. They
also maintain the continuous supply of plants species
that regenerate through tubers for animals grazing (Biró
et al., 2020). This way they are better ecologists having
age-old first-hand knowledge.
Intricacy of pastoralism lies in the balance between
human and animal populations along with natural
resources. It is a traditional form of animal husbandry
or raising livestock. Pastoralists feed and instruct their
livestock through distinct landscape, and in this act, they
adapt to different climatic conditions. This is because
pastoralist move with their livestock and work with their
experiential knowledge of nature and thus outputs of
their experiments in production are higher than inputs.
Moreover, their practices are helpful in protecting
ecosystem. Interdependency of forests and pastoralism
result in maintained and renewed land and soil health and
also carbon sequestration (Apfelbum et al., 2022; Barry and
Huntsinger, 2021; Becker et al., 2022; Byrnes et al., 2018;
Grandin, 2022; Lee-Mader et al., 2014; Menefree et al.,
2021; Teague et al., 2016; Teague and Kreuter, 2020). For
instance, pastoralists while practicing pastoralism learn
that ruminants facilitate the germination of acacia tree
seeds in dryland forests by digesting them, allowing water
and air through it and weakening the outer seed coating.
12

Hence, they get better equipped in animal husbandry

through this traditional method of pastoralism.
The Folk Experts
Folklores have great
pedagogic interventions
for learning science.
It provides a detailed
description of the
subject in a fun way.
In a song the lyrics
are weaved in with
music or paintings or
tribal arts. Folk dance
and folk songs are Fig. 1.8: Folk dance by tribal women in
Jhadolphalasia, Rajasthan
important folklores. (Personal observation)
One of the instances
witnessed by the author while interacting with Bhil
community was that men and women of the community
played folk dance on a folk song in two groups. The lyrics
of a folk song as sung by them were as under:
One group sings: angrej sipai ayo ne mhaka jungle me ti
mhaka morda ne lei gayo
(English constable came and took our peacock from our
jungle)
Another group replies: mhaka jungal ti mhako sher aego
ne angrej sipai ka ghoda ne laego
(Our lion from our jungle will take the horse of that english
man)
All of them enjoy singing and dancing and relieve their
stress in the evening. This in particular educates them
of patriotism as well as protection and values of jungle
biodiversity.
In another example, Konkan men, women and children
celebrated Deepawali festival by worshiping cow right
from the first day and visits everybody’s home in the village
13

by playing drums.
While playing on drums
they sing song
describing all speciality
of their farm animals,
for example, for ‘Cow’ in
two groups in Konkani
language the lyrics of
their song were as
under (Personal
interaction with village Figure 1.9: Rathwa Tribal art of Gujarat
chief Mr. Chetram (Personal observation)
Deochand Pawar, Baripeda, Maharashtra):
Kapila Gai…..kapila gai tujhe shing kashe?
(How are your horn cow named kapila?)
Mahadevancha trishul jashe
(It is like trident of Lord Shiva. Knowingly or unknowingly
they give this message to the next generation that they
need to be saved from cow's horn)
Kapila Gai…..kapila gai tujhe pith kashi?
(How is your back cow named kapila?)
Pandharpur che wat jashi
(It is like road to visit Pandharpur. Here they have taught
geography to all that the road towards Pandharpur from
their village in Maharashtra is like a hilly terrain)
In such kind of folksong during festive occasion
traditionally children learn and describe cow with analogy
and entrenched with the values of their own pet and cattle.
Since the parents, grandparents, neighbours, friends and
all are involved they learn a lot from them unconsciously.
Artisans
A number of tribes are involved in different kinds of crafts
like basket making, tool making, spinning, weaving and
many other skills. These tribal people either combine these
occupations with agriculture or may totally depend upon
craft for their livelihood (Kumar et al., 2015). Either way,
14

they have to exchange their products for food articles

through market or by establishing exchange relations with
some other tribes. The Kotas of the Nilgiris have exchange
relations with the Badagas for agriculture products. The
Birhors of Bihar make ropes and were nomadic in the past.
The population of such groups is small. The members of
the group learn the skills of the craft from their forefathers
while growing up. The craftwork is done at the family level
but raw material may be collected at the community level.
For example, the basket makers may go collectively for
obtaining bamboos but basket making may be a family
enterprise. Many tribes are known for their artistic skills
of painting. Figure 1.9 depicts painiting made by Rathwa
tribe of Gujarat and Figures 1.10(a) and (b) shows painting
and artistic walls inside the hut of mahiwars. They use
natural colours in their paintings. Through these paintings
they provide some messages and skills to next generations.
Paintings and artistic walls inside the hut of mahiwar are
also resources of learning.
Fig. 1.10(a): Soil painting on huts Fig. 1.10(b): Artistic walls

of Mahiwars, Gandhinu Gaon in inside the huts of Mahiwars,
Kutch, Gujarat Gandhinu Gaon in Kutch,
(Personal observation) Gujarat (Personal observation)
Shifting Cultivators
Shifting cultivation is an indigenous farming practice of
indigenous people in which a piece of forest land is
temporarily been chosen for farming practices (Gupta,
2000; MOEF and GBPIHED, 2009; Peale, 1874; Reddy,
15

1991; Roy et al., 2012;

Seavoy, 1973; Shimray,
2004; Swami, 2018;
Thangchungnunga,
1987). It is followed by
cutting the native
plants and vegetation
on it and allowing them
to dry. The dried
vegetation is burnt and
the fertile forest land is Fig. 1.11: Shifting cultivation by
now replenished by Mahadev Koli in Sangamner,
mixing the ash in soil. Maharashtra (Courtesy: Vijay Sambre,
This way the soil is Freelance Researcher and Conservation
being prepared. Practitioner Sangamner, Maharashtra
Thereafter, the soil is prepared for sowing the seeds of
desired crop to be cultivated. The piece of land is cultivated
for 3 to 4 years until the soil is fertile and then may be
abandoned for several years allowing natural vegetation to
regrow and develop into forest again. Such cultivation is
commonly practised in the tribal regions of North-East
India, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha and
Madhya Pradesh. This practice has decreased considerably
due to unavailability of forest land and restriction owing to
the forest rules. According to an elderly person of Gond
tribe, the process of shifting cultivation helps seeds that
require warmth to germinate and propagate easily, thereby
more dense forest is developed on the abandoned land.
Settled Agriculturists
India has been an agrarian country, and as a society and
as a family most of the tribes have developed skills in
agriculture beyond gender types (Anburaja and
Nandagopalan, 2012; Mandi and Chakravarty, 2020).
Each and every member of the family whether a child or
an elder learns agricultural skills as a part of informal
education on farming practices at home and gets
acquainted with those practices inadvertently. The more
they practice it, the more exposure to different situations
16

and more experience

and learning takes
place under the
domain of various
interacting factors as
parameters. While
practicing they
become researchers
since they observe,
analyse and infer
their practices and Fig. 1.12: A tribal woman ploughing field
(Courtesy: Purshottam Das Saho, Teacher,
apply new UPS) Chihro, Chhattisgarh
amendments in their
practices for better results. Based on their own
observations, they have devised practices and strategies
for low-cost natural pest control, grain storage mechanism,
enhancing soil fertility and optimising agricultural
production with optimum resource utilisation
(Narayanasamy, 2006; Gangwar and Ramakrishnan,
1989; NCERT, 2018).
Tribals are pioneering conventional researchers in the
field of agriculture and grow only traditional crops, such
as paddy, millets, pulses, vegetables, etc. In a way they are
contributing in the conservation of gene pool in the form
of desi varieties of various traditional crops (Ravishankar
and Selvam, 1996). They have organic ways of saving
their crops not only from insect pests but also from wild
animals. Kaani tribes of Western Ghats of Kanyakumari
in India use sounding tools made up of bamboo to keep
animals away from their crop fields (Sargunam, 2017).
CONTRIBUTION OF TRIBAL WOMEN IN
SCIENCE EDUCATION IN INFORMAL SET-UP
Tribal women are more skilful due to their involvement in

all kinds of works and cultural practices. They are a part
of folklores, such as folk songs, folk dances, rituals, arts
and many other works such as collection of forest produce
and their in situ conservation for seeking continuous
17

supply of those forest

produces for livelihood,
and also for sustainable
development are some of
the important areas where
women have contributed
in informal and non-formal
education set-up. Besides,
they contribute even
in the heavy work, for
example, ploughing the Fig. 1.13: A woman from bhill tribal
community conserved medicinal
field, soil preparation plants inside her huts (Personal
and all other agricultural observation) during visit to Baripeda
practices (Sharma and
Kaur, 2015; Natarajan and Govind, 2006; Kalyani et al.,
2011; Brouwers, 1993). Children at home observe their
parents and get acquainted with the skills. While assisting
their parents they involve in these practices and get first-
hand experience. Plants are a part of their daily life. They
conserve plants, such as Portulaca oleracea, Kalanchoe
pinnata and many more plant species in the periphery
of their home and use them for various purposes. They
have connected mother nature with religious practices
so that conservation of nature will become more effective
through these practices without extra efforts. And through
indigenous cultural practices all the environmental issues
and value systems are addressed inadvertently.
Most of these practices have scientific bases and many
have been proven with evidences (Sargunam, 2017). They
have indigenous wisdom to treat many life-threatening
ailments using wild plants (Behera et al., 2006; Thakur et
al., 2014). They have their own unique way to use these
medicinal plants either alone or in combination with other
herbs. They have a unique knowledge of using these herbs
not only in a particular way, but the time when a particular
plant part has to be used as medicine for optimum effect.
They have practiced not to disclose their wisdom to a
common person. In a way they contribute by doing this to
conserve those plants to avoid over exploitation or untimely
18

eradication of those plants for vested interest by pharma

industries. But at the same time values are ingrained into
their practice that they provide these herbs as medicines
to those in need.
DEVELOPMENT OF LIFE SKILLS THROUGH
INDIGENOUS PRACTICES
Tribal practices are full of life skills. These skills are

revealed by them through their art and paintings and other
folklores. Each and every tribal practice is nature-oriented,
and all resources depicted in the pictures are those inspired
by nature. The tribal art painting from Odisha shows how
tribes have built a hut on a tree facilitated with bamboo
staircase (Fig 1.14). All the members are involved in one
work or the other and are living in harmony with nature.
Birds, pets, squirrels and different kinds of animals and
insects are a part of their life. There is a flour mill made up
of stone, pestle and mortar, lady cooking food, swing for
small children, forest produce, and also decoration in their
hut, etc. This painting itself teaches the tribals skills of
painting and at the same time spreads a positive message
to the future generation that how living in harmony with
nature is important under the domain of environmental
education.
Fig. 1.14: Tribal Art Odisha Fig. 1.15: Sacred grove of Thakrey
(Personal observation) tribes at Sangamner, Maharashtra
(Personal observation)
19

CULTURAL BELIEFS AND RITUALS
Tribal communities have

weaved-in cultural beliefs
and rituals with conservation
of forest as one of their
indigenous practices. They
have a variety of reasons
and certain traditional
rules under which there is
a limited scope for various
forest activities. This way
they have created a social
boundary around the
fragmented landscapes Fig. 1.16: Salt Farming at Surendra
as a protective layer and Nagar, Gujarat
(Personal observation)
developed sacred groves
(Lebbie and Freudenberger 1996; Chandran and
Hughes 1997; Malhotra et al., 2007; Sheridan and
Nyamweru, 2007).
Usually the logic of ecological sustainability is
interwoven with the local myths and taboos, legends as
well as folk tales, folk dances and annual ceremonies
associated with sacred groves. These groves have become
crucial wildlife corridors and reservoirs for sustaining many
rare, threatened and endangered species (Amitangshu
and Ormsby, 2017). They are also useful for soil and
water conservation. Fostering these traditions instill
scientific values and scientific attitudes that are deeply
embedded in this system, supporting the preservation
of forests and cultivation of innumerable plant and tree
species. Certain unwritten, orally transmitted taboos and
rules safeguard these groves. Cutting of trees, hunting
animals, and plucking leaves, flowers and fruits are
restricted in these areas. The product derived of such
sacred groves are a part of religious culture and rituals
and distributed among all addressing concerns of equity
and equality.
20

ETHNIC COMMUNITY AS DEEP-ROOTED

SCIENTISTS
In context of science education, it

is apparent that everybody in the
community whether knowingly
or unknowingly is doing science.
Whether it is making of drink with
mahua, farming of salt, making
iron utensils or agricultural
implements using spoilt iron or
pottery making from clay, they
have gained perfection in their
skills by following the process
of science learning through
observation, making hypotheses Fig. 1.17: Gadi Lohar, a
experimentation, investigation, nomadic community at
analysis, inference. After many hit Bhopal, M.P. (Personal
and trial they have standardised observation)
the procedure with precision and resolved many problems.
They gained agricultural skills as discussed, patiently
working with nature under many interacting parameters
after years of investigation. Despite the introduction of
modern practices and new varieties of seeds, community
conserved desi varieties of crops in agriculture and helped
maintaining the gene bank for various health purposes
(M. Madhu Usha et al., 2018; Blakeney, 2020). They have
also conserved medicinal plants whether growing wild
in forests or in the vicinity of their surroundings, and
used them judiciously as and when required for different
ailments.
EFFECT OF MODERNITY ON INDIGENOUS
PRACTICES
Ethnic communities have confidence in nature and

ecosystem of their surroundings. They not only believe
in sustained replenishment of nature, but it is visible
in all their actions. Indigenous knowledge is implicit to
21

a community. It is the
unique local knowledge
which has emerged due
to specific conditions of
a particular geographical
location and indigenous
people who are deeply
interacting with that
particular ecosystem,
and establishing their
unique relationship
for making the habitat
sustainable in a holistic
manner (Samal, Dhyani
and Dollo, 2010). Before Fig. 1.18: Personal meeting with
Tribal Artist, Umesh at Raipur,
the colonial interference, Chhattisgarh
the forest communities
had an unimpeded reciprocal relationship with nature
and therefore they always endured with self-contained
status. A symphonic relationship which these tribal
communities shared with nature using the indigenous
knowledge was intertwined by the colonial voracity now
became detrimental towards the sustainable development
in an ecosystem. For example, use of modern technology
for reckless extraction of forest produces and herbal
medicines ruined the sustainability and mutual
relationship among the life forms and an imbalance has
been created in nature.
Owing to certain socioeconomic and political reasons,
perception of modernisation has been taken in a
developmental senses, which needs to be well-understood
and defined that whether the so called modernisation is
really a development or not. There are researches that
report a deep-rooted tribal life is changing slowly and
steadily as a consequence of modernisation and altered
lifestyle patterns (Sarma, 2016). As a matter of concern,
the youth is not really happy with their indigenous identity
(Panipilla et. al., 2017). They are putting their age-old
precious indigenous knowledge at stake and many of them
22

have even become wage-labourers.

In a painting, a graduate student named Umesh from
a primitive tribal community kamar of Chhattisgarh has
tried to reveal that there are some areas where the life is not
affected due to modernity (Fig. 1.18). While explaining his
painting he highlighted that the child has come home after
playing with his friends and is trying to do the homework.
He is learning to write his name. He is sitting on cow dung
flooring near the window for proper light. He doesn’t care
about his dressing and clothing, but immersed himself in
learning with concentration.
In view of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
established by United Nations (SDGs; UN 2012b), it is
well recognised globally that ‘the exploitation of resources
belonging to communities living in harmony with nature
has reached its limits and that there is a need to restore
balance’ (Sarma, 2016). Socioeconomic development and
global sustainability often contradict with each other
due to increasing needs of growing world population
versus production and advanced living standards, and
managing the effects of production and consumption
on the global environment (Griggs et al., 2014). Thus,
there is a need to revisit and understand the concept of
development and modernity in real sense and come-up
with the innovative ideas for conserving the indigenous
knowledge of these ethnic communities while promoting
sustainable development.
COMMUNITY PRACTICES: AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR REDRESSAL OF GAPS IN CURRICULUM
DELIVERY
Learner Absenteeism
Learner’s continuous absenteeism from school has been
observed in many of the rural and tribal areas (NCERT,
2017). The main reasons behind the learner’s absenteeism
are related to agriculture, i.e., sowing season, cropping
seasons, harvesting time, etc. They assist their parents in
23

agriculture. There is a need for involvement of community

for curriculum delivery on the related topics in the field
for in situ learning. Teacher development programme must
include teachers’ orientation to address the problems of
curriculum delivery in such cases and use the opportunity
in a positive way for learning of science and agriculture
skills. Teachers may identify concepts to be integrated with
the tribal practices and create and facilitate learners for
competencies and skills development. There are action
researches conducted by teachers in this regard to address
the issues of absenteeism (NCERT, 2017).
Gender concerns
Despite the fact that most of the tribal communities in
India are patriarchal, usually there is no gender desparity
seen and in their own world women have a freedom of self-
expression. Most of the tribal women work hard side by
side with man, or in some instances more than the men.
The tribal culture provides women to be empowered by her
involvement in all kinds of economic and non-economic
practices and opportunities to optimally learn skills and
become competent enough for solving different kinds of
problems and address them to lead life (Bhasin, 2007). Thus,
tribal women are more skilful and competent to be involved
in curriculum delivery or in teaching-learning process
in related curricular areas, such as agricultural skills,
identification of medicinal plants and their conservation
practices, local and indigenous knowledge and so on, as
a resource person. This will address gender stereotyping
and also bridge the gender gaps in young minds in school
education. Involvement of tribal women in teaching–
learning process either by bringing school children to their
work stations for beyond classroom learning pedagogy
or bringing tribal women to schools for beyond textbook
learning pedagogy, will be a good option to bring back the
self-reliance of community women who are skilful and carry
a lot of indigenous knowledge with them.
Social disparity
Tribals have developed certain skills and competencies and
24

therefore, their indigenous traditional knowledge is very

rich. Learning and working with certain skills will definitely
bridge the gap between the rich and the poor (socioeconomic
disparity). All the learners may be provided equal opportunities
to learn these skills by working with community through
different projects. Future generation learners will definitely
develop entrepreneurship skills searching for solutions of
problems faced by them through in situ experiential learning
and connecting these practice with science concepts.
Mainstreaming the tribal indigenous practices in
science curriculum will definitely bridge the social divide
as it will bring back the self-reliance of the communities,
which is actually lost due to colonial mindset. The new
generation will learn values through valuable indigenous
knowledge of tribal community since the tribal culture is
full of value education, for example, ‘not to waste food’ is
very much connected to carbon footprint, conservation of
biodiversity and environment, and much more.
Fig. 1.19: Students making basket, soup and broom: Learning from
tribal resource person (Coutesy: Purshottam Das Saho, Teacher, UPS)
Chiro, Chhattisgarh
COMMUNITY PRACTICES: A TOOL FOR

INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGY IN SCIENCE
TEACHING
Mainstreaming of these vanishing indigenous practices

in curriculum is important for their conservation. All
the practices address understanding of one to many
science concepts to be learnt by the students at school
level. Teacher may device various pedagogies based on
25

community practices
to facilitate learners
and optimise learning.
For example, certain
concepts of agriculture are
integrated with science
concepts from Grades VI
to XII and may include
innovative pedagogy such
Fig. 1.20: Warli Art, Jawhar,
as field visits, project-
Maharashtra (Courtsey: Sanjay
based learning, community Patil, Senior Thematic Programme
practices based curriculum Executive, BAIF Development
and pedagogy, community Research Foundation)
campaign, meeting/interaction with farmers, and so on.
NEP 2020 also recommends ten bagless days for students,
learning under informal or non-formal situations, etc.,
which may miraculously intervene to bring change in
rural science education scenario because rural schools
may have better learning environment and resources
close to nature. Community celebrations, festivities and
get-togethers may be an innovative pedagogy for group
learning. Author has seen some instances where students
learn body movements, which are a part of present
curriculum at middle and secondary stages, with the help
of the folk dances of tribes of Chhattisgarh which can be
performed during festivities and celebrations. Another
example is separation techniques, that is, winnowing; to
separate husk from grain is due to gravity and difference
of mass of husk and grain. Games and sports have
been an integral part of tribal culture. Some concepts of
Science and mathematics can be taught through games,
for example, swing on a big tree to learn the concept of
pendulum. Figure 1.20 is revealing a Warli painting. The
characteristic feature of these paintings is the presence of
a number of geometric shapes in it. It is an appropriate
teaching–learning material and pedagogy to teach students
art integration at an early age of learners. Moreover, Geru
mitti used for soil painting on walls have various medicinal
properties (Kotagasti, 2015).
26

COMMUNITY PRACTICES AND

ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES
The sociocultural traditions of tribal communities are

full of actions with values and ethics for environmental
protection and sustainable livelihood practices. Their
sociocultural traditions are in sync with sustainable
living and preservation of their surroundings, and have
deep and genuine connections with the ecosystems of
their habitats. They have an intimate association with
the ecosystem they live in, even in hostile conditions
like hills, estuaries, coastlines, desert, open ocean and
many others. It is noteworthy to understand each and
every aspect of the synergistic approaches of the tribals
pursuit for sustainable survival and maintenance of all
components of nature. All their traditional indigenous
practices are in consonance with Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG) envisaged and adopted by UN
General Assembly in 2015.
Many words in most of the tribal languages have
evolved due to their interconnection with the nature
and their surroundings and the environmental aspects
that are translated through their language in the same
spirit. It is important to understand aspects related to the
ecosystem in the concerned tribal language. This will help
in protecting the biodiversity of the concerned ecosystem
as well as local and indigenous languages and vice-versa.
Livelihood practices of different tribes in different areas
and ecological locations, demonstrate unique features of
that habitat and ecosystems as well as biodiversity of that
particular area. For example, the pastoralist communities
in the grassland, fishing communities in marine, hunter
communities near forest ecosystem and so on. Seasonal
variations and biodiversity of a particular habitat allows
periodic migration of tribal people from one place to another
for their livelihood, revealing their nomadic characteristics.
They are all well-aware of biodiversity, extinction of species,
or breeding seasons and so forth.
27

Intervention of modern technology may facilitate work

for their livelihood but at the same time they may result
in the untimely and overuse of natural resources such as
over fishing with modern technology may affect and create
imbalance in the marine ecosystem, however, fishing
tribes use traditional environment-friendly sustainable
fishing methods for the ecology to remain in equilibrium.
Therefore, it is very important to mention here that the
Forest Rights Act (FRA) was passed in 2006 for Scheduled
Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers. The Forest
Rights Act (FRA), 2006 provides some of the key rights to
individuals of Scheduled Tribes communities. It empowers
people who keep up forest areas, and individuals who
depend on the forest for their livelihood.
SUGGESTIONS
Here are few suggestions rendered for teachers, teacher

educators, educationists, researchers, curriculum
developers and policymakers.
Curricular Implications
Content Selections
• Age-appropriate content related to indigenous practices
of scheduled tribes community may be infused with
appropriate concepts of science. Content may be
given as case studies or in the form of assesment as
learning, project-based learning, etc.
Pedagogical Inputs
• In the teaching–learning of science in tribal area,
teacher must identify indigenous practices and
connect them to the concepts of science.
• Outreach programmes or programmes related to science
fair, exhibitions of all kinds may be organised with themes
on Indian Knowledge System, in which children may be
encouraged for innovations in indigenous practices.
• Various pedagogies may be utilised, for example,
community survey or awareness campaign for
28

children’s exposure to the community practices and

interaction with them.
Teacher Education Programme
• In-service teacher orientation programmes must
include sessions on use of indigenous knowledge and
practices in teaching and learning process of science.
• Curricular reforms are required for teacher education
programme that must include courses on indigenous
knowledge as well as indigenous pedagogy of tribal
community.
Social Implications
Uplift the confidence of community
• Appropriate strategies may be developed for sensitising
community by involving them in each of the activities
that will help to achieve cultural competency,
encourage participation and reduce social stigma. It
must be made sure that all efforts in this connection
have to be culturally-appropriate.
• A community resource group for school education
may be formed and registered with the state education
departments, and time-to-time orientation programmes
may be conducted to address the hesitant attitude of
community people for sharing indigenous knowledge.
• Connecting sociocultural traditions and livelihood
practices with the ecosystem is very important in the
teaching-learning process.
• Certain efforts may be made to uplift self-reliance and
confidence of the community by realising them about
their strengths. For example, preserve and promote
the legacy of agriculture in the tribal community.
• Community person may be invited as a resource
person in the teaching-learning process (Fig. 1.19).
• Educate the community through outreach efforts
or orientation programmes. An orientation and
intervention programme for community resource
group for interaction with the students will be required.
29

• Rather than labeling these indigenous communities

as backward or underdeveloped, incorporating their
rights and know-how and upheaval their confidence in
all spheres of knowledge acquisition can have the way
towards preserving diverse culture and environments.
• Intellectual property rights of indigenous practices
must be given patent.
Community as resource in school education
• It is high time to involve community as a resource in
various modes such as inviting them in schools or field
visits of students for skill development and community
practices, or involving community at the state and
national level events organised for children. This will
optimise the children-community interaction in the
process of learning science, development of skills and
competencies, solving problems and in the holistic
development of the learners.
Implications for Bridging the Generic Gap
Attitudinal gaps
• Efforts should be carried out to preserve vanishing
indigenous knowledge by working together with the
community.
• Students may take up summer or winter classes
during vacations for gaining indigenous knowledge in
non-formal or informal mode of learning. It should be
made compulsory.
Language barrier
• It is necessary to integrate tribal language as a source
of communication. However, proper integration of
tribal languages into the syllabi of concerned States
is important.
• An immediate intervention by the interpreter may
resolve the language problem, if any, and the teacher
capable of understanding the tribal language can help
in dissemination of knowledge in an informal way.
30

Out-of-school children
• Using tribal culture as pedagogy to learn science may
be an effective way to stimulate their learning and stay
back in schools for long.
• Children may be taught in the field while they are
involved in performing indigenous practices of
community in nearby area.
Blending Indigenous Knowledge with Modern
Science
• Efforts may be made to strengthen informal and
non-formal education and their integration with
formal educational set-up for learning of science.
• It is suggested to include a course on blending of
traditional practices with modern science in teacher
education curriculum, to enhance students’ interest in
learning, and to take pride in their own culture. There
are researches that have shown that this strategy has
increased interest of students in science learning as
well as in linking indigenous practices with science
and mathematics (Lee et al., 2012).
LIMITATIONS
• Since it is related to livelihood, there may be some
constraints in sharing indigenous knowledge by the
tribal community people.
• Topology of the area including geographical limitations
such as weather, distance, lack of transportation and
communication facilities and isolation may restrict
the movement of the community.
• In the present scenario, under formal set-up of school
education, many tribal children are out-of-school
because they support their family economically by
helping them in livelihood practices. However, some of
them exhibit seasonal absenteeism because they need
to assist their family in certain agricultural practices
or other seasonal work.
31

• Language may be one among the barriers in learning

and due to learning gaps, tribal children opt for leaving
the school or stay absent continuously from schools.
• Sociocultural and socioeconomic issues arise due to
deeply-rooted traditions around food, lack of trust
and social beliefs around certain behaviours.
• Demotivated community people due to intoxication or
addiction may be a limitation.
CONCLUSION
Since the traditional indigenous practices of Scheduled

Tribes communities carry abundant possibilities of
interventions in learning of science in school education,
hence, it may not only provide an in-situ and experiential
learning to learners but also better understanding of related
science concepts. There is a need to strengthen informal
and non-formal education through these community
practices. Integration of informal and non-formal education
into formal education is the need of the hour for bridging all
kinds of gaps and addressing the implementation of science
curriculum in school education. Traditional indigenous
practices of tribal community and their local knowledge
has strong implications in learning science concepts. It is
relevant to design pedagogical practices that can provide
experiential learning with community. More researches
are needed to identify such practices and map them with
science concepts for regular teaching–learning process.
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40

ICAR-RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
2 OF WILD VEGETABLES AND MEDICINAL
PLANTS
Randhir Singh*
Abstract
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) coordinate,

guide, and manage research, education and extension in
agriculture including horticultural science, fisheries science, animal
sciences and natural resource management in the country. The
Council has a large network of institutes, universities and Krishi
Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to address issues related to research and
development. The Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR)
has been working on basic, applied and strategic research to
increase production, productivity and utilisation of vegetables for
livelihood of farmers and nutritional security. The Directorate of
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (ICAR-DMAPR) is working
on aromatic and medicinal plants. To move forward, we need to
document and conserve indigenous knowledge, use wild plants
in developing new varieties, develop Good Agricultural Practices
(GAPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). There is a need
to educate school children at primary level to create interest in
issues related to wild vegetables and medicinal plants.
INTRODUCTION
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was

established on 16 July 1929 as an autonomous organisation
under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education,
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of
*Assistant Director General (Agriculture Extension), Indian Council of Agricultural
Research, New Delhi
Randhir Singh.indd 41 17-Oct-24 12:27:49 PM

India. The Council is an apex body for coordinating,

guiding and managing research, education and extension
in agriculture including horticultural science, fisheries
science, animal sciences and natural resource management
in the country. With a network of 103 ICAR institutes, 11
Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes
(ATARIs), 63 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), 3
Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs) and 731 Krishi
Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) spread across the country, the
Council provides a unique agricultural system.
The Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) have a mandate
of Technology Assessment and Demonstration for its
Application and Capacity Development for farmer-centric
growth in agriculture and allied sectors through application
of appropriate technologies in specific agro-ecosystem
perspective. The major activities of KVKs include on-farm
testing to assess the location specificity of agricultural
technologies under various farming systems; frontline
demonstrations to establish production potential of
technologies on the farmers’ fields; capacity development of
farmers and extension personnel to update their knowledge
and skills on modern agricultural technologies; working as
Knowledge and Resource Centre of agricultural technologies
for supporting initiatives of public, private and voluntary
sectors in improving the agricultural economy of the district;
and providing farm advisories using ICT and other media
means on varied subjects of interest of farmers. In addition,
KVKs produce quality technological products (seeds, planting
materials, bio-agents, bio-products, livestock and fingerlings)
and make it available to farmers, organise frontline extension
activities, identify and document selected farm innovations
and converge with ongoing schemes and programmes within
the mandate of KVKs.
The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering Green
Revolution and modernisation of agriculture in India through
its research, education and extension activities including
wild vegetables and medicinal plants. A number of ICAR
institutes work in these areas, however, ICAR-Indian Institute
42
Randhir Singh.indd 42 23-Sep-24 10:20:09 AM

ICAR-Research and Development of Wild Vegetables and
Medicinal Plants
of Vegetables Research, Varanasi and ICAR-Directorate of

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, Anand, Gujarat
are specifically working in these areas (www.icar.gov.in).
ICAR MANDATE
• Plan, undertake, coordinate and promote research and

technology development for sustainable agriculture.
• Aid, impart and coordinate agricultural education to
enable quality human resource development.
• Frontline extension for technology application,
adoption, knowledge management and capacity
development for agri-based rural development.
• Policy, cooperation and consultancy in agricultural
research, education and extension.
ICAR-INDIAN INSTITUTE OF VEGETABLE
RESEARCH, VARANASI
India has a rich heritage of several indigenous horticultural

crops, widely distributed throughout the country.
Horticulture germplasm constitutes important natural
resources and can play a vital role in the sustainable
development of horticulture. A wide genetic base is essential
for the development of new genotypes capable of surviving
under heterogeneous environment with excellent plant
performance. The indigenous horticultural crops can be
instrumental to mitigate the issues of nutritional security, as
these germplasms are sources of unexplored phyto-nutrients
and have potential health benefit attributes. The indigenous
horticultural crops also have scope in many afforestation
programmes for plantation in degraded and problematic soil.
These crop species have tremendous potential for livelihood
improvement of smallholder and women farmers.
In order to increase production, productivity and
utilisation of vegetables for livelihood and nutritional security
of the country, ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research
has made concerted efforts in basic, applied and strategic
research for vegetables through mega-programmes.
43

Wild Vegetables as a source of genetic material in

crop improvement programme
Plant genetic resources are the basic materials that are
essential for development of improved crop varieties
designed to combine high yield potential with superior
quality, resistance to diseases and pests, and also
better adaptation to abiotic stress environments. Their
continued availability to plant breeders is necessary not
only for sustaining advances in crop productivity but
also for stabilising production. Horticultural germplasm
constitutes a broad spectrum of diverse genepools
representing assemblage of landraces, primitive cultivars,
varieties of traditional agriculture as well as wild and
weedy relatives of crop plants. In the last two decades,
much attention has been drawn to indigenous local
cultivars adapted in particular because of the useful
genetic variation they contain as an invaluable resource
for present and future plant breeding, and the rapid rate
at which they are disappearing due to abandonment,
replacement by high-yielding varieties and erosion of
their natural habitats. Adequate diversity is not yet been
represented in the existing collections at national, regional
and international levels.
Livelihood support to smallholder farmers
A large proportion of Indian population derive their
livelihood from many indigenous fruits, medicinal and
forest species. In many places where primitive farming is
practiced, the farmers especially tribal farmers and women
farmers continue the traditional norm of farming with the
local varieties using limited resources. Generally, these
farmers constitute the smallholder farmers and marginal
farmers who face immense vulnerability in context of
changing climate scenario, economic and policy reforms,
post-harvest logistics and market challenges. To overcome
such issues, Government of India have come up with
protection of plant germplasm and prioritising the locality
44

Medicinal Plants
dwellers as the sole owner of the germplasm through

provisions of geographical indications. Additionally, the
agri-export zones have also facilitated the export of popular
region-specific germplasm and enabled in creation of their
niche market at international platforms. With increasing
awareness on the immense potential of horticultural
germplasm especially in context of nutraceutical and
pharmaceutical significance, there exist ample scope for
livelihood enhancement of the farming communities who
are conserving such germplasm since time immemorial.
Furthermore, the underutilised fruit species such as
jamun, aonla and custard apple have the ability to grow
under degraded soil condition and hence offer ample scope
for adding income enhancement dimensions for small,
marginal farmers and women farmers through large-scale
plantation combined with community-based approaches,
contract farming, agro-industrial linkages, etc.
Future scope to revolutionise nutrition-
fortification
The indigenous horticultural species, native and primitive
horticultural crops can be designated as ‘beauty in
disguise’ as they have tremendous potential to strengthen
nutritional needs and can be a successful part of nutri-
farms, nutrition gardens in rural and peri-urban areas.
Ensuring food security of the enormously growing
population is pivotal, but assuring nutritional security
is critical. Such native horticultural plant species have
tremendous nutritional and health promoting attributes,
and have ample scope for utilisation on commercial scale
in near future.
Native Horticultural Plant Species Germplasm
Indigenous vegetable species: Global diversity in
vegetable crops is estimated at about 400 species, with
about 80 species of major and minor vegetables reported
to have originated in India.
45

Annual Indigenous Vegetables

Leafy • Alternanthera sessilis
vegetables • Amaranthus tricolor, A. dubius and A. tristis
• Beta vulgaris: Indian spinach
• Brassica juncea var. rugosa
• Chenopodium album: Bathua
• Corchorus olitorius: Nalta Jute or Pat Sag
• Enhydra fluctuans: Water cress
• Eryngium foetidum: Spiny coriander
• Fagopyrum esculentum (Buckwheat) and F.
tataricum (Green buckwheat, kaspat)
• Ipomoea aquatica: Water spinach
• Leucas aspera: White dead nettle
• Pouzolzia bennettiana: Creeper food plant
Hindi name: Bichchhoo family
• Spilanthes oleracea: Paracress
• Sauropus androgynus: Chekkurmanis
• Trigonella foenum-graecum: Fenugreek
Vegetables • Benincasa hispida: Ash gourd
(fruits • Cucumis melo var. agrestis: Kachri
used)
• C. melo var. momordica: Snap melon (locally
known as Kachra)
• Luffa cylindrica: Tender leafy twigs of
sponge gourd eaten as vegetable
• Momordica dioica: Spine gourd
• M. balsamina: Green fruits of balsam apple
are used as vegetable
• M. tuberosa: Tender green fruits of bitter
cucumber
46

Medicinal Plants
Indigenous Perennial Vegetables

Leafy • Bacopa monnieri: The whole plant of water
vegetables hyssop or Indian brahmi is cooked as a
leafy vegetable
• Bambusa spp.: Young/tender shoots of B.
bamboos
• Basella sp.: Basella (Indian spinach,
Malabar spinach
• Diplazium esculentum: Young fronds of
lungru are eaten
• Gmelina arborea: Young tender leaves of
Malay bush beech are used as vegetable
• Nymphaea spp.: Water lily whose stem,
young leaves, lower buds, flower stalks and
rhizomes are used as vegetables
• Paederia foetida: Leaves of sewervine
• Pisonia grandis (P. alba): Lettuce tree
• Polygonum sp.: Green and dried leaves of
knotweed
• Urtica sp.: Nettle
Vegetables • Coccinia grandis: Ivy gourd
(fruits • Moringa oleifera: Drumstick
used)
• Parkia roxburghii: Tree bean
• Piper mullesua: Pahari pipal
• Sesbania grandiflora: Agathi
• Solanum indicum: Bush tomato
Tropical indigenous fruit species: India has rich

germplasm of following indigenous/underutilised fruit
species:
• Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
• Bael (Aegle marmelos)
• Carambola (Averrhoa carambola)
• Elephant apple (Dillenia indica)
• Tamarind (Tamarindus Indica)
47

• Jamun (Syzygium cumini)

• Custard apple- Sitaphal (Annona squamosa), Ramphal
(Annona reticulata), Lakshman phal/Soursop (Annona
muricata), Hanuman phal (Annona cherimola)
• Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
• Rose apple (Syzygium jambos)
• Watery rose apple (Syzygium aqueum)
• Star gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus)
• Wood apple (Limonia acidissima)
• Karonda (Carissa carandas)
• Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi)
• Chironji (Buchanania lanzan)
• Hog plum (Spondias mangifera)
• Mahuwa (Madhuca longifolia)
• Kendu (Diospyros melanoxylon)
• Barhal/monkey jack (Artocarpus lacucha)
CONSERVATION STRATEGIES
The horticultural plant biodiversity is conserved and

maintained by several in situ and ex situ conservation
strategies. The constant change in agriculture approaches,
deforestation, urbanisation and industrialisation have
resulted in gradual erosion of plant genetic diversity from
their unique ecosystem especially due to abandonment,
inadequate maintenance and climate adversaries.
The traditional indigenous knowledge to maintain the
indigenous plant species has also decreased in the younger
generation influenced by urbanisation. This evokes a
concern for constant conservation strategies of such rich
heritage by several means.
In situ conservation is the most ideal way of preserving
the germplasm in its own natural ecosystem. It also refers
to on-farm conservation. In situ conservation has been
considered as the primary conservation strategy by the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and further, it
48

Medicinal Plants
has been clarified that ex situ measures should play a

supplementary role to achieve conservation targets.
Some of the extensively used ex situ conservation
approaches include field gene bank/clonal repository,
seed gene bank, in vitro gene bank, cryogenebank.
(Source: Annual Reports, ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi)
ROLE OF ICAR IN MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC

PLANTS RESEARCH
India is blessed with a rich heritage of 15,000–20,000

medicinal plant species of which 7,000–7,500 species are
being used in Indian System of Medicines. Globally, the
medicinal and aromatic plants contribute significantly in
drug innovations and healthcare of human and animals.
A small population (8%) rely on traditional plant-based
medicines in developing and least developed countries
and provide employment opportunities to rural people
particularly forest dwellers, landless and marginal
farmers. In India alone, 270 million people depend directly
or indirectly on Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFPs),
including Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs), for
their livelihoods. The growing demand for herbal-based
products help in strengthening rural economies and
improving livelihoods.
About 8,000 herbal remedies have been codified in AYUSH
systems in INDIA. Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Folk (tribal)
medicines are the major systems of indigenous medicines.
More than 3000 years old system of Ayurveda medicines
have widespread acceptance. Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani
systems of medicine have more than 90 per cent formulations
which are plant-based. In modern medicines, natural products
are used as medicines and 80 per cent modern medicines
are derived from plants. WHO (World Health Organisation)
estimated that 80 per cent of people worldwide rely on herbal
medicines for some aspect of their primary health care needs
and around 21,000 plant species have the potential for being
used as medicinal plants in the world.
49

India is emerging as a major player in the global trade

of plant-based medicines with estimated export of herbal
products from India worth US$ 539.87 million in the
Financial Year (FY) 2021.
The ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
Research (ICAR-DMAPR) with its outreach programme
of All India Coordinated Research Project on Medicinal
and Aromatic Plants and Betelvine (AICRP-MAP&B) is
marching towards the targeted goal of ‘Health for all’ to
address the ever-increasing world population by ensuring
quality raw drug production and supply through planning,
coordinating, implementing and monitoring of research
and development programmes. This is being achieved
through the development of new varieties, good agricultural
practices and quality assessment methodologies using
frontier cutting-age technologies.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DIRECTORATE
OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS RESEARCH
(DMAPR)
• Conservation of natural habitats and RET (rare,

threatened and endangered) species and their
sustainable utilisation for maintaining ecological
balance.
• Breeding for high yielding, pests and disease tolerant
superior varieties with improved quality profile using
conventional as well as biotechnological approaches
(marker assisted selection, DNA finger printing,
barcoding, sequencing, etc.).
• Standardisation of mass multiplication techniques for
the production of quality seed and planting material
using frontier technologies.
• Understanding of biosynthetic pathway for manipulating
secondary metabolites production.
• Standardisation of protocols for in vitro production of
secondary metabolites.
50

Medicinal Plants
• Basic and applied research for developing good

agricultural and collection practices (GACP) taking
into account the agro-climatic suitability.
• Area expansion in MAP through crop diversification
and cultivation on problematic, degraded and waste
lands for sustainable development and to minimise
the cost of production and risk factors.
• Standardisation of post-harvest technologies and
value addition to improve quality and minimise the
loss of bioactive compounds.
• Implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP),
organic cultivation, Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good
Laboratory Practices (GLP) and Good Manufacturing
Practices (GMP) guidelines for the certification.
• Mechanisation of cultivation and post-harvest
operations to improve quality, inputs efficiency and
energy use.
• Non-destructive analysis of quality using rapid FT-NIR
method.
• Development of management strategies against pest
and diseases under changing climatic conditions.
• Standardisation of state-of-art technologies for
extraction, characterisation and isolation of essential
bioactive compounds and innovative formulations.
• Fixing of permissible limits and development of
protocols for the assessment and monitoring of
contaminants and residues in raw drugs.
• Development of bioactive natural drugs for challenging
diseases like cholesterol, alzheimer’s, parkinson’s,
diabetes, cancers, HIV, etc.
• Application of smart technologies for nutrient and
drugs delivery to targeted sites.
• Development of forecasting systems for disease and
pest, and other information on area, production and
trade.
• Use of information and communication technologies
(ICT) for argo-ecological information and species
51

mapping, and technology dissemination to different

stakeholders (Source: ICAR-DMAPR Vision 2050).
Edible and medicinal plants can provide healthy
alternatives to highly processed foods and pharmaceuticals.
WAY FORWARD
• Traditional knowledge of wild foods is largely

transmitted through participation of individuals.
• Documentation and conservation of indigenous
knowledge involving local communities.
• Uses are based on observation and ethnomedicinal
knowledge.
• Scientific studies of all these herbal drugs are highly
desirable to establish their efficacy for safe use.
• Learn basic plant identification skills, proper collection
and preparation methods.
• Use wild plants in developing new varieties for
bio-fortification, biotic and abiotic stress.
• Promote cultivation in home gardens.
• Prioritisation of in situ conservation strategies over
ex situ approaches should be primarily targeted.
• Accelerate efforts to conserve species and habitats of
medicinal and aromatic plants, and development of
technologies from production to finished products for
sustainable supply of quality raw drugs. Integrated
conservation strategies are desired for successful
maintenance of the native genotypes. Community-
based conservation approaches should be strengthened
and supported.
• Develop Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMP), testing of heavy
metals and impurities.
• Framing of regulatory standards and traceability of
products from source to supply through supply chain
management, use of non-destructive techniques and
barcoding.
52

Medicinal Plants
• Isolation and extraction of pure bioactive molecules for

standard products and development of smart delivery
systems with enhanced bioavailability.
• Implementation of Good Agricultural and Collection
Practices (GACP) and certification of GACP.
• Location specific, species-wise protocol for production
and processing technologies and dissemination
involving government and non-government
organisations.
• Educate school children at primary level by establishing
crop cafeteria in schools.
• National level data repository of documentation and
validation of wild vegetables and medicinal plants.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://www.mdpi.com
https://www.nature.com
https://www.sciencedirect.com
https://www.frontiersin.org
https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com
Annual Report. 2020. ICAR-Directorate of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants Research, Anand
ICAR-IIVR Annual Report. ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable
Research, Varanasi. pp. 1–166.
53

UNDERUTILISED VEGETABLES IN
3 INDIA AND THEIR ROLE IN HUMAN
NUTRITION
Balraj Singh*
Abstract
The use of underutilised or minor vegetables has been gaining

attention in recent years due to their potential health benefits and
sustainability advantages. These vegetables, which are often
overlooked or undervalued, offer a diverse range of nutrients and
bioactive compounds that can contribute to a healthy diet and reduce
the risk of chronic diseases. Examples of underutilised vegetables
includes amaranth, spine gourd, little gourd, ivy gourd, ker, lasoda,
snap melon and various types of green leafy vegetables.
Studies have shown that these vegetables are rich in dietary
fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and can help improve
digestive health, lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
They are also often more resilient to pests and climate change
than traditional crops, making them an attractive option for
sustainable vegetable farming.
Despite their potential benefits, underutilised vegetables
face challenges in terms of production, marketing and consumer
acceptance. Lack of awareness, limited availability and
unfamiliarity with cooking methods are some of the barriers that
need to be addressed to promote their wider use and consumption.
In conclusion, underutilised or minor vegetables have a
significant role to play in promoting human health and sustainable
agriculture. More research and investment are needed to explore
their full potential and develop strategies to increase their
availability and utilisation in the food system.
*V
ice Chancellor, Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner, Jaipur (Rajasthan)
drbsingh2000@gmail.com
Balraj Singh- Underutilized vegetables in India and their role in human Nutrition.indd 54 17-Oct-24 12:25:30 PM
Underutilised Vegetables in India and Their Role in
Human Nutrition
INTRODUCTION
Cereal-based diets of the people in

developing countries are qualitatively
deficient in micronutrients, vitamins
and minerals due to low intake of
vegetables, fruits, legumes and foods
of animal origin. India is presently
producing more than 191.0 million
metric tonnes of vegetables annually
from an area of 10.31 million hectares.
Fig. 3.1: Ker Capparis
The area and production is mostly decidua (Tree)
covered by major vegetables but
some contribution is also made
by several underutilised/minor
vegetables which are being grown
in different regions and seasons
in India. Underutilised or minor
vegetables are becoming more
popular to address malnutrition,
poverty and economic prosperity.
These vegetables constitute
Fig. 3.2: Ker Capparis decidua
essential biological assets for (Fruit)
the farmers and can contribute
in improving the well-being of large tribal population in
different parts of India.
Underutilised vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals
and other health promoting factors including high-level
antioxidant activity. They can play a major role in the
diversification of the diet leading to more rich and balanced
source of micronutrients. Furthermore, underutilised
vegetables possess resistance to several biotic and abiotic
stresses, and can also provide nutrition to the poor masses
by meeting the nutrient requirements of vulnerable
groups too. A number of underutilised or minor vegetables
are natural and rich source of vitamins, minerals and
antioxidants. They have potential to contribute to poverty
elimination through employment opportunities and
income generation and also through improved efficiency
55
Balraj Singh- Underutilized vegetables in India and their role in human Nutrition.indd 55 23-Sep-24 10:20:24 AM
and profitability of farm household labour use in both

rural and urban environments.
With the use of underutilised vegetable crops, there is
a way to reduce the risk of over-reliance on very limited
number of major vegetable crops. They add nutrients
to the diet and are sometimes convenient food for low
income urban people in India. They are adapted to fragile
environments and can contribute to the stability of agro
ecosystems, particularly in the arid, semi-arid lands,
mountains, steppes and tropical forests. They provide a
broad spectrum of crops to improve productivity and global
food security and to meet new market demands. Several
neglected and underutilised vegetables are nutritionally
rich and are adapted to low-input agriculture. The erosion
of these species, whether wild, managed or cultivated,
can have immediate consequences on the food security
and well-being of the poor. Their enhanced use can bring
about better nutrition. For example, many underutilised
vegetables contain more vitamin C and vitamin A than
widely available commercial species and varieties. Focusing
attention on neglected and underutilised vegetables is an
effective way to help maintain a diverse and healthy diet and
to combat micronutrient deficiencies, the so-called ‘hidden
hunger’, and other dietary deficiencies particularly among
the rural poor and the more vulnerable social groups in
India and other developing countries. The growing demand
from consumers in developed and developing countries for
diversity and novelty in foods is creating new market niches
for neglected and underutilised vegetables. These market
opportunities can generate additional
income for poor farmers in less-favored
environments, where these crops
have comparative advantages over
major staple or commercial crops.
In addition, the ability of modern
technologies to transform crops and
other plants into diverse products
and to extend their shelf-life has also Fig. 3.3: Ivy gourd
created new opportunities to develop (Coccinia grandis)
56
Human Nutrition
new uses and thus to market these species and their

products. Climate change and the degradation of land
and water resources have led to a growing interest in
crops and species that are adapted to harsh environments
such as desert/drought, those with poor soil or degraded
vegetation. Cultural biodiversity and use of plants has
long been an intimate part of local cultures and traditions.
Many minor and underutilised vegetables can play a role
in keeping alive cultural diversity associated with food
habits, health practices, religious rituals, social exchange
and in improving the economic status.
MAJOR UNDERUTILISED VEGETABLE CROPS
GROWN IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF INDIA
1. Kachri (Cucumis callosus): It is a drought and high

temperature tolerant underutilised vegetable crop; it
belongs to cucurbitaceae family. Fruits are small, egg-
shaped, weighing 50–60g. Fruits are ready for picking
in 68–70 days after sowing of the crop. It is rich in
vitamin C (29.81 mg/100 gram), iron, zinc, manganese,
copper, fibre, carbohydrates (7.45%) and proteins
(0.28%). In the past, it was widely grown in kharif season
in Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and other states, but
now improved varieties have been developed by Central
Institute of Arid Horticulture (CIAH), Bikaner. Nowadays
this is being grown as a commercial crop in Bikaner,
Nagaur and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan. Some of
the improved varieties developed by CIAH, Bikaner are
AHK-119, AHK-200. The average yield of the Kachri
crop is 90–10 quintal/hectare with good management
of the crop. This crop gives very good economic returns
to the farmers as this has replaced Aamchoor in the
spice industry.
2. Snap melon (Cucumis melo var. momordica): It also
belongs to cucurbitaceae family; and in the past was
widely grown in kharif season alongwith the crop of
Bajra, Jawar, Maize, etc. Its immature fruits are used
as salad, vegetables and in other culinary preparations.
57
Its mature fruits are generally less sweet as compared

to muskmelon; hence it is much liked by the people who
are suffering from sugar related disorders. Nowadays,
this crop is commonly grown as rainfed crop in the
state of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and improved varieties
like AHK-10 and AHK-82 have been developed by CIAH,
Bikaner. Fruits of snap melon are rich in vitamin A,
minerals, carbohydrates, etc. Fruits are ready for
harvest in 67–70 days after sowing of the crop. Normally
each vine bears 4–5 fruits and the flesh in light pink
and the TSS in 4.5–5.0. The average weight of the fruit
is 700–800 gram and the average yield of the crop is
240–250 q/ha with good management.
3. Ker (Capparis decidua): This shrub belongs to
capparaceae family. It has many medicinal properties.
It is a perennial, densely branched, thorny shrub or tree
best adopted to arid conditions. Its immature fruits are
used for making pickle, whereas dried fruits are used
to prepare ‘Punchkuta’, a delicious vegetable. It is also
used as a carminative, tonic, aphrodisiac, alexipharmic;
it improves appetite and is good for rheumatism,
lumbago, cough, asthma, diabetes, hypertension and
various stomach problems. The fruits are astringent
and are useful in cardiac troubles. In the past this was
widely grown in western parts of Haryana, several parts
of Rajasthan and Gujarat, but presently this minor
vegetable shrub is surviving in districts like Jodhpur,
Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore, etc. It usually flowers two
times in a year and fruits in months of April-May and
Oct-November. Limited research work has been done
on this crop for development of varieties and efficient
propagation methods but looking into its medicinal
properties and demand has increased not only in
domestic markets but in export also.
4. Spine Gourd (Momordica dioica): Spine gourd
(Kartoli) is dioecious and perennial climbing cucurbit
plant, its spiny fruits are used as vegetable, which are
entirely free from bitterness. Fruits are small, dark
58
Human Nutrition
green, round or
oval shape with
spines. Spine gourd
fruits are good
source of protein
(3.1g/1mg), iron
(4.69g/100g) and
phytonutrients. Its
fruits, leaves and
roots are used to
cure diabetes. The
Fig. 3.4: Spine Gourd (Momordica dioica)
fruits of this widely
grown vine plant are mostly available in rainy season
to September month. Limited research work has been
done on this crop but now looking at its medicinal
properties and acceptance, demand in domestic
markets and export, research work for development
of varieties and production technology has began
by some research institutions. Through improved
production technology its period of cultivation can be
extended and prepounded. Similarly, its fruits can be
dried and packed during the major production period
by using high tunnels or walking in tunnels.
5. Wild Brinjal (Solanum torvum): It is a bushy, erect
and spiny perennial plant used horticulturally as a
rootstock for eggplant. It is called as ‘Khamka Shikam’
in Kokborok. The plant is usually 2–3 m in height and
2 cm in basal diameter but may reach to 5 m in height
and 8 cm in basal diameter. The shrub usually has a
single stem at ground level, but it may branch on the
lower stem. The immature fruits and flowers are used
for making the delicious local dish called ‘Gwdok’. The
plant is sedative and diuretic, and its leaves are used as
haemostatic. A decoction of this fruit is given for cough
ailments and is considered to be useful in cases of liver
and spleen enlargement (Kala, 2005). The fruits are rich
in iron, manganese, calcium, copper, and zinc. The high
iron content of the fruit proves the fact that the fruits
truly have hematinic property.
59
6. Sword Bean (Canavalia gladiata): It is usually called

as sword bean and is a plant species of the legume
family. It is called as ‘Baikang’ in Kokborok. The plant is
vigorous, deep-rooted and annual to perennial climbing.
The stems, which are often slightly woody, can grow up
to 10 metres long, scrambling over the ground or twining
into other plants for support. The young seedpods are
consumed raw or more commonly cooked and used as a
vegetable. The seeds contain more crude protein, crude
lipid and minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium,
magnesium, phosphorus, iron and manganese. Sword
bean has many ethnomedicinal properties and it is a
source of urease, a useful compound for urea blood
analysis in humans.
7. Drumstick (Moringa oleifera): It is a versatile crop
that can be grown as an annual or perennial vegetable.
It belongs to the family Moringaceae. In Tripura, every
part of drumstick is used as vegetable. However,
the tender pods are an excellent vegetable and most
preferred. Tender leaves and pods have a high amount
of protein, carbohydrates, vitamin A, vitamin C and
minerals. Besides it has many medicinal properties
also. The leaves of the Moringa oleifera have been
reported to demonstrate antioxidant activity due to its
high amount of polyphenols. Nowadays this is being
grown as a commercial crop for fresh produce as well
as the dried leaves looking to its demand in the market.
8. Tree Bean (Parkia roxburghii): It is one of the most
common multipurpose tree species of mimosaceae
family in the northeastern region of India, especially in
Manipur and Mizoram. Locally called ‘Wakre’ in Tripura,
‘Yongchak’ in Manipur and ‘Yontak’ in Assam. Tree bean
is a much-branched legume of medium height (10–12
m) with bipinnate leaves. The fruits in the early stages
are soft, tender and bright green in colour. They turn
blackish when fully mature in March-April. Pods are
formed in clusters of 10–15, each measuring 25–40 cm
in length and 2–4 cm in breadth (Kumar et al., 2012).
60
Human Nutrition
The tender and matured beans have high demand in

the market and are used in various dishes.
9. Water Spinach (Ipomea aquatica): It is a semi-aquatic,
fast growing tropical plant grown as a vegetable for
its tender shoots and leaves. It belongs to the family
Convolvulaceae. It is found throughout the tropical and
subtropical regions of the world. This plant is known as
water spinach, river spinach, water morning glory, water
convolvulus and it is known as ‘Twi ni lot’ in Kokborok.
It flourishes naturally in waterways and requires little
care. The greens are rich source of vitamins, minerals,
proteins, fibres, carotene and flavonoids with many
health benefits (Prasad et al., 2008). The leaves also
have energy value of 300.94 ± 5.31 kcal/100 g.
10. Geli-geli (Lasia spinosa L.): It is an evergreen,
herbaceous perennial plant of Araceae family growing 1–2
metres tall, spreading by means of a long, creeping and
stoloniferous stem. Small prominent spines are found in
the stem. In Tripura, it is known as ‘Pachok Kwlwi’ or
‘Gantha’. Young leaves and petioles are cooked and used
as a vegetable. The leaves and roots are used as a remedy
for piles. The plant possesses the major pharmacological
activities including anti-helminthic, anti-bacterial,
anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-
hyperlipidemic, anti-tumor and various other disease
preventive factors. Beans, after scraping the skin, are sliced
into pieces for making traditional dish like ‘Mosodeng’
(Chutney) preparation. The tree is also of immense use in
local medicines. A decoction of bark, fruit skin and leaf is
used to control diarrhea and dysentery.
Major Challenges for the Cultivation of Underutilised
Vegetable Crops
• Limited awareness among the farming community
about the nutritional and medicinal value of
underutilised vegetable crops.
• Lack of research, mainly in the area of conservation
of genetic resources, development of varieties and
production technology for these vegetables.
61
• Non availability seeds of developed varieties and good

planting material.
• Limited application of advance on-farm agro
techniques for their cultivation.
• Limited application of improved varieties such as
mechanisation, plasticulture for enhancement of
productivity and value addition.
• Inadequate marketing supports and infrastructure
facilities for transportation, storage and processing.
• Poor recognition of these crops in horticulture
promotion programmes in different states and at
national level.
Strategies for the Development of Underutilised
Vegetable Crops
Domestication of potential wild species through homestead
cultivation should be encouraged for avoiding over
exploitation from natural sources. Support is required
in terms of multiplication of planting materials and their
distribution besides providing market access through
marketing network for perishables. Underutilised vegetable
crops are nutritionally rich and adapted to low input
horticulture. More R&D efforts for these crops will add
substantially to food security and nutrition vis-à-vis human
welfare. Limited number of species need to be targeted
for detailed research and development in underutilised
vegetable crops by national programmes focusing on their
conservation and use. Research needs to be geared up for
both on species and crops important for subsistence farming
and those exhibiting potential to become commodity crops.
Underutilised vegetable crops are mainly grown under
traditional farming systems by diverse ethnic communities.
Increased focus to document indigenous knowledge
urgently is required such as through ethobotanical studies.
Such emphasis will help to tap value additions as much of
native diversity is put to multipurpose uses. Strategies need
to be worked out particularly at national and regional levels to
develop and make available promising varieties, overcoming
62
Human Nutrition
constraints of production of good seed material, planting

material, etc. This would certainly boost production, meeting
local needs, promoting domestic markets and thereby,
enhance income generation of small farming communities.
Some criteria needs to be developed for commercial exploitation
of underutilised vegetable crops. The criteria may be high
productivity, market demand, freedom from serious insects,
pests and diseases, easier postharvest management, high
nutritive value and availability of production. There is need
for development of good agricultural practices for different
underutilised vegetables and development of machines for
harvesting of leaves in case of moringa, drying of moringa
leaves and fruits in kachri, etc., for reduction in cost of
cultivation and production of good quality hygienic produce
for niche domestic market and export.
CONCLUSION
Underutilised vegetables embedded with rich nutrient

potentials along with the ability to stand adverse climatic
conditions may prove a boon to vegetable growers,
consumers and environmentalists, provided that they
are tamed properly and timely. The possible reasons
for the limited cultivation of underutilised vegetables,
in spite of their recognised importance are due to lack
of availability of varieties, planting material, lack of
awareness on nutritional and medicinal importance, and
lack of information on production technology of these
crops. In this context, there is an urgent need to take
up strong programmes on genetic resources exploration,
management, utilisation and improvement of underutilised
vegetable crops to ensure food and nutritional security for
future. Underutilised vegetables can also play an important
role in the national economy. The climate and soil of India
in different regions are favourable for the production of
different underutilised vegetables. Thus, the government
of India has been taking some steps towards highlighting
the underutilised vegetables. For this, extension agencies
can regularly organise special awareness workshops,
campaigns, exhibitions, etc., at state and national level
63
conveying the theme of unexploited vegetable crops.

Similarly, use of mass media like radio, TV, newspaper and
other printed literature can also play an important role in
creating awareness among the farmers and consumers.
For proper exploitation and better economic returns from
underutilised vegetable crops emphasis should be given
on developing processing units only in their production
areas, it would also provide employment opportunities to
the rural youths. Genetic erosion is very serious problem in
underutilised vegetables due to which many land races will
become extinct if these are not conserved soon by research
institutions like NBPGR or IIVR, etc. Some time efficient
production technology and postharvest management
practices are necessary to make the commercial cultivation
of non-traditional or underutilised vegetable crops for
their economic feasibility. The availability of underutilised
vegetable crops will go a long way in overcoming the protein,
vitamin and mineral malnutrition of the people living mainly
in rural and tribal areas of the country. At the very onset,
there is a necessity to make the farming community aware
about the nutritional importance of underutilised vegetables.
References
Kala, C.P. 2005. Ethnomedicinal botany of the Apatani in the
Eastern Himalayan region of India. Journal of Ethnobiology
and Ethnomedicine. Vol. 1. pp. 1–8.
Kumar, R., A. Tapwal and R. K. Borah. 2012. Identification and
controlling verticillium wilt infecting Parkia roxburghii seedlings
in Manipur India. Research Journal of Forestry. Vol.6. pp. 49–54.
Prasad, K. N., Shivamurthy G. R. and Aradhya S.M. 2008. Ipomoea
aquatica, An Underutilised Green Leafy Vegetable: A Review.
International Journal of Botany. Vol. 4, No. 1. pp. 123-129.
Topwal, Mukesh and Shruti Agarawal. 2022. Production Technology of
Minor Vegetable Crops. pp. 1–137. Scientific Publishers, New Delhi.
Website ICAR, CIAH, Bikaner.
Website ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi.
64
WILD FOODS CONSUMED BY THE
ADIVASIS AND OTHER FOREST
4 DWELLERS FROM KALASUBAI

HARISHCHANDRAGAD LANDSCAPE
OF NORTHERN SAHYADRI (WESTERN
GHATS) MAHARASHTRA
Vijay Sambare*, Sayaji Asawale** and Budhaji Wale**
“Eat, v.i. To perform successively and successfully

the function of mastication, humectant, and deglutition”
(Bierce, The Enlarged Devil’s Dictionary)
Abstract
Common wild vegetables and fruits utilised by various tribes of

northern sahyadri (western ghats) of Maharashtra were explored
and identified. Thirty one plant species were documented with their
local names, scientific names, parts used and their preparation
for their utility as food. The values of these wild edibles was
appreciated by the tribal communities for various ailments.
INTRODUCTION
Since time immemorial, useful plants have been utilised by

human societies for medicinal and food purposes. The tribal
communities including hunters, forest gatherers, pastoralists,
or shifting or settled agriculturists and so on, still continue to
have wild vegetables and plants in their daily use. Wild edible
plants have sustained human populations in all the inhabited
forest continents.
The Western Ghats means Sahyadri, a key biodiversity
hotspot in Maharashtra covers an area of 52,000 sq.km.
* Freelance Researcher and Conservation Practitioner
** Community Representatives
Vijay Sambare- Wild Food.indd 65 17-Oct-24 12:25:05 PM

Ahmednagar district is one of the ten districts of Western

Ghats region. This district covers an area of 17,035 sq. km
and lies between 73º9' to 75º5' E and 18º2' to 19º9' N.
The area of Akole tehsil in the district Ahmednagar that
runs parallel to the western coast is known as Sahyadris.
Forest is of moist deciduous type including some evergreen
patches. The Adivasi population in the tehsil is relatively
large. Major tribes residing in this area are Mahadev-koli,
Thakars, Katkari and other forest dwellers. They speak
dialects of the Marathi language. Their major occupation
is agriculture. Rice, bean and mountain millets are some
of the important crops they cultivate and utilise.
The forest resources play an important role in the
livelihood of these communities (Jadhav et al, 2015).
Significant work on the field of ethnobotany has been done
in past years in the study area. Although much has been
documented on the ethnomedicinal and floristic aspects of
plants in the district of Ahmednagar, however, there is not
even a single concrete report about the wild edible plant
resources of Akole tehsil. Keeping this in view, the present
documentation was conducted to explore and identify the
wild edible plant resources, and to record the indigenous
traditional knowledge of these tribal communities about
the utilisation of wild edible plants including vegetables
and fruits.
METHODOLOGY
The information was gathered by focused group discussion

and individual interviews with community people.
Information gathered was then validated by spending one
year with the community people as daily routine workers
by following community practices.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Utilisation and Preparation of Wild Plants

The plant parts including roots, tubers, leaves, flowers,
fruits and sometimes whole plant is used as food or food
66

Wild Food Consumed by the Adivasi and other
Forest Dwellers...
supplements. Herbs constitute highest preparation of the

edible species followed by trees, shrubs and climbers in
descending order. The time and frequency of harvesting the
product varies from plant to plant and species depending
upon the availability of edible plant or part which in turn
vary from place to place. The edible plant species can be
consumed in many ways. Method of preparation and uses
fall under different categories such as using them raw,
after boiling, after baking, etc. Table 4.1 shows the parts
of the plants used and preparations of some common wild
edibles used by tribals of western ghats.
Table 4.1: Wild Edibles Used by Tribes of
Northern Sahyadri
S. Botanical
Local name Parts used Preparations
No. name
1. Badada Arisaema Tuber Boiled tubers are
murrayi eaten also as raw.
2. Shid Bauhinia Flower, leaf Flowers and
racemosa leaves are cooked
Lam. as vegetables.
3. Kate-saver Bomax ceiba Flower Flowers, fruits and
L. roots are cooked as
vegetables.
4. Waghati Capparis Fruit Immature fruit
zeylanica L. is cooked as
vegetable.
5. Shindamakad Caralluma Shoots Shoots are cooked
adscendens as vegetables, also
eaten as raw.
6. Kurdu Celosia Leaf Leaves and twigs
argentea L. are cooked as
vegetable.
7. Kolu Chlorophytum Leaf, root Leaves are cooked
tuberosum as vegetable; also
roots eaten as raw.
67

8. Alu Colocasia Leaf, root Leaves are cooked

esculenta as vegetable, also
root eaten as raw.
9. Kadu-kand Dioscorea Tuber Boiled tuber is
bulbifera L. eaten, also fresh
eaten as raw.
10. Saal Kanda Adenia Leaves Leaves are cooked
hondala as vegetable
11. Kaate Math Amaranthus Shoot, Tender shoot and
spinosus leaves leaves are cooked.
Young leaves are
dried.
12. Maath Amaranthus Shoot, Young shoots and
viridis leaves leaves are cooked
as vegetable.
13. Karavand Carissa Leaves and Young leaves and
congesta fruits raw fruits are
cooked.
14. Bahava Cassia fistula Leaves and Tender leaves
flowers and flowers are
cooked.
15. Mor Ceropegia Tubers and Tubers are eaten
Kharapudi oculata leaves raw and leaves
are cooked.
16. Kharapudi Ceropegia Tubers and Tubers are eaten
bulbosa leaves raw and leaves
are cooked.
17. Bhokar Cordia Leaves and Tender leaves are
dichotoma fruits used as vegetable
and fruits are
eaten raw.
18. Ambhale Elaeagnus Fruits Ripe fruits are
conferta eaten raw.
19. Raan Keli Ensete Rhizome, Rhizomes are
superbum inflorescences boiled and eaten,
and fruits inflorescence
cooked as
vegetable.
68

Forest Dwellers...
20. Bhui Umbar Ficus hispida Leaves and Tender leaves

fruits and young unripe
fruits are cooked
and ripe fruits
are eaten raw.
21. Umbar Ficus Fruits Unripe green fruits
racemosa are cooked and
eaten. Matured
fruits also eaten.
Fruits are also
dried, floured and
consumed with
milk.
22. Tambat Flacourtia Fruits Ripe fruits are
indica eaten raw.
23. Kharamatya Grewia Fruits Mature fruits are
abutilifoilia eaten raw.
24. Kusar Jasminum Fruits Mature fruits are
malabaricum eaten raw and
cooked.
25. Ghaneri Lantana Fruits Ripe fruits are
camara eaten especially
by children.
26. Kavath Limonia Fruits Pulp or ripe
acidissma fruits are eaten
and used in
preparation of soft
drinks and jam.
27. Moh Madhuca Flowers and Fleshy corolla is
longifolia fruits eaten raw and
used in sweet
preparation.
Dried flowers
are floured and
used for making
Bhakari. Flowers
are fermented to
make liquor. Oil
is extracted from
seeds.
69

28. Aliv Meyna Fruits Tender fruits

laxiflora are cooked and
mature fruits are
eaten raw.
29. Karatule Momordica Root and Tuberous roots
dioica fruit and young green
fruits are cooked
as vegetable.
30. Khaaj kuyari Mucuna Leaves and Leaves and seeds
pruriens seeds are cooked.
31. Ambushi Oxalis Leaves Leaves are eaten
corniculata raw as salad
or cooked as
vegetable.
32. Awala Phyllanthus Fruits Mature fruits are
emblica eaten raw and
dried.
33. Rayawal Mangifera Fruits Raw and riped
Amba indica fruits are eaten.
34. Shindi Phoenix Fruits Mature fruits are
sylvestris eaten raw. Sap
is drunk as soft
drink (Neera).
35. Dhol Amba Physalis Leaves and Leaves are cooked
minima fruits as vegetable and
ripe fruits are
eaten raw.
36. Gholu Portulaca Shoot Entire shoot is
oleracea cooked. Young
shoots are
consumed as
salad.
37. Rukhalu Remusatia Tubers and Tubers are boiled
vivipara leaves and leaves are
cooked.
70

Forest Dwellers...
38. Bharangi Rotheca Leaves and Tender leaves and

serrata flowers flowers are cooked.
Before cooking
they are boiled
for a long time to
remove bitterness.
39. Takala Senna tora Leaves and Tender leaves are
seeds cooked. Seeds are
used in curry and
roasted for use as
a substitute for
coffee.
40. Kawala Smithia Leaves Tender leaves are
hirsuta cooked.
41. Dorali Solanum Leaves and Leaves are cooked
anguivi fruits and half ripe fruits
are employed in
preparation of
curries and
chutney.
42. Kahandal, Sterculia Tender Tender roots
Ghuri urens roots, gum seeds are roasted
and seeds and Gum is also
used.
43. Jambhul Syzygium Fruits Mature fruits are
cumini eaten.
44. Dhayati Woodfordia Flowers Flowers are
fruticosa sucked for
nectar to make
cold drinks and
are cooked as
vegetable.
45. Toran Ziziphus Fruits Ripe fruits are
rugosa eaten raw.
71

CONCLUSION
The wild edibles are consumed by the tribals in the varied

forms either as cooked vegetables or raw plant parts (Datar
and Upadhye, 2016; Ramnath, 2004). They are also used
by them to cure various ailments. However, researches are
required to find out bioactive compounds present in these
wild edibles and their nutritional as well as medicinal
importance in context of the tribal knowledge at large scale.
Also, their nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and antioxidant
values need to be determined using modern methods.
References
Datar, M.N. and A. S. Upadhye. 2016. Forest
Foods of Northern Region of Western Ghats.
MACS-Agharkar Research Institute, Pune. pp. 1–160.
ISBN: 978-93-85735-10-3.
Jadhav, R., M.N. Datar and A.S. Upadhye. 2015. Forest Foods of
Northern Western Ghats: Mode of Consumption, Nutrition
and Availability. Asian Agri-History. Vol. 19, No. 4.
pp. 293–316.
Ramnath, Madhu. 2004. Crossing Boundaries: Adivasi Women
and Forest Produce—A Story from Central Bastar,
Chhattisgarh, India.
72

5 IMPORTANCE AND HEALTH BENEFITS
OF WILD VEGETABLES
Pranita Kadu* and Prabhat Kumar**
Abstract
Wild edible plants are non-domesticated species that grow

naturally on farms. Different tribes and rural populations
have long used these species as vegetables. As humans
began to focus more on domesticating a few species, the
popularity of wild species gradually declined. As a result,
valuable natural resources are underutilised. This chapter
discusses the significance of wild edible plants found in
Vidarbha (the eastern region of Maharashtra) in the context of
food insecurity and malnutrition. All of the plants discussed
here are found in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, in rural and forest
areas. The following families contain the majority of the wild
vegetables species: Araceae, Amaranthaceae, Basellaceae,
Caesalpiniapae, Commelinaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Poaceae,
Portulacaceae and Oxalidaceae.
Keywords: Wild Edible Species, Food Insecurity, Malnutrition
INTRODUCTION
Vidarbha (Maharashtra’s eastern region) has a great

biodiversity of plants. It has many plant species that
have been used by indigenous tribes for centuries
* Home scientist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ghatkhed, Amravati

** Junior Project Fellow, DESM, NCERT, New Delhi
Pranita Kadu.indd 73 17-Oct-24 12:27:17 PM

due to various health benefits. Several studies have

indicated that wild edible plants are a potential source
of nourishment and that they are usually more nutrient-
dense than commonly consumed crops (Grivetti and
Ogle, 2000; Ittyerah, 2013). However, certain wild
vegetable species are unknown to us due to a lack of
knowledge. Most rural communities depend on the
resources which are available in nature, including wild
edible plants to meet their food needs in periods of food
crises, in addition to added food supplements (Rashid,
2008). Green vegetables are out of reach for many rural
families due to their high cost. As a result, the number
of people suffering from anemia and osteoporosis is
rising in rural India. This issue can be resolved by
incorporating wild varieties of vegetables with high
nutritional value (calcium, iron and proteins) into our
diet. These vegetables grow naturally on farm borders
and on the hills of tribal areas during the rainy season.
These wild vegetables were once very popular and
consumed as delicious dishes. Even today, the older
generation feels nostalgic when discussing dishes from
their youth. Aside from that, some of these are used in
religious ceremonies as part of specific rituals.
WILD VEGETABLES WITH HIGH NUTRITIONAL
CONTENTS
The term ‘wild vegetables’ describes plant species that

have not been domesticated, and are present in their
natural habitat and are used as vegetables by the local
population (Beluhan and Ranogajec, 2011). Numerous
researches on these plants demonstrate that they
produce vegetables with more nutritional content than
those that are frequently grown. Aghada (Achyranthes
aspera L.), Kena, Tarota (Colocasia esculenta), and
Matalu are vegetables with rich calcium, iron, mineral
and vitamin contents. The nicest thing about these wild
vegetables is that no chemical pesticides or fertilisers
are utilised, so they are free of contamination.
74
Pranita Kadu.indd 74 23-Sep-24 11:28:34 AM

Importance and Health Benefits of Wild Vegetables
SIGNIFICANCE OF WILD EDIBLE VEGETABLES
Wild species and intra-species biodiversity are important

component of global food security. Following are some key
features of wild edible vegetables:
• High nutritional value
• Better adaptability to all kind of ecosystem
• Sustainable food
• Free from chemical contamination as they grow
naturally.
High
nutritional
value
Better Wild Sustainable

adaptability edible plants food
Folk
medicine
Fig. 5.1: Illustration showing importance of wild edible plants
Underutilisation of Wild Heritage

Vegetables like tarota or takli (Cassia tora), mayalu (Basella
alba), flax (Linum usitatissimum), tandulja (Amaranthus
spinosus), ghol (Portulaca oleracea), chivali (Portulaca
quadrifida) and pata (Cyclea peltata) contain high
quantities of calcium. They can be used as an alternative
to milk in low-income families. Besides these, the leaves
of Vavading (Embelia ribes), Pol (Cocos nucifera) and
Gulbakshi (Mirabilis jalapa) also contain a high amount
of calcium, iron and vitamin A. Unfortunately, these
resources are underutilised. Following are some reasons
for underutilisation of these wild edible plants:
1. Lack of Information: Since indigenous wild
vegetables’ traditional knowledge is passed down
75

orally from one generation to the next, there aren’t

many written sources regarding them. Because of
this, these wild plants with high levels of micro and
macronutrients are unknown to the urban population.
2. Inferior Status: Generally, these vegetables are
consumed by local natives and tribes due to their
large availability and low cost. People in the urban
region associate these vegetables with low status.
3. Large Scale Utilisation of Cultivated Crops: Plants
that once provided significant flavour and textural
enjoyment, and supplied vital nutrients to the diet fell
in popularity as people began to place more emphasis
on domesticated cultivators and less emphasis on
wild species.
4. Lifestyle Change: Diets notably changed in two ways
when humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers to
civilised, technologically advanced and economically
secure beings. First, there is a greater reliance on
fewer staple cultivated plant foods, and second, the
number of wild edible plants that once maintained
health and nutrition, reduced and eventually got
eliminated (Grivetti, 1978, 1981).
Fig. 5.2: Colocasia esculenta Fig. 5.3: Rumex vesicarius
76
Pranita Kadu.indd 76 17-Oct-24 10:04:58 AM

Table 5.1: List of wild edible plants used by native and

different tribes of Vidarbha region
S. Local Botanical Family Habit Growing Edible
No. name name season part
1. Aghada Achyranthes Amaranthaceae Shrub September Seeds
aspera to April and
leaves
2. Kena Commenlina Commelinaceae Herb July to Leaves
benghalensis November
3. Tarota Cassia tora Caesalpiniaceae Shrub July to Leaves
November
4. Chandan Atriplex Amaranthaceae Plant July to Leaves
batwa hortensis November
5. Kartoli, Momordica Cucurbitaceae Climber July to Fruits
Rankarli dioica November
6. Tandulja/ Amaranthus Amaranthaceae Shrub July to Leaves
Kardu blitum November
7. Ghol Portulaca Portulacaceae Shrub July to Leaves
oleracea November
8. Chivali Portulaca Portulacaceae Shrub July to Leaves
quadrifida November
9. Bamboo/ Bambusa Poaceae Plant July to Stem
Kelta/ arundinacea November
Basonbda
10. Vavading/ Basella alba Basellaceae Climber July to Leaves
Mayalu November
11. Pathari Launea Asteraceae Shrub July to Leaves
procumbens November
12. Gulbakshi Mirabilis Nyctaginaceae Plant August Leaves
jalapa L.
13. Chamkura/ Colocasia Araceae Plant All Leaves
Pothi/Alu esculenta seasons
14. Kadvchi Cymbalaria Cucurbitaceae Shrub July to Fruits
November
15. Aambushi/ Oxallis Oxalidaceae Shrub July to Leaves
Bhuisarpati corniculata November
77
Pranita Kadu.indd 77 17-Oct-24 10:04:58 AM

Fig. 5.4: Cymbalaria Fig. 5.5: Portulaca oleracea
Fig. 5.6: Launea procumbens Fig. 5.7: Commenlina

benghalensis
CONCLUSION
Wild edible plants have been a staple of human diets since

the dawn of time. Despite the fact that the popularity
of these wild species has declined, many macro- and
micronutrient-dense wild species deserve more attention,
but due to the lack of an adequate nutrient database
and limited educational efforts, urban dwellers are not
taking advantage of these resources. It is extremely
disappointing that our policymakers regard these wild
species as ‘agricultural weeds’. It would be tragic if this
resulted in the loss of the ability to identify and consume
these vital available resources. We should encourage the
inclusion of wild edible plants in our regular diets so that
there indigenous knowledge can be passed down to the
future generations.
78

References
Beluhan, S. and A. Ranjogajec. 2011. Chemical Composition
and non-volatile Components of Croatian Wild
Edible Mushrooms. Food Chemistry. Vol. 124, No. 3.
pp. 1076–1082.
Ittyerah, A. C. 2013. Food Security in India: Issues and
Suggestions for Effectiveness. Indian Institute of Public
Administration, New Delhi.
Grivetti, L. E. 1978. Nutritional success in a semi-arid land:
examination of Tswana agro-pastoralists of the eastern
Kalahari, Botswana. The Americal Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. Vol. 31, No. 7. pp. 1204–1220.
Grivetti, L. E. 1981. Geographical location, climate and
weather, and magic: Aspects of agricultural success in the
Eastern Kalahari, Botswana. Social Science Information.
Vol. 20, No. 3. pp. 509–536.
Grivetti, L. E. and B.M. Ogle. 2000. Value of Traditional Foods
in Meeting Macro and Micronutrient Needs. The Wild Plant
Connection. Nutrition Research Reviews. Vol. 13. pp. 31–46.
https://doi.org/10.1079/095442200108728990
Rashid, A., V. K. Anand and Jawaid Serwar. 2008. Less Known
Wild Edible Plants Used by the Gujjar Tribe of District
Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir State, India. International
Journal of Botany. Vol. 4, No. 2. pp. 219–224.
79

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF
6 ETHNOMEDICINE AMONG THE

BAIGA TRIBES OF MAIKAL HILLS OF
CENTRAL INDIA
Vikas Kumar Chandel* and Ramesh B**
Abstract
Present study explores the unique indigenous knowledge

system of the Baiga tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal
group in central India. Focusing on their traditional healing
practices, the paper delves into the Baiga community’s
use of ethnomedicine, showcasing their profound
understanding of medicinal plants and their sustainable
lifestyle. Through qualitative research method, including in-
depth interviews with Baiga traditional healers, the study
presents a comprehensive list of medicinal plants used by
the community. The Baiga’s holistic approach to healing
involves not only the practical application of herbal remedies
but also a deep spiritual connection with nature and deities.
The article emphasizes the Baiga tribe’s role as custodians
of their environment, contributing to the conservation of
medicinal plants and fostering a sustainable coexistence
with forests and wildlife. Despite the challenges of
modernisation, the Baiga community remains steadfast in
preserving its indigenous knowledge, passing it on orally to
future generations. The research underscores the need for
further exploration of these practices and their implications
for healthcare and conservation efforts.
*R esearch Scholar, Department of Social Work, Indira Gandhi National Tribal

University, Amarkantak, M.P. E-mail: igntu.vc@gmail.com
** A
ssistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Indira Gandhi National
Tribal University, Amarkantak, M.P. E-mail: bramesh@igntu.ac.in
Vikas Kumar Chandel - Traditional knowledge of Ethno medicine.indd 80 17-Oct-24 12:26:46 PM

Traditional Knowledge of Ethnomedicine Among
the Baiga Tribes...
INTRODUCTION
The Baiga tribe is considered the particularly vulnerable

tribal group of central India. The indigenous Baiga tribal
community is known for its unique ethnic culture and
customary lows. The Baiga tribe lives on the banks
of the Narmada River between the Maikal and the
Satpura mountain ranges (Singh and Deewan, 2018).
Their traditions, lifestyle, folk art, religion, rituals and
activism, and awareness of nature conservation make
them unique. The Baiga tribe has been explored and
studied by various researchers, like George Grierson,
Captain Thomson, Colonel Bloomfield, Grierson, R.V.
Russell, Hiralal, Verrier Alvin, Dilip Singh, Amit Soni, as
reported by Chaurasia (2009). It is said that the word
Baiga is derived from the Sanskrit word Vaidya. Each
tribal community has unique skills and identity. Baiga
communities contribute as traditional healers to other
tribal communities. The Baiga community has an amazing
ability to identify medicines, test their properties and use
their spiritual power. The Baiga community follows the
methods of conservation of forest and vegetation in their
daily life and culture. In the folk culture of the Baiga tribe,
nature is worshiped in various forms in folk festivals, and
it is also worshiped through folk dance and folk songs.
Worshiping nature through Baiga folk song, Reena sings:
Tore Hare Nana Ho Tore Hare Nana, Bhala Tore Nana Ho
Tore Hare Nana
Tohiki Sumiro Hey Mai Dharti Aaj, Tohiki Lagi Bhar
Tohiki Sumiron Re Baba Dongar Dauhar, Tohiki Lage Bhar
Tohiki Sumaro Re Vanaspatti, Tohiki Lage Bhar
Tohiki Lage Re Hansa Udaan, Tohiki Lage Re Bhar.
This song is dedicated to mother nature. The Baiga
community sings this song for worship, saying, “Oh,
our mother earth, today all are worshiping you. We are
immersed in your faith. Oh, our father mountain, today all
are honoring you. We are immersed in your faith. Oh, our
81
Vikas Kumar Chandel - Traditional knowledge of Ethno medicine.indd 81 23-Sep-24 11:39:09 AM

well-wisher nature, today all are worshiping you. We are

immersed in your faith. Oh, our pure body, today all are
worshiping you. We are immersed in your faith.”
According to Chaurasia (2009), there are seven
branches of the Baiga community, of which Bhumia is
one. The word Bhumia means the owner of the land. It is
believed by this tribal group that Bhumia were the first to
appear on this earth, hence they are known as the owner
of the land. The nature worshiper, Baiga considers himself
the son of nature (Prakriti-Putra). The Baiga tribe presents
a strong example for leading a sustainable and responsible
life with forests and wildlife.
The Baiga: A Traditional Healer
The Baiga tribe reside in the dense forest or foothills
area, far away from the city and modern healthcare
facilities. The Baiga community leads a healthy life
by adopting herbal medicine. The Baiga community
remained utterly safe even during the COVID-19
pandemic. A significant reason for this is their natural
lifestyle and naturopathy system. The Baiga traditional
healers are the medicine man for other tribes. The
traditional healers used to give herbal medicine for
any disease based on their traditional knowledge of the
medicinal practice (Dwivedi et al., 2019). They used
to practice herbal medicine and find a suitable way of
use with the conservation of plants (Bhagabati et al.,
2019). In the religious literature Srimad Bhagwat Geeta,
Lord Sri Krishna said that Aham kraturahm yagyah
swadhahamhamaushdam, it means “I am the medicine
and I am Ashwath (Pipal) in the trees.” Our great culture
and religion also mentioned medicinal importance of
plants and trees. Very early, the Baiga tribes understood
the importance of medicinal plants and adopted them in
their life. Baiga men mainly practice the healing system
while women of the community does not, even though
they have enough knowledge about the medicinal plants
and their uses. They can identify plants, trees, insects,
82

the Baiga Tribes...
and other forest animal behaviours. This expertise in

identification makes Baiga tribe more special than other
tribes. Different tribes address Baiga men and women
as Mitan and Mitanin (family friends) respectively.
METHODOLOGY
The present chapter elaborated on traditionally usable

ethnomedicine by the Baiga traditional healers. The
research adopted a qualitative approach for this
chapter. In-depth interview was conducted with two
famous Baiga traditional healers of Amarkantak. Prior
informed consent was taken before the interview and
photographs, and permission obtained to publish their
traditional knowledge. The perception of people, such
as doctors, teachers, scientists, forest officers and those
working with Baiga healers and ethnomedicine was also
received from different backgrounds of tribal and non-
tribal communities. Thorough literature survey was
made to study and understand the subject in other
dimensions.
RESULT
A total of 22 species of 19 families of the plant kingdom have

been studied in this chapter which are used by the Baiga
traditional healers of Maikal hills. The Baiga and other
forest-dwelling tribal habitats are far from the modern
healthcare facility. Only the ethnomedicines have saved
the life of the local people. The Baiga traditional healers
have been practicing this since ages. They used to cure
normal fever to severe diseases, such as viral fever, cough,
ulcer, diarrhea, stomach bug, tonsils, headache, digestion
issues, gonorrhea, jaundice, diabetes, constipation,
skin disease, itching arthritis, leprosy, a blood disorder,
mania disease, stone, menstrual disorder, hemorrhage,
heart disease, cancer and so on. Apart from this, Baiga
healers treat many more diseases using ethnomedicines.
83

Table 6.1: List of Medicinal Plants Used by

the Baiga Traditional Healers
Sr. Scientific Family Local Uses
No. name name
1. Melia Meliaceae Bakayan 1. Leaf is useful for
azedarach cough, leprosy,
L. blood disorder,
vomiting,
diarrhoea,
hallucinations,
breathing
problems,
stomach bugs of
animals, etc.
2. Seed powder is
useful for piles.
2. Aegle Rutaceae Bael / Bel 1. Leaf paste can
marmelos L. cure severe
headache.
2. It is useful for
night blindness,
deafness,
respiratory
diseases and
stomachache.
3. It is useful for
tuberculosis.
3. Phyllanthus Phyllanthaceae Bhui-Awala 1. It is useful
niruri for diabetes,
stomachache,
mastitis and
gonorrhea.
2. It is effective for
hair disease.
4. Bacopa Plantaginaceae Bramhi 1. It is useful for
monnieri memory power,
sleep deprivation
and mania
disease.
84

the Baiga Tribes...
2. It is useful
for hair, voice
problems, rash,
and for blood
pressure.
5. Oxalis Oxalidaceae Changeri, 1. Its leaf is useful
corniculata Tinpatiya for headache,
gum pain and
halitosis.
2. 2–5 grams of
leaf juice twice
a day can cure
diarrhoea.
3. Decoction of the
leaf is effective
for fever.
6. Datura Solanaceae Dhatura 1. Its 2–3 seeds
stramonium can cure
headache.
2. It is beneficial
for removing
head lice.
3. Its seed is useful
for mania.
4. Leaf juice give
relaxation in
eye-related
problems.
7. Cynodon Poaceae Doob 1. Paste of doob
dactylon and lime can
cure headache.
2. Its juice is useful
for nosebleed.
3. It is useful for
leucorrhoea
disease.
4. Its paste with
sugar candy
should be used
twice a day for
treatment of
stones.
85

8. Swertia Gentianaceae Chirchita 1. Leaf juice

chirayita is useful for
Buch. toothache.
2. Powder of root
is useful for
eye disease, ear
problems, cough
and breathing
disease.
3. Root juice is
effective for relief
from menstrual
pain and over
bleeding.
9. Terminalia Combretaceae Arjun 1. Very effective
arjuna for heart disease
and abnormal
breathing.
2. Leaf juice is
useful for ear
pain and mouth
disease.
3. It is useful for
gonorrhea and
hemorrhage.
10. Vachellia Fabaceae Babul 1. 1–2 drops of leaf
nilotica juice give relief
in eye disease
and throat
disease.
2. Flower powder
with sugar
candy can cure
jaundice.
3. It is useful
for regular
and smooth
menstruation,
white discharge,
and nightfall.
86

the Baiga Tribes...
11. Ficus Moraceae Bargad, 1. Its leaf juice can

benghalensis Bar be used for skin
L. disease, hair
disease and piles.
2. Its milk is
useful for
ear disease,
toothache,
eye pain and
blurriness.
3. Its new root
is useful for
diabetes.
12. Terminalia Combretaceae Baheda 1. Powder is useful
bellirica for eye pain, eye
(Gaertn.) power, fever,
Roxb. heart disease
and cough.
2. Baheda and
Harra powder
is useful for
breathing
and digestion
problems.
3. It is one of the
component of
Trifala powder
which is
useful in many
diseases.
13. Calotropis Apocynaceae Aak, Oak, 1. It is useful for
gigantea Akwan face spot, scalp
itching and ear
disease.
2. Root powder
is useful for
eye disease
but its milk is
dangerous for
eyes.
3. It is useful for
epilepsy.
87

14. Anacyclus Asteraceae Akarkara 1. Root paste

pyrethrum is useful for
headache and
throat cleaning.
2. Its powder is
useful for heart
disease.
3. Its flower is
useful for
toothache.
15. Cassia Fabaceae Amaltas 1. It is useful for
fistula L. cough, tonsils,
breathing
and gastric
problems.
2. Leaf paste
is useful for
leprosy.
16. Phyllanthus Phyllanthaceae Amla, 1. It is useful for
emblica L. Awla, Amra eyes related
problems.
2. It is useful for
hair and nose
bleeding.
3. It is one
component of
Trifla powder
which is useful
for digestion
and many other
diseases.
17. Psidium Myrtaceae Amrud, 1. It leaf is effective
guajava L. Bihi for toothache,
mouth ulcer and
cough.
2. It is useful for
heart disease,
constipation and
arthritis.
88

the Baiga Tribes...
18. Cissus Vitaceae Hadjod 1. The green stem

quadrangu- juice is used for
laris L. bone and joint
wellness.
2. It is useful for
digestion, ulcer,
in cramps, gout
and piles.
19. Curcuma Zingiberaceae Van Haldi 1. This is useful
aromatica for joint
pain, blood
purification,
swelling,
itching, etc.
20. Dryopteris Dryopteridaceae Jatashankari 1. Root paste
sp. is useful for
hair fall and
baldness.
2. It is useful for
cough, heart
disease, eye
disease and
headache.
21. Semecarpus Anacardiaceae Bhelma 1. People of
anacardium some tribal
L.f. communities’
burn it around
the house after
having a child
so that any
kind of germs
do not reach
the woman and
infant.
2. Fruit is useful
for skin disease.
89

22. Terminalia Combretaceae Haritaki 1. Fruits are used

chebula in asthma, gall
Retz. stone, UTI and
mouth ulcer.
2. Root paste
is useful for
conjunctivitis.
3. Tribal women
eat fruit paste
for abortion and
also use it for
chronic ulcers.
23. Hedychium Zingiberaceae Gulbakawali 1. The effective
coronarium eye drop is
made with its
flowers.
2. Root paste is
useful for severe
headache.
DISCUSSION
The traditional healers of the Baiga community used to

worship nature and their deities on several occasion.
Before plucking a leaf, flower, fruit, root or bark, they
would seek permission from the plant. And the same is
followed during the treatment of any patient; they would
request the diety of herbal medicine, i.e., Van Dev, Van
Devi, Dharti Mai, Narmada Mai, Dongar Dev, Thakur Dev,
Budhi Mai and so on. The traditional healers of the Baiga
community are of two types: those who use only herbal
medicinal plants for treatment called Vaidya and those
who heal through exorcism (Jhad-Phook with Mantras)
and also using herbal medicine called Dewar/Guniya
Vaidya. The Baiga herbal practitioners have the ability
to sense and identify usable and non-usable plants.
They can also make a combo of different medicines with
similarities, which creates an effective combination to
cure a particular disease. Some plants used for curing
90

the Baiga Tribes...
various diseases and disorders by Baiga community

healers are given in the Table 6.1.
CONCLUSION
The Baiga tribal community is far from modernisation

and strongly believes in its indigenous knowledge
system. The road, transport and healthcare facilities
reached many villages, but still many villages are left of
such facilities, and villagers residing in these interior
villages are regularly using traditional healing systems.
On the other hand, roadside villagers having these
facilities get benefit of modern healthcare facilities
along with ethnomedicines. The Baiga traditional
healers don’t have any written document of knowledge.
They orally transfer the knowledge from generation
to generation (Kosalge and Fursule, 2009). The Baiga
Vaidya transfer the knowledge to the suitable person
only to whom they identify, either own child or other
member of the community. They are very much
concerned about the conservation of medicinal plants
and nature. Many studies have been carried out in
this regard, but many things still need to be explored
further (Uniyal et al. 2006; Ahirwar, 2010; Pandey,
2021; Kareti et al., 2022; Narayan and Singh, 2017;
Wagh and Jain, 2020).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank traditional healer Sri Thunu Markam (Thunu

Baiga, 85 years) from Kapila Sangam and Bhaina
Baiga (66 years) from Jamunadadar of Amarkantak,
who provided all the information regarding the Baiga
healing system. We are also thankful to the villagers
of Amarkantak, officers from the forest department,
Amarkantak range, Bhagwati Krishnamani, Anushka
Atram and Sapna Dwivedi who helped in collecting data
and for providing guidance during the research work.
91

References
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Tribals of Anuppur District, Central India. Indian Journal
of Applied and Pure Biology. Vol. 25, No. 2. pp. 227–230.
Bhagabati, K., V.K. Chandel and A. Yadav. 2019. Marginalisation
of the Elderly Amidst Changing Social Dynamics: A Case of
Baiga Tribe. Research and Development Journal. Vol. 25,
No. 1.
Chaurasia, V. 2009. Prakrati Putra Baiga. Madhya Pradesh
Hindi Granth Academy, Bhopal.
Dwivedi, T., Chandra Kanta, L. R. Singh and I.P. Sharma. 2019. A
list of some important medicinal plants with their medicinal
uses from Himalayan State Uttarakhand, India. Journal of
Medicinal Plants Studies. Vol. 7, No. 2. pp. 106–116.
Kareti, S.R., R. Hari Haran and V. S. Rajpoot. 2022. Diversity
of Ethnomedicinal Plants among Tribal Communities
in Anuppur District, Madhya Pradesh, Central India.
Journal of Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants. doi:
10.1080/10496475.2022.2084481
Kosalge, S.B. and R.A. Fursule. 2009. Investigation of
Ethnomedicinal Claims of Some Plants Used by Tribals of
Satpuda Hills in India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
Vol. 121, No. 3. pp. 456–461. doi:10.1016/j.
jep.2008.11.017
Narayan, D. and P.K. Singh. 2017. Ethnobotanical Importance
and Herbal Medicine in Vindhya Region of Eastern Uttar
Pradesh, India. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research.
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Pandey, A.K. 2021. An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal
Plants in Atal Nagar (New Raipur) of Chhattisgarh, India.
International Research Journal of Plant Science. Vol. 12,
No. 1. pp. 01–18. doi: 10.14303/ irjps.2021.003
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Uniyal, S.K., K.N. Singh, P. Jamwal and Brij Lal. 2006. Traditional
use of Medicinal Plants Among the Tribal Communities
of Chhota Bhangal, Western Himalaya. Journal of
Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. Vol. 2. pp. 14–21. doi:
10.1186/1746-4269-2-14
Wagh V.V. and A.K. Jain. 2020. Ethnopharmacological Survey
of Plants used by the Bhil and Bhilala Ethnic Community
in Dermatological Disorders in Western Madhya
Pradesh, India. Journal of Herbal Medicine. https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.hermed.2018.09.005
93

WILD EDIBLE FRUITS OF
7 UTTARAKHAND HIMALAYA:
A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF
NUTRACEUTICAL
Sarla Saklani*
Abstract
In recent decades, interest in the nutraceuticals has

amplified due to its immune-stimulatory potential. Different
species of wild edible fruits have beneficial properties such
as anti-cancerous, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory,
antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, antithrombotic, anti-malarial,
antifungal, anti-diabetic, hypoglycemic, anti-asthmatic,
anti-aging and immune-modulatory effects. These properties
are concentration dependent, and in most cases, no
adverse effects were reported. The present study was
performed to determine the nutritional value/properties,
mineral profile and phytochemical analysis of ten wild
edible fruits including Aegle marmelos, Berberis asiatica,
Carirssa opaca, Ficus palmata, Ficus auriculata, Myrica
nagi, Pyracantha crenulata, Pyrus pashia, Rubus ellipticus
and Ziziphus jujuba for exploring and developing new, safe
and potent nutraceuticals. The extraction was carried out
by fractionations with different solvents while the nutrients
and minerals present in all ten fruits were analysed
by using Association of Official Analytical Chemists
(AOAC) methods and Inductively Coupled Plasma– Mass
Spectrometry (ICP–MS) technique. The results revealed the
presence of significant amount of nutrients and minerals
in all ten wild edible fruits. Phytochemical investigation
revealed presence of carbohydrates, glycosides, flavonoids,
phenolics, anthocyanins, carotenoids, unsaturated sterols,
terpenes, tannins, etc., besides proteins and amino acids.
*H
ead, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, H.N.B. Garhwal University
(Central University) Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
Dr. Sarla Saklani.indd 94 17-Oct-24 12:26:26 PM

Wild Edible Fruits of Uttarakhand Himalaya:
A Potential Source of Nutraceutical
The comparative assessment of selected wild edible fruits

with cultivated fruits in respect of their nutrient composition
has been reported. The Biochemical investigation showed
that wild edible fruits contained higher value of protein, fats,
dietary fibre and minerals as compared to the cultivated
fruits. Ficus auriculata and Berberis asiatica were shown
to be the most promising species. All wild edible fruits have
low calorific value and possess high per cent of minerals
and secondary metabolites, which are more useful in the
case of obesity.
Keywords: Wild Edible Fruits, Uttarakhand Himalaya,
Nutraceutical, Secondary Metabolites, Immunostimulatory, antioxidant
INTRODUCTION
The Himalayan region of Uttarakhand is highly enriched

with its vegetation including wild edible fruits due to its
geographical and altitudinal variations. These fruits are
consumed by local inhabitants and play a significant role as
supplementary food. They are especially beneficial in those
areas where there is a limited availability of fruits in the
market. Wild edible fruits cover a wide range of taste, flavours,
colours, ripening season and are free from pesticides,
insecticides and fertilisers. Thus, these wild edible fruits
are generally irrigated by rainfall only, and grow according
to natural seasonal cycle, within specific climatic zone and
having natural adaptation. Different colours of wild edible
fruits are due to natural plant pigments, many of which
are flavonoids, isoflavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids,
phenolics and tanins localised in the skins and seeds of
the fruits. They contain whole range of plant-derived
dietary supplements, phytochemicals, pro-vitamins that
assist in maintaining good health and combating disease,
and also play a vital role in nutrition. Wild fruits are used
for human consumption because of their assumed health
benefits for which they could be categorised as medicinal
foods and nutraceuticals. The wild edible fruits are the best
source of nutraceutical. A food-based approach instead of
a drug-based approach needs to be adopted to conquer
chronic diseases. Along with the objective of making people
95
Dr. Sarla Saklani.indd 95 24-Sep-24 4:55:56 PM

aware of nutraceutical potential of wild edible fruits and

vegetables, it needs to be popularised and publicised for
their availability, palatability and overall acceptability.
The preparations of nutraceuticals in the form of tablets,
capsules and syrups besides jam, jelly, sauces, soft drinks
and so on, will provide natural organic products for people
at distant places. Since the food and phyto–resources are
shrinking globally with the hike in population, it is the
need of the hour to find new alternatives for enriching the
resource base of our food basket.
Nutraceutical potential is generally attributed to the
presence of phytochemicals, nutrients and antioxidant
activity. These protective plant compounds are an emerging
area of nutrition and health. Nutrients help slow down
the aging process and reduce the risk of many chronic
diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, high
blood pressure, cataract, osteoporosis and urinary tract
infections. The fruits under investigation are gathered,
grown or produced locally and prepared into dishes, which
often represent local specialties and this is a part of the
traditional knowledge which is orally transmitted through
generations to generations. Often dietary tradition is
not written but certainly, this knowledge is a vital part
of the traditional knowledge system of a particular area.
Knowledge of such foods is there in the cultural tradition
of many ethnic communities and as such considered as
traditional knowledge (Mishra et al., 2008). Low fruit and
vegetable consumption is regarded as one of the main risk
factor for mortality in the world (WHO, 2009). However,
modern lifestyles are quickly transforming traditions and
the consumption of wild edible fruits is not as common
as it was in the past. However, wild edible fruits and
vegetables are known to be excellent source of nutrients,
such as minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and other food
components (Orech et al., 2007), and they may contribute
an important part of diet providing health and nutrition
while serving as an appetiser. According to Olorode (2004),
wild foods could become useful vehicles for improved
nutrition and increased food supply.
96
Dr. Sarla Saklani.indd 96 17-Oct-24 10:19:28 AM

Human beings need an appreciable amount of nutrients

in their diet to perform various body functions and to
lead a healthy life. The nutrients include proteins, fats,
carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fibre as roughage.
An average Indian of 60 kg body weight, doing moderate
physical and mental work requires 60 gm protein, 20 gm
fat, 28 mg iron, 40 mg vitamin C, total 2875 kcal energy in
the daily diet (NIN, 2009). The dietary habits of the ethnic
communities in different regions are usually determined by
the availability of local foods, and satisfaction of hunger
is the primary goal of their food intake. They may not be
nutrition-specific in most occasions.
Information available on wild edible fruits of Uttarakhand
Himalaya as well as therapeutic data on their nutritional
composition is negligible. Therefore, the present scientific
work is aimed at the estimation of nutritional value of
wild edible fruits along with their collection, identification,
recording vernacular names, and documenting their
distribution and availability in Uttarakhand. The study
area and wild edible fruits available in those areas are
shown in Figs. 7.1 and 7.2 respectively.
UTTARKASHI
India
RUDRAPRAYAG CHAMOLI
DEHRADUN TEHRI
GARHWAL
PITHORAGARH
PAURI
GARHWAL BAGESHWAR
HARIDWAR
ALMORA
NAINITAL
CHAMPAWAT
UDHAM SINGH NAGAR
Fig. 7.1: Study Area, Uttarakhand Himalaya
97

Fig. 7.2: Wild Edible Fruits of Uttarakhand Himalaya
MATERIAL AND METHODS
All chemicals and reagents, such as sodium hydroxide,

methanol, ethyl alcohol, hydrochloric acid and sulphuric
acid, used in the study were of analytical grade and
purchased from Merck (India).
Plant Material or Wild Edible Fruits
Fresh wild edible fruits of Aegle marmelos, Berberis
asiatica, Carissa opaca, Ficus palmata, Ficus auriculata,
Myrica nagi, Pyracantha crenulata, Pyrus pashia, Rubus
ellipticus and Ziziphus jujuba were collected from Ghansali
block of Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India. All these wild
edible fruits were authenticated by Taxonomy Laboratory,
Department of Botany, H.N.B. Garhwal University Srinagar
Garhwal, India. The voucher specimens of all ten fruits
have been deposited in the Herbarium section Department
of Botany for future use.
Preparation of Extracts
The ten selected wild edible fruits were then air dried,
ground to moderately fine powder and extracted with
98

soxhlet with increasing polarity in the solvent (petroleum

ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, alcohol
and water). Each extract was evaporated to dryness
under reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator. The
concentrated extracts were stored in the airtight containers
in a refrigerator for further studies.
Nutritional and Mineral Assay
The edible portions of the fruits were analysed for moisture,
ash and fat content as prescribed method by Iswaran (1980),
whereas the measurement of total dietary fibre was done
as per method reported in AOAC (Association of Official
Analytical Chemists, 2000). Total nitrogen was analysed
by the micro–kjeldhal method, and for crude protein, the
value of nitrogen was multiplied by 6.25 (Ward, 1962).
Total carbohydrates were determined by subtracting the
values of moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre
and ash from 100 per cent (Negi et al., 1992; Jayaraman,
1981). The total energy value is equal to the addition of
fat, protein and sugar calories, each gram of fat gives 9
kcal, protein and sugar give 4 kcal energy. The minerals
analysed were sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium,
iron and phosphorus by ICP–MS (PerkinElmer SCIEX
ELAN DRC-e) against salt standards. Ascorbic acid in
fruits was estimated by standard methods.
Phytochemical Analysis
The qualitative phytochemical properties of the dried
powdered samples were determined using standard
methods. The extracts obtained as above were subjected
to qualitative tests for the identification of various plant
constituents. In addition, 50 gm of fresh fruits material was
also subjected to hydrodistillation to detect the presence
of volatile contents. The plant material was subjected to
preliminary phytochemical screening for the detection of
various constituents of plants as per methods described
by Kokate (2005).
99

Detection of Chemical Compounds through TLC

Thin Layer Chromatographic (TLC) plates are prepared by
spreading silica gel G on glass plate using distilled water
as solvent. These plates are activated in oven at 110˚ C
for 1 hour. All ten extracts were applied separately and
allowed to run in different solvent system of varying polarity
and qualitative analysis of amino acids was carried out.
These plates are developed in UV–Visible chamber, Iodine
chamber and spraying reagent for different spots and Rf
value of chemical constituent was calculated.
RESULTS
Biochemical and Chemical Analysis

Based on the folklore, some hitherto unexplored genera
are used frequently by local inhabitants. These wild edible
fruits (Aegle marmelos, Berberis asiatica, Carissa opaca,
Ficus palmata, Ficus auriculata, Myrica nagi, Pyracantha
crenulata, Pyrus pashia, Rubus ellipticus and Ziziphus
jujuba) selected for their biochemical and chemical analysis
are listed in the Tables 1–5. Following fruits are taken for
nutritional evaluation—
1. Aegle marmelos, 2. Berberis asiatica, 3. Carissa opaca,
4. Ficus palmata, 5. Ficus auriculata, 6. Myrica nagi,
7. Pyracantha crenulata, 8. Pyrus pashia, 9. Rubus
ellipticus, 10. Ziziphus jujuba.
Table 7.1: Phytochemical screening of wild edible fruits
Wild Edible Fruits
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Carbohydrates/glycosides
1. Molisch test (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (+) (+) (+)
2. Fehling test (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (+) (+) (+)
3. Benedict test (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (+) (+) (+)
Alkaloid
1. Mayer’s test (+) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
2. Dragendorff ’s test (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
Flavonoid (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
Saponins (−) (+) (−) (−) (−) (−) (+) (−) (−) (−)
100

Tannins
1. Pyrogallol and catechol (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (−) (+)
2. Gallic acid (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (+) (−) (−) (−)
Unsaturated sterol/
triterpenes
1. Liebermann-Burchard
test (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (−) (+)
2. Salkowski’s test (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (−) (+)
Resin (+) (+) (+) (−) (−) (+) (+) (−) (−) (+)
Table 7.2: Qualitative estimation for amino acid contents

in the wild edible fruits
Wild Edible Fruits
Amino acid test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
L-Hydroxyproline (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
DL-Serine (+) (+) (+) (−) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
DL-Isoleucine (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
DL-Valine (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
DL-2-Aminobutyric (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (+) (+) (+) (+)
acid
L-Ornithin (−) (−) (+) (−) (+) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
L-Cysteine hydroxy (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
DL-Norleucine (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (−) (+) (−) (−) (−)
DL-Tryptophan (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
DL-Alanine (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (+)
L-Glutamic acid (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
Glycine (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
L-Proline (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
L-Arginine (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
DL-Aspartic acid (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
L-Cysteine (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
hydrochloride
L-Histidine (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
L-Leucine (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
L-Lysine (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
monochloride
DL-Methionine (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
101

DL-β-Phenyl (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
alanine
DL-Threonine (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−) (−)
L-Tyrosine (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
3,4-Dihydroxy-l- (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)
phenylalanine
Table 7.3: Nutritional value of wild edible fruits

(gm/100 gm) of Garhwal Himalaya
S. Plant Name Protein Fibre Fat Moisture Ash
No. (gm/ (gm/ (gm/ (gm/ (gm/
100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm)
1. Aegle
marmelos 2.4 3.2 0.5 62.5 1.6
(Bael)
2. Berberis
asiatica 3.3 3.12 0.8 65.2 2.6
(Kingor)
3. Carissa opaca
1.3 3.4 0.82 76.6 1.25
(Karonda)
4. Ficus
auriculata 5.32 16.96 0.65 46.64 3.7
(Timla)
5. Ficus palmata
4.6 17.65 4.71 48.2 4.06
(Bedu)
6. Myrica nagi
0.97 1.91 0.67 78.2 1.87
(Kaphal)
7. Pyracantha
crenulata 5.13 7.4 1.0 60.1 1.5
(Ghingaru)
8. Pyrus pashia
3.28 5.26 1.62 60.36 1.1
(Mahal)
9. Rubus
ellipticus 3.68 2.35 0.96 64.60 1.3
(Hinsar)
10. Ziziphus
4.26 6.12 2.5 50.23 2.58
jujuba (Ber)
102

Table 7.4: Mineral Contents of wild edible fruits

(mg/100 gm) of Garhwal Himalaya
S. Plant Name Calcium Magnesium Nitrogen Potassium Phosphorus

No (mg/ (mg/ (mg/ (mg/ (mg/
100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm)
1. Aegle
marmelos 0.85 0.94 0.38 1.12 0.5
(Bael)
2. Berberis
asiatica 0.065 0.061 0.52 0.44 0.79
(Kingor)
3. Carissa
opaca 1.0 8.4 0.2 1.98 0.24
(Karonda)
4. Ficus
auriculata 1.35 0.9 0.85 2.11 0.28
(Timla)
5. Ficus
palmata 1.54 0.92 0.73 1.58 1.88
(Bedu)
6. Myrica
nagi 0.39 0.13 0.15 1.97 0.07
(Kaphal)
7. Pyracantha
crenulata 1.78 0.96 0.82 2.75 0.82
(Ghingaru)
8. Pyrus
pashia 0.75 0.12 0.52 3.21 0.86
(Mahal)
9. Rubus
ellipticus 0.95 5.6 0.58 1.82 0.2
(Hinsar)
10. Ziziphus
jujuba 1.16 0.87 0.68 2.98 0.73
(Ber)
103

Table 7.5: Nutritional value of cultivated fruit

(gm/100 gm)
Protein Fat Fibre Moisture
S.
Plant Name (gm/ (gm/ (gm/ (gm/
No.
100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm) 100 gm)
1. Apple 3.89 0.23 1.85 83.89
2. Pineapple 1.81 0.95 1.5 82.83
3. Guava 0.02 1.16 0.01 92.43
4. Jackfruit 0.95 2.09 1.89 87.33
5. Mangosteen 3.01 2.31 2.09 81.72
6. Pomegranate 0.61 0.21 3.1 86.91
7. Sapota 0.28 0.01 0.9 82.29
8. Mango 1.29 2.76 1.13 79.27
9. Papaya 1.38 7.03 1.9 78.8
10. Amla 0.58 0.24 2.88 86.6
Table 7.6: Comparison of cultivated and wild edible fruit

for protein content (gm/100 gm)
S. No. Cultivated edible fruit Wild edible fruit
1. Apple Bael
2. Pineapple Kaphal
3. Guava Mahal
4. Jackfruit Hinsar
5. Mangosteen Ber
6. Pomegranate Kingor
7. Sapota Karonda
8. Mango Timla
9. Papaya Bedu
10. Amla Ghingaru
104

Protein content (g)
Edible fruits
Fig. 7.3: Comparison of cultivated edible fruits and wild edible fruits
for protein content (Adult per day intake protein is 60 gm)
.
Fat content (g)
Edible fruits
for fat content (Adult per day intake fat is 60gm)
105

Fibre content (g)
Edible fruits
for fibre content (Adult per day intake fiber is 25gm)
Mois ture content (g)
Edible fruits
for moisture content (Adult per day intake 5 L)
106

Calcium (mg)
Edible fruits
for calcium (Adult per day intake is 600 mg)
Magnesium (mg)
Edible fruits
for magnesium (Adult per day intake 340 mg)
107

Potassium (mg)
Edible fruits
for potassium (Adult per day intake is 3750 mg)
Phosphorus (mg)
Edible fruits
for phosphorus (Adult per day intake 600 mg)
DISCUSSION
Most of the fruits undertaken for scientific investigation

contain more minerals than cultivated popular fruits. Wild
varieties tend to be richer in micronutrients and bioactive
secondary metabolites, which are produced in adaptation
to local environmental conditions. These metabolites
trigger further adaptive responses by producing ‘protective’
bioactive compounds, which when ingested by insects/
pests result in protective effects on host organism.
108

Most of the wild fruits have higher nutritional values

as compared to levels found in cultivated fruits. Ficus
auriculata was found to be the best source of protein,
containing 5.32 per cent of it. The protein content of some
other fruits, viz., Aegle marmelos, Berberis asiatica, Carissa
opaca, Ficus palmata, Myrica nagi, Pyracantha crenulata,
Pyrus pashia, Rubus ellipticus and Ziziphus jujuba, was
2.40, 3.30, 1.30, 5.32, 4.6, 0.97, 5.13, 3.28, 3.68, 4.26
per cent respectively, thus the noticed quantities being
quite good. The fruits like Myrica nagi, Rubus niveus, etc.,
are very good in taste but not very rich in protein.
The total content of sugar in all the fruits under study
varied from 30.82 per cent in Ziziphus jujuba to 16.38 per
cent in Myrica nagi. Other fruits have high percentage
of sugars as Aegle marmelos, Berberis asiatica, Carissa
opaca, Ficus auriculata, Ficus palmata, Pyracantha
crenulata, Pyrus pashia and Rubus ellipticus, containing
29.80, 24.98, 17.39, 27.09, 20.78, 28.38, 27.11 per cent
sugar respectively. These fruits contain more sugar than
even apples do. Among all the fruits studied during the
present investigation, Ficus palmata was found to be the
richest source of minerals, containing 4.06 per cent. The
fruit was followed by Ficus auriculata, Berberis asiatca,
Ziziphus jujuba, Myrica nagi, Rubus ellipticus, Carissa
opaca and Pyrus pashia whose mineral content exceeded
approximately 2.0 per cent. Although all the ten fruits
described are eaten, yet some of them are exceptionally
suitable for fresh consumption, because their dessert
quality ranges from good to excellent. Some such fruits
are Aegle marmelos, Berberis asiatica, Myrica nagi, Rubus
ellipticus, Ficus palmata and Ziziphus jujuba. While the
other fruits are less popular for eating fresh.
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PROSPECTIVE
The study analysed the scientific investigation regarding

the wild edible fruits along with their beneficial effects
such as nutritional value, mineral contents and presence
of various phytochemical constituents. Various studies
109

have reported the promising effects of phytochemicals on

human health; however, further detailed studies related
to the possible synergistic and antagonistic activities
among the constituents of wild edible fruits are necessary.
Similarly, if the constituents like glycosides, flavonoids,
carotenoids, phenolics, terpenoids, etc., are to be
supplemented in larger concentrations, then maintaining
the health could be a challenge. In the past, the testing
procedures for measuring the efficacy of formulations of
nutraceuticals were very less standardised. In the present
scenario, standard methods could speed-up the analysis
of phytochemical constituents and their antagonistic
or synergistic action over each other and on nutrient
ingredients. Furthermore, additional studies related to
safety and toxicity are also necessary.
References
AOAC. 2000. Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC (Association
of Official Analytical Chemists) International, 17th Ed.,
AOAC Int., Arlington, VA.
Iswaran, V. 1980. A Laboratory Handbook for Agricultural
Analysis. Today and Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers,
New Delhi. pp. 209–222.
Jayaraman, J. 1981. Laboratory Manual in Biochemistry. Wiley
Eastern Ltd., New Delhi, India. p. 53.
Kokate, C. K. and A. P. Purohit. 2005. A text book of Practical
Pharmacognosy. 5th edition, Vallabh Prakashan, New
Delhi. pp. 105–111.
Mishra, T.K., A. Saha, A. K. Nanda and P. Mandal. 2008.
Variation of Antioxidant Properties and Phytochemical
Constituents of Tea Cultivated Under Various Agronomic
Conditions at Terai region of North Bengal. NBU Journal of
Plant Sciences. Vol. 2. pp. 58–66.
Negi, Y.S., M.S.M. Rawat, G. Pant-Joshi and S. Badoni. 1992.
Biochemical Investigation of Fruits of Some Common
Ficus Species. Journal of Food Science and Technology.
Vol. 25. pp. 582–584.
110

NIN. 2009. Nutrient requirements and recommended dietary

allowances for Indians—A report of the Expert Group of
the Indian Council of Medical Research. National Institute
of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad, India.
Olorode, O. 2004. Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources.
African Journal of Traditional, Complimentary and
Alternative Medicines. Vol. 1. pp. 4–14.
Orech, F.O., J. Aagaard-Hansen and H. Friis. 2007. Ethnoecology
of Traditional Leafy Vegetables of the Luo People of Bondo
District, Western Kenya. International Journal of Food
Sciences and Nutrition. Vol. 58, No. 7. pp. 522–530.
Ward, G.M. 1962. Chemical Methods of Plant Analysis.
Canada Department of Agriculture Publication. Vol. 1064.
pp. 19–20.
WHO. 2009. Global Health Risk: Mortality and Burden of
Disease Attributable to Selected Major Risks. WHO Press,
Geneva.
111

NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY-2020:
8 CRITICAL CURRICULAR INSIGHTS ON
ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION
Priyanka Varshney*
It is our fundamental duty to protect and improve the

natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and
wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.
(Indian Constitution, Fundamental Duty 07)
Today, the criticality of research is more than ever before,

for the environmental, economic, intellectual, societal, and
technological health and progress of a nation.
(National Education Policy-2020)
As we know from the above given statements from our

constitution and National Education Policy-2020,
significance and importance of Environment education
needs no introduction in present times, especially in
context of recent worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, which
compelled everyone to pause in the present fast-paced life
and reflect seriously on the possible ecological footprints
we are leaving on mother earth. This apprehension with
regard to environmental degradation is not new, and the
need of environmental conservation and preservation has
long been realised. Today “humanity increasingly realises,
after a long journey from Stockholm through Rio de
Janeiro to Johannesburg, that a development paradigm
that largely ignores the environment has disastrous
* Assistant Professor, Department of Teacher Education, NCERT, New Delhi.
Priyanka Varshney.indd 112 17-Oct-24 12:26:04 PM

National Education Policy-2020: Critical Curricular Insights on
Environment Education
consequences.” (Position paper-National Focus Group on

Habitat and Learning, NCF-2005) Therefore, it can also
be observed in various national and international efforts
made in this context from time to time.
At present, the world is facing many environmental
issues such as rapidly emerging pandemics and
epidemics, loss of biodiversity, different kinds of pollution,
global warming, overconsumption of traditional energy
resources, disproportionate generation of waste of various
kinds and inefficient techniques of garbage disposal to
quote a few. If this pattern of exploitation of nature and
natural resources does not stop and concerted efforts
are not made to rejuvenate the earth, very soon we will
end up consuming our all-present natural resources
and making the earth non-suitable for the generation of
new resources for the future generations. Therefore, it is
crucial to realise the need and significance of conserving
our environment, nature and natural resources and make
efforts for sustainable living and sustainable development
in various domains. This way planet earth will remain
a place congenial, fertile and productive to support the
needs of not only the present generations but for the future
generations as well.
It is a well-known fact that environmental conservation
and protection is not possible by a person or a group
of people. Rather it has to be inculcated and developed
in the thoughts and emotions of the entire human
population. While environmental awareness and
knowledge dissemination is required to be done on a mass
level and should reach everyone irrespective of their age
or different socio-cultural identities, young citizens of
the nation must be especially encultured into the ways
of perceiving the world as a big eco-family with all the
organisms and the entire nature included in it. This can
be done by developing a deep-rooted knowledge, attitude
and culture of environment preservation and sustainable
growth among the citizens of the nation. For this inclusion
of environment education right from beginning of formal
113
Priyanka Varshney.indd 113 23-Sep-24 10:39:17 AM

education of child is important. Therefore, the importance

of making our students aware, sensitive, informed and
active contributors in environment conservation and
promotion is a quintessential need of the hour. This is also
crucial to familiarise, sensitise and empower our educators
across the stages, about the wide-ranging dimensions
of Environment education and various strategies to
implement the same.
ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION
Environment education is a process that “allows individuals

to explore environmental issues, engage in problem
solving, and take action to improve the environment. As
a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of
environmental issues and have the skills to make informed
and responsible decisions” (https://www.epa.gov/
education/what-environmental-education). It is a process
that aims at the “development of environmentally literate
citizens who can compete in global economy, who have
the skills and knowledge and inclinations to make well
informed choices concerning the environment, and who
exercise the rights and responsibilities of the members of
a community. Environmental knowledge contributes to an
understanding and appreciation of the society, technology
and productivity and conservation of natural and cultural
resources of their own environment” (wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.
in/biodiversity/sahyadri_enews/newsletter/issue22/
art5.htm). “There are various components of environmental
education such as—
• awareness and sensitivity to the environment and
environmental challenges;
• knowledge and understanding of the environment and
environmental challenges;
• attitude of concern for the environment and motivation
to improve or maintain environmental quality;
• skills to identify and help resolve environmental
challenges; and
114

• participation in activities that lead to the resolution of

environmental challenges.
(https://www.epa.gov/education/what-environmental-
education)
As we know that many national and international efforts

have been made to contemplate on defining the broad and
comprehensive concept of environment and environment
education. “The recent developments such as, launching
of World Conservation Strategy (1984), report of the
World Commission on Environment and Development—
Our Common Future—culminated into Agenda 21 agreed
upon by 170 nations and adopted at the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development held at Rio
de Janerio, Brazil in June 1992. The concept of sustainable
development has become an integral component of EE
(environment education) activities. In fact, EE is renamed
as Environmental and Development Education in Agenda
21.” Various goals have also been consensually evolved
to streamline and give more focus to the process of
imparting environment education on a wider scale. Final
report of the Tbilisi conference also gives us three goals of
environmental education, as given below:
i. To foster clear awareness of, and concern
about, economic, social, political and ecological
interdependence in urban and rural areas.
ii. To provide every person with opportunities to acquire
the knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment and
skills needed to protect and improve the environment.
iii. To create new patterns of behaviour of individuals,
groups and society as a whole, towards the
environment (UNESCO, 1977).
This is also important to understand that environment
education is also not about following a particular line of
thought or ideology, it should empower the people with
skills to critically assess various sides of any issue,
event or phenomena and move towards problem solving
115

and decision making. Therefore, environment education

should be understood much beyond just the information
about the nature.
Environment Education in Schools and Some
Critical Questions
If we look back in the recent past, we have an evident
history of support and promotion of environment education.
Beginning with Mahatma Gandhi’s movement of basic
education to Kothari commission (1964–1966) which called
for bringing EE into the formal stream, we see a strong
commitment in the official efforts. The movement of basic
education launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1937 was an
early serious attempt of relating education in schools to
local environmental needs. The essential elements of basic
education were productive activity in education; correlation
of the curriculum with productive activity and the social
environment; and an intimate contact between the school
and the local community. The education system in India
incorporated some aspects of EE in school curricula as
early as in 1930. The Kothari commission recommendations
were implemented in 1977 when the curriculum for the
10+2 pattern of school education was developed at the
national level by NCERT, and presented in the document,
‘The Curriculum for the Ten-year School: A Framework’
(1975). The National Policy on Education (NPE, 1988) and
subsequent curriculum frameworks brought out by NCERT
in 1988 and 2000 reiterated the importance of EE in school
education. Thus, EE has been one of the priority areas of
concern in all curriculum development programmes. The
present status of EE in schools had its genesis in the National
Policy of Education (NPE), 1986 (modified in 1992), in which
‘Protection of the Environment’ is stated as a common
core around which NCF would be woven. The National
Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE),
2000 also lists EE as one of the concerns to be integrated
into the curriculum. EE is a compulsory part of the syllabus
in schools throughout the country (Position Paper-National
Focus Group on Habitat and Learning; NCF, 2005).
116

“EE in schools invariably aims at providing children

with knowledge, attitudes and skills so that they are
equipped to contribute meaningfully towards the
betterment of the environment and accomplish the goal of
sustainable development. In the NCERT curriculum, the
teaching of language and mathematics has been woven
around the children’s immediate environment in Classes
I–II and EE has been reinforced as a component of the
Art of Healthy and Productive Living (AHPL). In Classes
III–V, separate textbooks for environmental studies have
been provided. By and large, the textbooks of science and
social science in most States/UTs include environmental
concepts. Environmental concepts had been included in
the NCERT curricula for the upper primary stage mainly
through science and technology” (Teachers’ Handbook on
Environmental Education, 2011).
After understanding a brief historical journey of recent
developments in the environment education in India,
some of the central questions that are worth asking at the
present juncture of 21st century are—
• What should be the aims/objectives and goals of
teaching environment education in schools?
• What educational experiences can be provided in EE
to help achieve these goals?
• How can these educational experiences be meaningfully
designed/planned to achieve these objectives?
• How do we assess that these educational objectives
have been achieved?
NEP-2020 RECOMMENDATIONS ON ENVIRONMENT
EDUCATION
Recent national education policy of the country which

came in 2020 and is in the process of implementation, also
emphasises on the need and importance of an in-depth
planning with progressive and concrete implementation of
environment education at the grassroot level across the
nation. Policy has advocated for a widespread reach of
117

environment education across various groups of students.

It has also highlighted an urgent need of changing our
attitudes and values towards the environment and making
it a part of our culture to respect, preserve and flourish the
environment for our own sustainable development, growth
and progress. Policy directs us to take concerted curricular
and pedagogical initiatives for the introduction of various
contemporary subjects such as artificial intelligence and
design thinking. It is very important to note here that
while writing these technological knowledge areas as
contemporary areas of importance, policy also emphasises
that holistic health, organic living, Environmental
Education and Global Citizenship Education are also
of utmost importance in contemporary times and must
be undertaken at relevant stages to develop these skills
in students at all levels. Very lucidly, policy states that
the ‘Knowledge of India’ will include knowledge from
ancient India and its contributions to modern India and
its successes and challenges, and a clear sense of India’s
future aspirations with regard to education, health and
environment. It means that, policy very clearly emphasises
environment as one of the most important domains of
knowledge and pedagogy along with health and overall
education.
Along with acknowledging and promoting environment
education as one of the foundations of contemporary
education, policy gives us some concrete implementation
guidelines as well. It says that “All efforts will be made
to ensure timely availability of textbooks in schools.
Access to downloadable and printable versions of all
textbooks will be provided by all States/UTs and NCERT
to help conserve the environment and reduce the logistical
burden. Policy has also suggested the required changes
in teacher education programmes. It guides that all B.Ed.
programmes will include strong practice-cum-training
in the form of in-classroom teaching at local schools.
All B.Ed. programmes will also emphasise the practice
of the Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) of the Indian
Constitution along with other Constitutional provisions
118

while teaching any subject or performing any activity. It

will also appropriately integrate environmental awareness
and sensitivity towards its conservation and sustainable
development, so that environment education becomes an
integral part of school curricula” (NEP, 2020).
With regard to higher education, policy encourages
to make efforts for the attainment of holistic and
multidisciplinary education. It states that the flexible
and innovative curricula of all HEIs shall include credit-
based courses and projects in the areas of community
engagement and service, environmental education and
value-based education. It further elaborates on the focal
points of environment education and says that it will
include areas such as climate change, pollution, waste
management, sanitation, conservation of biological
diversity, management of biological resources and
biodiversity, forest and wildlife conservation, and
sustainable development and living.
At the end, policy also warns us of the possible ill
effects of many new upcoming technologies which might
prove to be disruptive if not attended well. It warns us that
many potentially disruptive technologies might change
the way we live presently. Therefore, it is crucial to change
the way we educate our students as well. We need to
proactively and progressively educate them about clean
and renewable energy, water conservation, sustainable
farming, environmental preservation and other green
initiatives. These aspects should receive prioritised
attention in education.
Critical Curricular Insights and Pedagogical
Interventions at School Level
Curricular insights
It is a well-known fact that curriculum is the sum total of
experiences that is given to a learner in formal or informal
educational setting. It is much broader, in-depth and
philosophical decisions of: What will be taught? How will
119

be taught? What methods will be used to teach it? And how

the students will be assessed if they have learnt the given
knowledge content? This is thus the crucial foundation
of any effort in the direction of Environment Education.
Therefore, considerable planning and thought should be
given in setting the objectives for environment education
at the school level and creating the syllabi, textbooks,
teaching-learning material and pedagogical strategies.
According to the ‘Environmental Education in the
School Curriculum developed by the NCERT’ in 1995,
environmental concepts and related topics have been
included in the instructional materials developed by
the NCERT for different stages of school education.
In the sixties, conservation concepts were introduced
with the ideas promoted by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
at present known as World Conservation Union. Later
on, the information on environment was updated in the
school curricula in the light of the international inputs
through the Stockholm Conference (1972) and the Tbilisi
Inter-Governmental Conference (1977). Environmental
education has received greater attention in school
education with the implementation of the National Policy
on Education (NPE) 1986 which has envisaged protection
of the environment as the core element of education at all
levels. The policy said that EE should be developed as one
of values among the children. It has also recommended
the creation of environmental consciousness among
all ages starting with school education. The curricular
materials developed as a follow-up of the policy have given
due weightage to environmental concepts and related
problems” (Environmental Education in the School
Curriculum Developed by the NCERT, 1995).
According to the previous national curriculum
framework-2005 (Position paper-National Focus Group on
Habitat and Learning), “the new paradigm of education,
embodying the spirit of science, democracy, and caring for the
environment, should emphasise a number of key elements:
120

• learning rather than teaching;

• building capacity for critical thinking and problem
solving;
• locale specificity in the context of a global vision;
• multidisciplinary approach;
• multi-sourced and accessed, rather than top-down,
controlled and orchestrated nature;
• participation with broad involvement of peers and
other community members;
• lifelong and continuous in character;
• sensitivity to diversity, equity and gender;
• knowledge generation; and
• empowerment, rather than indoctrination.
Thus, ‘the main focus of EE should be to expose
students to the real-life world, natural and social, in
which they live; to enable them to analyse, evaluate and
draw inferences about problems and concerns related
to the environment; to add, where possible, to our
understanding of environmental issues; and to promote
positive environmental actions in order to facilitate the
move towards sustainable development’. To achieve these
goals, the curriculum may be based on:
• learning about the environment;
• learning through the environment;
• learning for the environment” (Environment Education
as Infused in NCERT syllabus for Classes I to XII as
per NCF-2005).
These objectives become all the more important
after traveling through the stages of Stockholm through
Rio de Janeiro to Johannesburg, we have all realised
that development and growth without environmental
sustainability will have disastrous consequences.
Currently we are in the process of development of
new National Curriculum Framework in the light of the
latest National Education Policy-2020, therefore, our
121

focus should be to review the existing EE curriculum,

textbooks, training modules and all the teaching-learning
material (hard copies as well as digital) developed so far
at the national and state level. We should also revisit and
reconceptualise our pedagogical content knowledge in
the field of environment education. We should assess the
effectiveness of previous EE curriculum in dealing with
environmental issue (natural and social both) at larger
scale and also its success at grassroot level in bringing
knowledge, attitude, skills and awareness among the
masses. Only after a critical, comprehensive and in-depth
review of the present status of environment education,
a new progressive and culturally rooted curriculum
framework can be developed. There is a need to contemplate
and define the—
• overall aims/objectives and goals of the school
education in present context;
• place of environment education in the school
curriculum;
• strategies for an organic integration of environment
education with other subjects of study.
It is very important that the curriculum framework discusses
the need for environment education to be introduced since
the beginning of various educational set-ups. It should
deliberate on the form in which it will be taught at different
stages of school. Issues, concerns and possible challenges
in implementation should also be well thought off along
with the place of environment education in terms of time
and its assessment criteria. “It will require the development
of locale-specific teacher, student and classroom material.
Green textbooks, which are written from a holistic
environmental perspective in terms of both their content
and pedagogy. They should encourage flexibility to bring in
locale specificities” (Position paper-National Focus Group
on Habitat and Learning, NCF-2005).
In order to bring such paradigm, shift in the approach
of teaching-learning, we need to critically reflect the
way textbook writing is done. Teachers’ handbooks and
122

manuals should provide access and comprehension to

the teachers in terms of its content and organisation
of various activities. Students’ worksheets, charts and
other innovating print, audio-video and latest digital
teaching-learning materials will be helpful. This exercise
can be done across the county in diverse contexts.
It is also important to note that the present syllabus
is designed to develop an integrated understanding at
the primary level that draws upon insights from sciences,
social studies and environmental education. According
to the document, ‘Environment Education as Infused in
NCERT syllabus for Classes I to XII as per NCF-2005’
(National Curriculum Framework 2005) indicates some of
the objectives of teaching science and social studies at the
primary stage are as follows:
• to train children to locate and comprehend relationships
among the natural, social and cultural environment;
• to create cognitive capacity and resourcefulness to
make the child curious about social phenomena,
starting with the family and moving on to wider spaces
to nurture the curiosity and creativity of the child,
particularly in relation to the natural environment
(including artefacts and people);
• to develop an awareness about environmental issues;
• to engage the child in exploratory and hands-on
activities to acquire basic cognitive and psychomotor
skills through observation, classification, inference,
and so on;
• to emphasise design and fabrication, and estimation
and measurement as a prelude to the development of
technological and quantitative skills in later stages; and
• to be able to critically address gender concerns, and
issues of marginalisation and oppression with values
of equality and justice, and respect for human dignity
and rights.
Thus, environment education has been given much
emphasis in our previous curriculum frameworks and
123

official documents. Now there is a need to critically

evaluate the effectiveness of work done so far, and develop
a progressive, concrete and achievable framework for the
implementation of environment education in letter and
spirit.
Suggested Pedagogical Interventions
There are various pedagogical strategies through which
parents, teachers and schools can develop environmental
sensitivity, knowledge and awareness among students of
various grades. These activities may be school-based or
situated in the natural-social-community environment
of the child. Various pedagogical strategies and
teaching-learning materials which should be practiced to
promote environment education in schools are:
(A) Teaching-Learning Material
i. Development of charts, posters, models, flip books,
flannel boards on the theme of environment.
ii. Organisation of Slogan and Essay writing; and
community campaigns for the environmental
awareness.
iii. Conduct News article analysis, daily weather report
analysis, worksheets, puzzles, crosswords, games
and diverse activities on environmental awareness.
iv. Creation of e-library of environment related movies,
videos, poems and books.
v. Development of school magazines on the theme of
environment.
vi. Decoration of bulletin boards.
vii. Development of enrichment materials such as
handbooks, modules, MOOCs for varied groups and
needs.
(B) Activities and Pedagogical Strategies

i. Guiding students to conduct case studies on various
environmental issues in their surroundings.
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ii. Facilitate school-community collaboration on

environmental issues and problems.
iii. Sharing latest news and updates about environmental
issues and progress.
iv. Development of environment preservation as a
cultural practice and value.
v. Adopting STSE (Science-Technology-Society-
Environment) approach.
vi. Adopting scientific and progressive teaching
approaches, such as investigation, problem-solving,
process skill development, critical thinking and
investigatory and issue-based project method.
vii. Creation of Eco Clubs and herbal gardens, and free
sapling distribution in community.
viii. Encouraging students to design and develop
home-based herbal gardens.
ix. Development of school as an ideal eco-friendly,
self-sustainable system.
x. Encouraging home-based and traditional
environment- friendly practices in everyday life.
xi. Celebration of environment-related special days in
the school.
xii. Field visits.
xiii. Conducting workshops on various environmental
preservation themes, such as creating organic
fertilisers, vermicomposting, importance of
ayurvedic practices and herbal medicines, yoga for
healthy living.
xiv. Organising seminars and conferences on
environment-related knowledge sharing.
xv. Organisation of Eco fair and exhibitions of
nature-based products.
125

xvi. Teaching students about various research tools and

surveys for the study of environment-related issues
and problems.
xvii. Organisation of environment-related cultural
programmes including various dance forms,
role-plays, cultural songs, games, group discussions,
debates and extempore speeches.
xviii. Bulletin board creation on environment-related
themes.
xix. Placing the list of fundamental duties (environment
protection) at various places in school.
xx. Developing schools and eco-friendly green schools’
model, and conducting green audit to understand,
learn and suggest the ways to improve the same.
xxi. Enrichment through inviting environment education
specialists and community people as resource
persons.
xxii. Discussion of latest eco-friendly practices
across India and the world. (Example: organic
farming, vermicomposting, farming on symbiotic
relationships and the knowledge of differential
nutrient requirement of various crops).
xxiii. Relationship between environment preservation and
growth of economy and the nation.
xxiv. Use of digital media for sharing and validation of
environment-related data collected by students.
xxv. Making blogs on Environment education for
knowledge dissemination at mass level.
xxvi. Organising students’ and teachers’ inter-school,
inter-state and international exchange meets to
learn from each other.
xxvii. O
rganisation of competitions on the theme of
environment at inter-school level for teachers and
students.
126

SUGGESTED TEACHER EDUCATION REFORMS
Teachers are the key agents who will implement new

environment education curriculum in schools and
higher education. Therefore, it is very important to give
due attention to desired changes in pre-service teacher
education programmes, and in-service enrichment and
training of teachers working in the field. A well-planned
and rigorous work is required for the development of
environment education curriculum in Teacher education
programmes.
It is very important to develop appropriate attitude,
skills and values among teachers to empower them to
implement the key ideas of environment education in its
real sense and perspective.
This can be done through proper curriculum planning
and implementation of training programmes on both pre-
service and in-service levels.
We also need to understand the unique nature
of environment education as a subject. It has many
concepts which may demand teachers to come out of
their traditional subject boundaries and perceptions.
This is also to understand that by nature, environment
education has deep integration with science, social
science and environment (natural and social both); and
scientific concepts and ideas form a strong foundation
of the subject. In this context, many teachers who might
not have a sound understanding of the content and the
nature of science, may find it difficult to understand
the nature of environment education in its essence. It
may prove to be a hurdle in the deeper construction of
knowledge in environment education. Therefore, it is also
crucial to integrate some of the fundamental key aspects of
environment education curriculum. Some of the important
topics which may be included are—
• problems of the environment, and the means and
ways of solving them;
127

• environmental problems of physical, social and

economic consequences;
• environmental problems on geographical scale and
time scale;
• environmental problems of developed and developing
countries;
• solutions of environmental problems;
• concept and nature of environment education;
• history and philosophy of environment education;
• national and international efforts in the field of
environment education;
• integration of environment education from pre-primary
till higher education curriculum and
• environmental ethics.
Here, it is also very important to understand that for
an overall change in the approach towards environment
education, not only teachers but other important
stakeholders such as education officers, administrators,
principals, headmasters and parents will also be required
to be oriented and trained for the effective implementation
of environment education. For this, training material for
key resource persons will have to be prepared to facilitate
in-service training of teachers of different stages of school
education and different subject backgrounds.
The responsibility of identification of training is
needed for different stakeholders and the development of
training modules for them must be shouldered by eminent
institutions like NCERT, SCERTs and professionals such
as teacher educators, teachers, NGOs experts and other
professionals of eminence in environment education from
universities/colleges/research institutions.
CONCLUSION
Inculcation of environmental sensitivity, awareness,

knowledge, skills, attitudes and values among the students,
lies at cornerstone of achieving sustainable life on this
128

planet Earth. Environment education is an urgent step

that must lead a paradigm shift in education to promote
the pursuit of sustainable development. A major shift
that is required is the change of our mindset in perceiving
education being a process of dialogue and mutual growth
with students rather than monologue of transacting the
information in one way from teacher to student. This
change is possible not only with the change in curriculum
and textbooks but also with the fundamental change in the
conceptualisation of knowledge and teaching-learning in
our schools. “The principles of ecology and fundamentals
of environment can really help create a sense of earth-
citizenship, and a sense of duty to care for the earth and
its resources and to manage them in a sustainable way.
This will make our children inherit a safe and clean planet
to live on by social, ethical, global and spiritual values”
(https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/environment/the-
need-of-value-based-environmental-education). Thus, it
can be said that the main focus of environment education
should be to help make students to relate with their real-
life surroundings (natural and social both). They should
be empowered with science process skills so that they
feel confident in understanding and solving problems and
concerns related to the environment. They should be able
to not only create the new knowledge but should also be
able to take positive actions to move towards sustainable
development as well.
References
Government of India. 1950. Fundamental Duties in Indian
Constitution. https://karnatakajudiciary.kar.nic.in/
govtNotifications/fundamental-duties.pdf
Ministry of Education. 2020. National Education Policy, 2020.
https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/
files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
NCERT. 1995. Environmental Education in the
School Curriculum Developed by the NCERT.
129

http://14.139.60.153/bitstream/123456789/1041/1/
ENVIRONMENTAL%20EDUCATION%20IN%20THE%20
SCHOOL%20CURRICULUM%20DEVELOPED%20BY%20
THE%20NCERT%20_D-9225.pdf
NCERT. 2006. Position Paper-National Focus Group on
Habitat and Learning. https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/focus-
group/habitatlearning.pdf
https://www.epa.gov/education/what-environmental-
education
NCF. 2005. Environment Education as Infused in NCERT
Syllabus for Classes I–XII as per NCF-2005. https://ncert.
nic.in/desm/pdf/environment-edu/eei.pdf
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/environment/the-
need-of-value-based-environmental-education/9978
accessed on 06/08/22
NCERT. 2011. Teachers’ Handbook on Environmental
Education. https://ncert.nic.in/desm/pdf/content.pdf
UNESCO. 1977. Final Report of Intergovernmental Conference
on Environmental Education. Tblisi Declaration. https://
www.gdrc.org/uem/ee/Tbilisi-Declaration.pdf
wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/sahyadri_enews/
newsletter/issue22/art5.htm
130

Wild Vegetables and Fruits Utilised as
Daily or Periodic Dietary Component
9 of Scheduled Tribes Communities
of India—An Exhibition
(A Collaborative Effort)
Last Pages Pictures.indd 131 17-Oct-24 12:28:47 PM

Wild Vegetables and Fruits Utilised as Daily or
Periodic Dietary Component...
List of Contributors
Arunachal Pradesh 136
Arwankie Shadap, Assistant Professor, Department of
Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry,
Central Agricultural University, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh
Lomki Perme, Farmer, Tribal Community
Tabi Mize, Farmer, Tribal Community
Tagong Mize, Farmer, Tribal Community
Chhattisgarh139
Purushottam Das Sahu, Teacher, UPS,
Chihro, Chhattisgarh
Mohan Jaiswal, Headmaster, UPS,
Udkuda, Chhattisgarh
Dikesh Kumar Vaidya, Teacher, UPS,
Halba Community, Hinganjhar, Chhattisgarh
Ghanshyam Kumar Aoudse, Teacher, UPS,
Halba Community, Iragaon, Chhattisgarh
Malik Ram Churendra, SMC Member, Halba Community
Representative, Chihro, Chhattisgarh
Dhanraj Dugga, SMC Member, Gond Community
Representative, Chihro, Chhattisgarh
Madhya Pradesh 149
Vikas Kumar Chandel, Research Scholar (Ph.D.),
Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak
Sevak Ram Singh Anuppur, Farmer, Gond Community
Representative, Madhya Pradesh
Amit Kumar, Farmer, Gond Community Representative,
Dindori, Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra (Baripada) 153
Chaitram Deochand Pawar, Village Chief,
Konkani Community, Baripeda, Dhule, Maharashtra
Raman Lahanu Bahiram, Farmer, Konkani Community,
Maharashtra
Ramesh Gavit, Farmer, Konkani Community,
Maharashtra
Umesh Deshmukh, Farmer, Konkani Community,
Maharashtra
133

Indu Ramesh Gavit, Farmer,

Konkani Community, Maharashtra
Somnath Laggu Chaure, Farmer,
Bhilaji Jire Digambar, Farmer,
Maratha Community, Maharashtra
Jhima Rama Chaure, Farmer,
Devi Das Dayaram Pawar, Farmer,
Manisha Devidas Pawar, Farmer,
Kailash Pandit Pawar, Farmer,
Choti Kailash Pawar, Farmer,
Maharashtra (Gadchiroli) 159
Suchit Lakade, Subject Matter Specialist,
Horticulture, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sonapur,
Gadchiroli, Maharashtra
Maharashtra (Jawhar) 161
Sanjay Patil, Senior Thematic Programme Executive, BAIF
Development Research Foundation
Maharashtra (Melghat) 172
Pranita Kadu, Home Scientist, KVK,
Amaravati, Maharashtra
Maharashtra (Nandurbar) 174
Arti Deshmukh, Home Scientist KVTC, Nandurbar
Ram Singh Valvi, Farmer, Bhil Community, Nandurbar
Rukshatai Valvi, Farmer, Bhil Community, Nandurbar
Vila Valvi, Farmer, Bhil Community, Nandurbar
Jahagir Valvi, Farmer, Bhil Community, Nandurbar
Maharashtra (Sangamner) 179
Vijay Sambare, Freelancer Researcher and Conservation
Practitioner, Sangamner Nandurbar
Asha Asawale, Farmer, Mahadev Koli Community
134

Dunda Wale, Farmer, Mahadev Koli Community

Pushpa Asawale, Farmer, Mahadev Koli Community
Sayaji Asawale, Farmer, Mahadev Koli Community
Budhaji Wale, Farmer, Mahadev Koli Community
Manipur182
Priyadarshini Salam, Subject Matter Specialist,
Horticulture, KVK, Imphal East, Andro,
Central Agriculture University, Imphal
Meghalaya186
Amarjeet Kumar, Assistant Professor, Genetics and
Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture,
Central Agricultural University (Imphal)
Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya
Amit Anil Shahane, Assistant Professor, Agronomy,
College of Agriculture, Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya,
Constituent College of Central Agricultural University
(Imphal), Meghalaya
Mizoram187
Santosh Kumar, Subject Matter Specialist, Horticulture,
KVK Central Agriculture University, Aizawal, Mizoram
Laldawngliana, Farmer, Tribal Community
Rajasthan191
N.K. Gupta, Herbal Expert, Sambhar Lake
Shantilal Kharadi, Farmer, Bhil Community,
Jhadol Phalosia, Udaipur
Sikkim194
Sunil Kumar Chongtham, Assistant Professor,
College of Horticulture, Bermiok, South Sikkim,
Central Agricultural University, Imphal
Markit Lepcha, Farmer, Lepcha tribe, Sikkim
Pempa Norbu Lepcha, Farmer, Lepcha tribe, Sikkim
Uttarakhand 198
Sarla Saklani, Head of Department (HOD),
Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Hemvati
Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University,
Srinagar, Uttarakhand
135

Wild Vegetables and Fruits Used by Scheduled Tribes

Communities (Adi, Aka, Galo, Khanpati, Mishmi, Momba,
Sherdukpen, Singpho) of Arunachal Pradesh
Local name: Local name:

Kopi Pimik Lori/Pipla
Scientific name: Scientific name:
Solanum virgianum L. Piper pedicellatum C.DC.
Family: Family:
Solanaceae Piperaceae

Marsang Oyik
Blainvillea acmella (L.) Philipson Gonostegia triandra (Blume) Miq.
Family: Family:
Asteraceae Urticaceae
136


Onger Migom Kopi
Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC. Solanum torvum Sw.
Family: Family:
Rutaceae Solanaceae

Gamm oying Kasiang Kopi
Breynia androgyna (L.) Chakrab. Solanum aethiopicum L.
& N.P.Balakr. Family:
Family: Solanaceae
Phyllanthaceae
137


Ongin Oko Mamang
Clerodendrum colebrookianum Walp. Solanum nigrum L.
Family: Family:
Lamiaceae Solanaceae
Local name:
Kekir
Scientific name:
Zingiber sianginensis Tatum & Arup K.Das
Family:
Zingiberaceae
138


Communities (Halba and Gond) of Chhattisgarh

Bohar Bhaji Kochai Pan
Cordia dichotoma G.Forst. Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott.
Family: Family:
Boraginaceae Araceae

Chantti bhaji Bhathua Bhaji
Polygonum plebeium R.Br. Chenopodium album L.
Family: Family:
Polygonaceae Amaranthaceae
139


Master Bhaji Koliari Bhaji
Talinum fruticosum (L.) Juss. Bauhinia racemosa Lam.
Family: Family:
Talinaceae Fabaceae

Bhokar Bhaji, Bohar Bhaji Bhokar Bhaji, Bohar Bhaji
Cordia dichotoma G.Forst. Cordia dichotoma G.Forst.
Family: Family:
Boraginaceae Boraginaceae
140


Awali Bhaji Charota Bhaji
Oxalis hirta L. Senna tora (L.) Roxb.
Family: Family:
Oxalidaceae Fabaceae

Chunchunia Bhaji Gumee Bhaji
Marsilea vestita Hook. & Grev. Leucas cephalotes Spreng.
Family: Family:
Marsileaceae Lamiaceae
141


Brahmi Hadjod
Centella asiatica (L.)Urb. Cissus quadrangularis L.
Family: Family:
Apiaceae Vitaceae

Karmota Bhaji Bans Karil
Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. Dendrocalamus strictus (Roxb.) Nees
Family: Family:
Convolvulaceae Poaceae
142


Safed Bhatheri Safed Bhatheri
Solanum violaceum Ortega Solanum violaceum Ortega
Family: Family:
Solanceae Solanceae

Peng Bhaji Peng Bhaji
Celastrus paniculatus Willd. Celastrus paniculatus Willd.
Family: Family:
Celastraceae Celastraceae
143


Jungli Pidi Kand Bhaisdhate Kanda
Dioscorea oppositifolia L. Dioscorea alata L.
Family: Family:
Dioscoreaceae Dioscoreaceae

Kochai kanda Kochai Kanda
Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott
Family: Family:
Araceae Araceae
144


Semar Kanda Kew Kand
Bombax ceiba L. Hellenia speciosa (J. Koenig) S.R.Dutta
Family: Family:
Malvaceae Costaceae

Nangar Kanda Karu Kanda
Dioscorea alata L. Dioscorea pentaphylla L.
Family: Family:
145


Dangkanda Ran Hald, Hardoli
Dioscorea bulbifera L. Curcuma aromatica Salisb.
Family: Family:
Dioscoreaceae Zingiberaceae

Jirragoonda Taitar, Hinta
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Tamarindus indica L.
Family: Family:
Malvaceae Fabaceae
146


Mahua Mahua
Madhuca longifolia (L.) J.F.Macbr. Madhuca longifolia (L.) J.F.Macbr.
Family: Family:
Sapotaceae Sapotaceae

Gular Gular
Ficus racemosa L. Ficus racemosa L.
Family: Family:
Moraceae Moraceae
147


Bedela Kachari Tendu
Cucumis melo L. Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.
Family: Family:
Cucurbitaceae Ebenaceae

Hirva Hirva
Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc. Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc.
Family: Family:
Fabaceae Fabaceae
148


Communities (Gond and Bega) of Amarkantak, Madhya
Pradesh

Pihti Batra Semi
Cucumis melo L. Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet
Family: Family:
Cucurbitaceae Fabaceae

Barbati Bhenda
Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & Abelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight &
H. Ohashi Arn.
Family: Family:
Fabaceae Malvaceae
149


Sahajan Begani jeera
Moringa oleifera Lam. Cuminum cyminum L.
Family: Family:
Moringaceae Apiaceae

Tikhur Kand Kachai Kand
Curcuma angustifolia Roxb. Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott
Family: Family:
Zingiberaceae Araceae
150


Ratal Kand Daang Kand
Dioscorea alata L. Dioscorea bulbifera L.
Family: Family:

Gathru Kand Bechandi Kand
Dioscorea villosa L. Dioscorea hispida Dennst.
Family: Family:
151


Mandra Kand Barahi Kand
Amorphophallus paeoniifolius Dioscorea bulbifera L.
(Dennst.) Nicolson Family:
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Araceae

Gaintha Kand Bhilwa
Dioscorea belophylla (Prain) Voigt Anacardium excelsum Skeels
ex Haines Family:
Family: Anacardiaceae
Dioscoreaceae
152


Community (Konkan) of Baripada, Maharashtra

Kurdu Nalgut
Celosia argentea L. Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.
Family: Family:
Amaranthaceae Convolvulaceae

Ova Paan
Trachyspermum ammi Sprague Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott
Family: Family:
Apiaceae Araceae
153


Rajgira Tarota
Amaranthus cruentus L. Senna tora (L.) Roxb.
Family: Family:
Amaranthaceae Fabaceae

Makoi Dampan
Solanum nigrum L. Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers.
Family: Family:
Solanaceae Crassulaceae
154


Ran Keli Dhodada Kand
Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman Sauromatum venosum (Dryand. ex
Family: Aiton) Kunth
Musaceae Family:
Araceae

Kadavya Halunda Kadu Kand
Vigna vexillata (L.) A.Rich. Dioscorea bulbifera L.
Family: Family:
Fabaceae Dioscoreaceae
155


Alu Kanda Bafli Kand
Dioscorea esculenta (Lour.) Burkill Tetrataenium grande (Dalzell &
Family: A.Gibson) Manden.
Dioscoreaceae Family:
Apiaceae

Devari Goyalchi Ulshi Kand
Dioscorea alata L. Dioscorea hispida Dennst.
Family: Family:
156


Udadya Atum Halund Udla
Curcuma pseudomontana J.Graham Gynura bicolor (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC.
Family: Family:
Zingiberaceae Asteraceae

Tera Kand Ranaltulas Mul
Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Ocimum gratissimum (L.)
Family: Family:
Araceae Lamiaceae
157

Local name:
Shevra Mul
Scientific name:
Asparagus racemosus Willd.
Family:
Asparagaceae
Local name:
Sonaru
Scientific name:
Achyranthes aspera L.
Family:
Amaranthaceae
158


Community (Gond) of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra

Mataru Ran Hald, Hardoli
Dioscorea bulbifera L. Curcuma aromatica Salisb.
Family: Family:
Dioscoreaceae Zingiberaceae

Alu Dhopa Suran
Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
Family: (Dennst.) Nicolson
Araceae Family:
Araceae
159

Local name:
Charoli/Chironji
Scientific name:
Buchanania cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.R.Almeida
Family:
Anacardiaceae
Local name:
Momnaru
Scientific name:
Dioscorea esculenta (Lour.) Burkill
Family:
Dioscoreaceae
160


Communities (Warli and Mahadev Koli) of Jawhar,
Maharashtra

Gometo Kartule
Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) Gandhi Momordica dioica Roxb. ex Willd.
Family: Family:
Cucurbitaceae Cucurbitaceae

Vaaste Alu
Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott
Family: Family:
Poaceae Araceae
161


Baafali Bahaawaa
Tetrataenium grande (Dalzell & A. Cassia fistula L.
Gibson) Manden. Family:
Family: Fabaceae
Apiaceae

Sanbal Petar
Amaranthus roxburghianus Mallotus polycarpus (Benth.) Kulju
H.W.Kung & Welzen
Family: Family:
Amaranthaceae Euphorbiaceae
162


Dongar Jeera Kadi Kaula
Pimpinella heyneana (DC.) Kurz Smithia conferta Sm.
Family: Family:
Apiaceae Fabaceae

Kakad Kala Kuda
Garuga pinnata Roxb. Wrightia tinctoria R.Br.
Family: Family:
Burseraceae Apocynaceae
163


Karvand Karvand
Carissa carandas L. Carissa carandas L.
Family: Family:
Apocynaceae Apocynaceae

Kawadar Keni
Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman Commelina diffusa Burm. f.
Family: Family:
Musaceae Commelinaceae
164


Kher-sheng Kohrul
Radermachera xylocarpa (Roxb.) Bauhinia racemosa Lam.
Roxb. ex K.Schum. Family:
Family: Fabaceae
Bignoniaceae

Kauvali Bhaaji Kurdu
Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau Celosia argentea L.
& R.R.Fern. Family:
Family: Amaranthaceae
Asparagaceae
165


Lothi Mek
Dioscorea pentaphylla L. Cucumis setosus Cogn.
Family: Family:
Dioscoreaceae Cucurbitaceae

Moh Mokha
Madhuca longifolia (L.) J.F.Macbr. Schrebera swietenioides Roxb.
Family: Family:
Sapotaceae Oleaceae
166


Paayar Paayar
Ficus arnottiana (Miq.) Miq. Ficus arnottiana (Miq.) Miq.
Family: Family:
Moraceae Moraceae

Pendhara Pendhara
Tamilnadia uliginosa (Retz.) Tirveng. Tamilnadia uliginosa (Retz.) Tirveng.
& Sastre & Sastre
Family: Family:
Rubiaceae Rubiaceae
167


Sapud Shiri
Leea asiatica (L.) Ridsdale Cynanchum annularium (Roxb.)
Family: Liede & Khanum
Vitaceae Family:
Apocynaceae

Taag Tandlya
Crotalaria juncea L. Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC.
Family: Family:
Fabaceae Amaranthaceae
168


Temburni Terda
Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. Impatiens balsamina L.
Family: Family:
Ebenaceae Balsaminaceae

Tetu Toran
Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz Ziziphus rugosa Lam.
Family: Family:
Bignoniaceae Rhamnaceae
169

Local name:
Local name:
Umbar
Vagheti
Scientific name:
Scientific name:
Ficus racamosa L.
Capparis zeylanica L.
Family:
Family:
Moraceae
Capparaceae

Aliv Aliv
Meyna laxiflora Robyns Meyna laxiflora Robyns
Family: Family:
Rubiaceae Rubiaceae
170


Chai vel (Ulshi) Bhokar
Dioscorea pentaphylla Cordia dichotoma G.Forst.
Family: Family:
Dioscoreaceae Boraginaceae

Akkarghoda Kukulval
Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn Sterculia guttata Roxb.
Family: Family:
Dennstaedtiaceae Malvaceae
171


Community (Korku) of Melghat, Maharashtra

Sada Phuli Bhumi Amla
Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don Phyllanthus niruri L.
Family: Family:
Apocynaceae Phyllanthaceae

Ambuta Panfuti
Oxalis corniculata L. Kalanchoe daigremontiana Raym.-
Family: Hamet & H. Perrier
Oxalidaceae Family:
Crassulaceae
172


Gulabas Karadkhosla
Mirabilis jalapa L. Amaranthus spinosus L.
Family: Family:
Nyctaginaceae Amaranthaceae

Hirva Umber Chuch Bhaji
Ficus racemosa L. Corchorus olitorius L.
Family: Family:
Moraceae Malvaceae
173


Community (Bhil) of Nandurbar, Maharashtra

Pendre Dharvda
Tamilnadia uliginosa (Retz.) Tirveng. Lagerstroemia parviflora Roxb.
& Sastre Family:
Family: Lythraceae
Rubiaceae

Denimogro Kachanar
Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. Bauhinia purpurea L.
Family: Family:
Ebenaceae Fabaceae
174


Aahlu, Kaasaalu Akhivda
Alocasia macrorrhizos (L.) G.Don Celosia argentea L.
Family: Family:
Araceae Amaranthaceae

Ghevda Imli
Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet subsp. Tamarindus indica L.
purpureus Family:
Family: Fabaceae
Fabaceae
175


Gathyo Helto (Phalsa)
Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC. Grewia asiatica L.
Family: Family:
Amaranthaceae Malvaceae

Kena Koalya
Commelina benghalensis L. Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss
Family: Family:
Commelinaceae Poaceae
176


Kotlo Malkangni
Momordica dioica Roxb. ex Willd. Celastrus paniculatus Willd.
Family: Family:
Cucurbitaceae Celastraceae

Meke Pebdo
Cucumis setosus Cogn. Amorphophallus konjac K.Koch
Family: Family:
Cucurbitaceae Araceae
177


Povjyapajo Rankeli
Pupalia lappacea (L.) Juss. Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman
Family: Family:
Amaranthaceae Musaceae

Silo Tenbro
Marsilea minuta L. Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb.
Family: Family:
Marsileaceae Ebenaceae
178


Communities (Thakre and Mahadev Koli) of Sangamner,
Maharashtra

Alu Taro Bhalavand
Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Dillenia pentagyna Roxb.
Family: Family:
Araceae Dilleniaceae

Jambhul Karatule
Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels Momordica dioica Roxb. ex Willd.
Family: Family:
Myrtaceae Cucurbitaceae
179


Kavanda Moh
Carissa spinarum L. Madhuca longifolia (L.) J.F.Macbr.
Family: Family:
Apocynaceae Sapotaceae

Panfuti Rukhalu
Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. Remusatia vivipara (Roxb.) Schott
Family: Family:
Crassulaceae Araceae
180


Savar Umbar
Bombax ceiba L. Ficus racemosa L.
Family: Family:
Malvaceae Moraceae

Dhayati Wild Mango
Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-
Family: Lecomte ex O’Rohke) Baill.
Lythraceae Family:
Irvingiaceae
181


Communities of Manipur

Heiba mana Komprek
Exbucklandia populnea (R.Br. ex Oenanthe javanica DC.
Griff.) R.W.Br. Family:
Family: Apiaceae
Hamamelidaceae

Loklei Lomba
Hedychium ellipticum Buch.-Ham. Elsholtzia blanda Benth.
ex Sm. Family:
Family: Lamiaceae
Zingiberaceae
182


Maroi napakpi Monjaobi
Allium hookeri Thwaites Chenopodium album L.
Family: Family:
Amaryllidaceae Amaranthaceae

Nongmangkha mapan Peruk
Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Centella asiatica (L.)Urb.
Hardw.) Mabb. Family:
Family: Apiaceae
Acanthaceae
183


Phakpai Maroi nakuppi
Polygonum posumbu Buch.-Ham. Allium ampeloprasum L.
ex D.Don Family:
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Polygonaceae

Thambou Sougri
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Hibiscus sabdariffa L.
Family: Family:
Nelumbonaceae Malvaceae
184


Toningkhok Thamna makon
Houttuynia cordata Thunb. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.
Family: Family:
Saururaceae Nelumbonaceae

U morok Yellang
Capsicum chinense Jacq. Persicaria barbata (L.) Hara
Family: Family:
Solanaceae Polygonaceae
185


Communities of Meghalaya

Chayote Elephant apple
Sicyos edulis Jacq. Dillenia indica L.
Family: Family:
Cucurbitaceae Dilleniaceae
Local name:
Local name:
Ground Apple
Khasi Cherry
Scientific name:
Scientific name:
Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp.)
Prunus napaulensis (Ser.) Steud.
H.Rob.
Family:
Family:
Rosaceae
Asteraceae
186


Communities of Mizoram

Dragon fruit Dragon fruit
Selenicereus undatus (Haw.) Selenicereus undatus (Haw.)
D.R.Hunt D.R.Hunt
Family: Family:
Cactaceae Cactaceae

Dragon fruit Dragon fruit
Selenicereus undatus (Haw.) Selenicereus undatus
D.R.Hunt (Haw.) D.R.Hunt
Family: Family:
Cactaceae Cactaceae
187


Sarzuk Chilto
Elaeagnus latifolia L. Solanum betaceum Cav.
Family: Family:
Elaeagnaceae Solanceae

Hruizik Hruizik
Calamus erectus Roxb. Calamus erectus Roxb.
Family: Family:
Arecaceae Arecaceae
188


Samtawk Bitter Brinjal or Tomato
Solanum aethiopicum L. Solanum incanum L.
Family: Family:
Solanaceae Solanaceae

Cowa fruit Kawlbahra
Garcinia cowa Roxb. Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.
Family: Family:
Clusiaceae Convolvulaceae
189


Purun Zawangtha
Allium fistulosum L. Parkia speciosa Hassk.
Family: Family:
Amaryllidaceae Fabaceae

Avocado Chow Chow
Persea americana Mill. Sicyos edulis Jacq.
Family: Family:
Lauraceae Curcurbitaceae
190


Communities (Bhil and Garasia Bhil of Jhadol phalasia)
of Rajasthan

Bathali Kantakari
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Solanum virgianum L.
Mosyakin & Clemants Family:
Family: Solanaceae
Amaranthaceae

Safed Kaddu Shivalingi (Karit)
Benincasa hispida Cogn. Diplocyclos palmatus. (L.) C.Jeffrey
Family: Family:
Cucurbitaceae Cucurbitaceae
191


Hasti kand Kali haldi
Leea macrophylla Roxb. ex Hornem. Curcuma caesia Roxb.
Family: Family:
Vitaceae Zingiberaceae

Mirchi kand Balam Kheera
Corallocarpus epigaeus (Rottler) Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth.
Hook.f.
Family:
Family: Bignoniaceae
Cucurbitaceae
192


Bilb Ber
Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa Ziziphus nummularia (Burm. f.)
Family: Wight & Arn.
Rutaceae Family:
Rhamnaceae

Khajur Khajur
Phoenix dactylifera L. Phoenix dactylifera L.
Family: Family:
Arecaceae Arecaceae
193


Communities of Sikkim
Fruits
Rhizome

Amile ghans Chayote
Rumex acetosa L. Sicyos edulis Jacq.
Family: Family:
Polygonaceae Cucurbitaceae

Chinde saag Lapsi
Macropanax dispermus Spondias mombin L.
(Blume) Kuntze Family:
Family: Anacardiaceae
Araliaceae
194


Gandey jhaar Fruits of Mael
Houttuynia cordata Docynia indica (Colebr.) Decne.
Thunb. Family:
Family: Rosaceae
Saururaceae

Jangli dhania Simrai Saag
Eryngium foetidoum L. Nasturtium officinale R.Br.
Family: Family:
Apiaceae Brassicaceae
195


Nakima Nakima
Tupistra nutans Wall. ex Lindl. Tupistra nutans Wall. ex Lindl.
Family: Family:
Asparagaceae Asparagaceae

Ningroo Ningroo
Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw. Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw.
Family: Family:
Athyriaceae Athyriaceae
196


Sisnoo Tusa
Urtica dioica L. Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees &
Family: Arn. ex Munro
Urticaceae Family:
Poaceae

Tusa (Sliced bamboo shoot) Tusa (Dried bamboo shoot)
Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees & Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees &
Arn. ex Munro Arn. ex Munro
Family: Family:
Poaceae Poaceae
197


Communities of Uttarakhand

Daru haldi Kingod
Berberis aristata DC. Berberis aristata DC.
Family: Family:
Berberidaceae Berberidaceae

Semal Lingad or Lingru
Bombax ceiba L. Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw.
Family: Family:
Malvaceae Athyriaceae
198


Timla Timla
Ficus auriculata Lour. Ficus auriculata Lour.
Family: Family:
Moraceae Moraceae

Ban ka fal Bichu buti
Fragaria vesca nubicola L. Girardinia diversifolia (Link) Friis
Family: Family:
Rosaceae Urticaceae
199


Shahtut Shahtut
Morus alba L. Morus alba L.
Family: Family:
Moraceae Moraceae

Kafal Ghingaru
Myrica esculenta Pyracantha crenulata (D.Don)
Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don M.Roem.
Family: Family:
Myricaceae Rosaceae
200


Mehal Buransh
Pyrus pashia Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don Rhododendron arboreum Sm.
Family: Family:
Rosaceae Ericaceae

Hinsar Hinsalu
Rubus ellipticus Sm. Rubus niveus Thunb.
Family: Family:
Rosaceae Rosaceae
201


Amildu Ideesh
Rumex hastatus D.Don Viburnum lantana L.
Family: Family:
Polygonaceae Viburnaceae
Local name:
Local name:
Ber
Bael
Scientific name:
Scientific name:
Ziziphus oxyphylla Edgew.
Aegle marmelos (L.) corrêa
Family:
Family:
Rhamnaceae
Rutaceae
202


Blue Berries Kiphaliya
Vaccinium corymbosum L. Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Teschem.
Family: Family:
Ericaceae Rosaceae

Sakina Bhamore
Indigofera heterantha Wall. ex Cornus capitata Wall.
Brandis
Family:
Family: Cornaceae
Fabaceae
203

CONTEMPLATIONS FOR EXPANDING
CURRICULAR INSIGHTS FROM
10 COMMUNITY DIALOGUE: IN LIGHT OF
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020
PERSPECTIVES AND WAY FORWARD
Sunita Farkya*
INTRODUCTION
Since time immemorial, nature has been a great source

of sustenance, growth and learning for the humankind.
Ancient humans were always close to the nature and
existed in sync with nature and its various resources.
All the plants which existed in nature were in their
original forms and propagated through natural means of
pollination and seed dispersal without any kind of external
anthropocentric action or human interference. These
varieties of plants are known as wild plants. Therefore,
wild vegetables and plants are those vegetables and plants
which have never been cultivated nor been domesticated;
but have been used as important sources of food, fibre
and shelter by human beings since ages.
Even in present Indian territory, there are various tribal
belts and geographical areas that exhibit examples of
existence of an organic symbiotic association with nature.
The long and close proximity with nature has equipped
them with rich practical experiences and indigenous
knowledge systems. This practical, indigenous, first-
*P
rofessor and Head, Department of Education in Science and Mathematics,
National Institute of Education, National Council of Educational Research
and Training, New Delhi
Sunita Farkya.indd 204 17-Oct-24 12:28:25 PM

Contemplations for Expanding Curricular Insights
from Community Dialogue ...
hand knowledge has also helped them devise various

mechanisms and practices to optimally utilise various
plant species and their varied products in diverse unique
ways. Here, it is also important to note that along with
various other usage, these wild, indigenous plant varieties
and their products have also been a great source of
various ethno-medicines for the local scheduled tribe
communities. These have served on their primary health
care system, and have helped them save themselves from
various health issues and ailments with no added market
cost from outside.
As a result of their long-term association and everyday
conscious or unconscious observations of the nature,
different tribal communities have evolved an immensely
rich knowledge of local, wild vegetables and plants found
in their surroundings. This traditional knowledge is an
integral part of their personal, social, cultural and economic
identity and is unique to every culture or community with
oral communication being the primary mode of sharing
the knowledge from one generation to other. The tribal
community has always generated, refined and passed
on the knowledge verbally across the generations, but in
absence of proper documentation, there is a constant fear
of losing this rich traditional knowledge forever.
Today, world stands on a juncture where old,
experience-based, practical indigenous knowledge is
being replaced by the dominance of ‘modern’ and formal
institutional knowledge and thoughts. Various researches
are revealing that personal, socio-cultural and traditional
indigenous knowledge of children are not getting due
importance and yet the ‘western modern science’ dominates
the classroom discourse. As a result the tendency of our
students not realising the significance and potential of
their own indigenous knowledge has also been evolved. It
is therefore, important, relevant and pertinent to not only
revisit, cherish, celebrate and preserve our own indigenous
knowledge system(s) and practices but also to visualise
and carve out a path for more sustainable and inclusive
205

agricultural practices and wider knowledge sharing with

a strong sense of pride and belief in our own logic and
evidence-based indigenous knowledge systems. This
will help us realise our dream of a healthy, sustainable,
self-sustained and progressive Bharat.
RATIONALE IN NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY
2020 PERSPECTIVES
The commitment to go back to our roots and create a future

of our own strengths becomes all the more important
in context of our latest education policy, i.e., National
Education Policy-2020. The policy lays strong emphasis
on realising the importance of and taking pride in our own
knowledge system; and to come out strongly from long
etched colonial historical roots in collective Indian psyche.
Thus, this is quintessential to not only generate a dialogue
among the wider stakeholders from diverse sections of our
society but also to conceptualise and develop an inclusive
curricular framework which introduces and developes a
deeper, critical understanding of our traditional knowledge
systems.
As the NEP 2020, also recommends in the Para 4.27,
‘Knowledge of India’ to be included in school curriculum. It will
include knowledge from ancient India and its contributions
to modern India and its successes and challenges, and
a clear sense of India’s future aspirations with regard to
education, health, environment, etc. These elements will
be incorporated in an accurate and scientific manner
throughout the school curriculum wherever relevant; in
particular, Indian Knowledge Systems, including tribal
knowledge and indigenous and traditional ways of learning,
will be covered and included in mathematics, astronomy,
philosophy, yoga, architecture, medicine, agriculture,
engineering, linguistics, literature, sports, games, as well
as in governance, polity and conservation. Specific courses
in tribal ethno-medicinal practices, forest management,
traditional (organic) crop cultivation, natural farming, etc.
will also be made available.
206

Keeping the above discussed critical discourse in mind,

a two-day interactive meet of educationists, scientists
and community has been conceptualised to create a
platform, which not only helps in formal institutionalised
knowledge sharing but also facilitates informal dialogues
and knowledge construction among various stakeholders
from diverse fields. For this, efforts were made to bring
on board the representatives from various domains,
such as scientists, doctors and academicians working
in formal institutions, and community representatives
and educationists who are active in related knowledge
transaction and sharing among wider masses.
Independent scholars who are passionate about the
field, have also been included for indigenous knowledge
sharing.
PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL INTERACTIVE MEET
This interactive meet was expected to meet following

objectives:
• to provide an opportunity for an interaction and
exchange of ideas related to indigenous knowledge
between stakeholders from diverse fields;
• to trace the possible inter-linkages between
Indigenous Knowledge systems with reference to wild
plants and vegetables and ancient medicinal system
of Ayurveda;
• to spread awareness about saving precious heritage of
Indigenous Knowledge of wild plants and vegetables;
• to orient the wider masses towards biodiversity
conservation;
• to create a collaborative network of educationists,
scientists and communities, for exchange of ideas on
Indigenous Knowledge in wild plants and vegetables; and
• to develop a vision and conceptualise a curricular
framework to integrate the Indigenous Knowledge of
wild plants and vegetables and their conservation in
the present education system.
207

EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM THE NATIONAL

INTERACTIVE MEET
The following expected outcomes were drawn from the

event:
i. A focus on community participation in indigenous
knowledge sharing with an emphasis on wild plants
and vegetables utilised by scheduled tribe community
and their in situ conservation was discussed.
ii. Linkages between Indigenous Knowledge of wild
plants and vegetables with Ayurveda was discussed.
iii. Environmental awareness for biodiversity
conservation and saving of precious heritage of
Indigenous Knowledge in wild plants and vegetables
was discussed.
iv. A network of educationists, scientists and
communities with reference to exchange of ideas on
Indigenous Knowledge of wild plants and vegetables
has been created.
v. A vision on integrating Indigenous Knowledge of
wild plants and vegetables in the present education
system has been discussed.
CURRICULAR INSIGHTS
The event provided insights for holistic learning of a learner

under the informal and non-formal education scenario.
They inadvertently go through the science process skills,
such as observation, investigation, analysis and inference
and so on as they see intricacies of changing nature
with weather conditions and other factors, and connect
them with their observations. While going to jungle with
elders children learn various concepts such as identifying
plants, their medicinal uses and their in situ conservation
and more gradually and holistically. Many other science
concepts they learn are related to biodiversity, conservation
208

of biodiversity, values, ethics and environmental concerns

that are inbuilt in the learning process. Overall the informal
and non-formal learning takes place in a social scenario
and they learn from elders and discuss with peers about
their own learning.
The informal and non-formal learning addresses
diversity of learners and learning process with age
appropriateness, and provides experiential learning with
ethics, respect to elders, with evidence. Elders while
sharing life lessons and past experiences also address the
historical evidences. Oral communication is one of the
important pedagogies in this sharing of experiences. This
also addresses environmental perspectives and respect to
the environment.
The learning also provides mathematical perspectives,
such as how much product is required, how much is
available and how much will be consumed by what time;
such kind of calculations. All the learning takes place
under the social scenario in varied situations may it be
a festivity, culture, rituals and so on. When it relates to
livelihood, it also gives economic perspectives.
Since oral communication is one of the important
pedagogy, language perspective is also addressed. It is very
important to mention here that tribal languages are full of
primitive words that came into existence due to characters.
This is the reason why meaning of that particular word
is being conveyed in true spirit. Since many of the tribal
languages are vanishing fast, it is important to revive and
conserve these languages by bringing them in curriculum
for optimising learning (UNESCO, 2020).
Overall the seventeen sustainable development goals
(United Nations, 2015) may be addressed by integrating the
informal and non-formal education into formal education.
Gender concerns are also addressed as there were a good
number of female participants in the event and they came
forward to participate and share their experiences.
209

Pedagogy and Content Redressal

The event has provided insights for high pedagogical
implications of this indigenous knowledge. It suggests
proper integration of informal, non-formal and formal
education for addressing diversity of learners. It will
bridge the gaps of diverse social scenario making learning
inadvertent and easy. Following are some pedagogical
inputs suggested during the event:
i. Bringing community to school for competency and
skills development, teachers along with community
resource persons may initiate discussion with
learners in classroom or school premises.
ii. Working with community on the given topics such
as forest produce of different regions of India, wild
vegetables and fruits, wild vegetables and fruits in
different weathers, weather conditions for flowering
and fruiting of wild vegetables, factors affecting
pollination of wild edibles, medicinal importance of
wild edibles, recipes to eliminate toxins from wild
edibles for its effective use as medicine, etc.
iii. Community campaigns for awareness about modern
science and applications, such as nutraceuticals
values of ethnomedicines, etc.
iv. Cultural exchange programmes for in situ learning
by staying with community for a week or more and
learn about socio-economic and socio-cultural facets,
language, environment, ethics, health and hygiene,
etc.
Implementation
i. A Community Resource Group may be formed by
identifying experts from each and every scheduled
tribe community of India.
ii. All the members of Community Resource Group may
be registered with the state education department for
content delivery related to the concerned indigenous
knowledge of that particular area.
210

iii. A skilled person from scheduled tribes community may

be invited to act as a resource person for pedagogical
inputs for contextual curriculum delivery. This will
address the gaps related to language and cultural
context.
iv. Identification of content in each curricular area by
the subject experts and teachers to relate with the
indigenous knowledge for knowledge transaction and
pedagogy.
v. Teacher development and orientation programmes
must include sessions for implementation and
integration of informal, non-formal and formal
education for optimising learning.
CONCLUSION
The approach of formation of Community Resource Groups

will definitely boost-up the confidence of community.
They would feel pride in their own knowledge skills and
strengths they earned after a long experience. Running
behind one profession for livelihood will be addressed to
some extent by this approach. The learners in context
and otherwise would become self-sufficient in their own
indigenous knowledge and skills. They will relate it with
the modern knowledge and develop the competency for
entrepreneurial development. It will proceed towards a
community led curriculum for self-sufficient and self-
reliant India.
The interactive meet also provided avenues for modern
methods of researches not only to revalidate the knowledge
but also for further applications and insights for new fields
and researches, such as nutraceuticals researches have
provided insights on nutritional importance of wild edibles.
References
Ministry of Education, Government of India. 2020. National
Education Policy 2020. https://www.mhrd.gov.in/sites/
upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
211

Ministry of Education, Government of India. 2020. National

Education Policy 2020. https://www.education.gov.in/
en/nep/national-education-policy-2020/www.education.
gov.in/en/nep/national-education-policy-2020
UNESCO. 2020. National Education Policy. 2020.
An Overview. https://bangkok.unesco.org/content/
national-education-policy-2020-overview
United Nations. 2015. The 17 Goals — Sustainable
Development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals
212

Notes

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Prelims.indd 1 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

OFFICES OF THE PUBLICATION

108, 100 Feet Road

Navjivan Trust Building

Head, Publication : Anup Kumar Rajput

Prelims.indd 2 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) has

Prelims.indd 3 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

Dinesh Prasad Saklani

Prelims.indd 4 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

The present book is the proceedings of ‘National Interactive

Prelims.indd 5 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

Prelims.indd 6 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

Prelims.indd 7 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

The National Council of Educational Research and Training

Prelims.indd 8 17-Oct-24 3:25:04 PM

Prelims.indd 9 23-Sep-24 9:59:21 AM

Tribal communities have rich indigenous wisdom which they

Sunita Farkya.indd 1 17-Oct-24 12:28:05 PM

to connect them with curricular practices, that will also

Traditional practices of tribal communities have always

Sunita Farkya.indd 2 24-Sep-24 4:53:36 PM

agricultural practices, carpenters for carpentry practices,

Sunita Farkya.indd 3 24-Sep-24 4:53:36 PM

and so on, for sustainable

Sunita Farkya.indd 4 24-Sep-24 4:53:36 PM

Policy 2020. The policy lays strong emphasis on realising

Sunita Farkya.indd 5 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

As mentioned by J.P. Naik in his work (GoI, 1971), it is

Sunita Farkya.indd 6 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

In its para 4.29, it lays emphasis on indigenous pedagogy:

Attempt has been made to collate the existing tribal

Sunita Farkya.indd 7 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

acquired certain skills as per their interest and capabilities.

Sunita Farkya.indd 8 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

certain skills and learn by first-hand experiences. This

Sunita Farkya.indd 9 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

The Pastoralists and Cattle Herders

Sunita Farkya.indd 10 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

Himachal Pradesh and Maldhari, Rebari and Bharwad in

Fig. 1.5: Pastoralism in Kutch, Gujarat (Personal observation)

Fig. 1.6: Pastoralism in Fig. 1.7: Pastoralism in Chiharo,

Sunita Farkya.indd 11 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

medication by observing behaviour of animals and applied

Sunita Farkya.indd 12 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

Hence, they get better equipped in animal husbandry

Sunita Farkya.indd 13 24-Sep-24 4:53:37 PM

Sunita Farkya.indd 14 24-Sep-24 4:53:44 PM

they have to exchange their products for food articles

Fig. 1.10(a): Soil painting on huts Fig. 1.10(b): Artistic walls

Sunita Farkya.indd 15 24-Sep-24 4:53:45 PM

1991; Roy et al., 2012;

Sunita Farkya.indd 16 24-Sep-24 4:53:45 PM

and more experience

Tribal women are more skilful due to their involvement in

Sunita Farkya.indd 17 24-Sep-24 4:53:45 PM

supply of those forest