Conservation of Uncultivated Food

 

The relation of uncultivated food and poor is very strong. Now, it is not only their source of food but their hard work took it to another level such as selling to urban areas and motivated the conservation of uncultivated crops such as green leafy vegetables, fruits, berries, mushrooms etc that are rich in nutrients. With the help of Ex-situ conservation, farmers grow these species in multiple places. Because of their support to such wild foods they have enhanced the diversity of various nutritious food crops. They approached the maintenance of cultivated food varieties in their own lands and home gardens. Their consumption increase the utility of such crops.

Uncultivated or wild food items are mostly conserved by tribal or poor people. They have been surrounded mainly by natural resources. They quickly find various raw uncultured food in their areas which have been added to the diet. Many countries and such communities have developed strategies for the conservation of traditional eatables and uncultivated food. They adopt ex-situ and in-situ conservation methods according to the condition.

_______________________________________________________________________

Buy Organic Products Online at best prices at http://www.getgreen.co.in .

________________________________________________________________________

Poor people and tribal communities suffering

While doing so much hard work and fight everyday for their hunger, many poor communities suffer a lot. Uncultivated food is their only source. It become hurdles due to urbanisation or any disaster when they lost the forest areas and their lands. Still they are not getting enough in return and support from many authorities as they are lacking somewhere in helping them. There are various factors which declines the use of traditional food items:

(1)Biological factors – The scientific knowledge about the diversity of various food items are still lacking among people who deal with these crops.

(2)Cultural factors- A research and cultural programmes approach to increase knowledge among people about various species. It includes the status, modernity and the cost of different uncultivated food. It enhances the awareness among people about the benefits of uncultivated food.

(3)Production factor- Use and production level of uncultivated food need to be documented and analysed to increase their conservation. The producer should have detailed knowledge about the species to improve the process of selection and concern to identify as they are capable or not because some wild plants are not for eating purpose.

(4)Survival of new plant- The local food items have good survival ability as they become familiar with forest land, but the plantation in degraded forest failed sometime. To overcome these problems, they focused on the development of in-situ conservation ways.

They have also developed the ex-situ conservation and worked on the development of the land location. They have taken up other various initiatives with ex-situ preservation such as plantation of jackfruit, Apple, guava etc. concerned in the homestead. They also focused on increasing water availability required. The use of uncultivated food gets declined sometimes because of changes in cultural factors, low competitiveness and other factors.

_______________________________________________________________________

Read Also : Waste management a grave problem in Dharamsala

________________________________________________________________________

Then few research stated that it could be overcome with the help of modifying conservation strategies. It includes various elements such as community genebanks where a group of species is essential, National genebanks which include evaluation of Indigenous Knowledge, NGOs and community organisations have the exchanges of various plant species which impact in diversity and adaptation, producers, marketers and documentary concerns enhance the process and production for reaching the conservation to urban communities.

Story of Different Poor Communities and Uncultivated food

1. How poor of Zaheerabad region of Medak, Andhra Pradesh, India conserve uncultivated food?

The place with black and sandy soil with average rainfall is 750-800 mm. Farmers have developed various strategies of conservation to deal with such agro-climate. There is a voluntary organisation Deccan Development Society (DDS) works in the rural areas of Medak. They are always focused on improving the lives of poor people lives there by the conservation of uncultivated foods. They have searched around 80 uncultivated vegetables and berries. Mostly Dalit women are involved in cultivation and identification of wild food as they come lowest among the communities divided there. To grow more uncultivated food, they enhance the idea of crop diversity which helps them to deal with the unfavourable weather condition. For them, it is the primary source of their dietary plans. Since the uncultivated food contains various nutritions, it is observed that Medak rural women and children consume it in a low amount. Since the life of daycare of children, they have been feeding with such vegetables, fruits, leaves and berries. Farmers in Medak celebrate the diversity of uncultivated vegetables and fruits by offering uncultivated foods and worship mother land. Conserving uncultivated food is not only their need but also became employment.

Tribal communities of Bissam Cuttak celebrates the festival of conservation of uncultivated food. Over 200 tribal communities of different areas gather and enjoy the diversity festival of their traditional food with serving the varieties of uncultivated food in meals. The research on these tribal communities concluded that the regenerated forests contain types of wild or uncultivated vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, berries at a particular time of year.

2. Overview of tribal community of Bissam Cuttak, Niyamgiri foothills of Odisha and Vanvadi forests food

 

Vanvadi farmers work so hard in the conservation of forests food and botanical name of more than 30 species have been identified. But the civil people don’t pay attention to such actions by poor communities which involve in providing free forest foods and focusing on the conservation of uncultivated food.

________________________________________________________________________

Read Also : Targeted Ecosystem Restoration Can Protect Climate, Biodiversity,

________________________________________________________________________

3. Uncultivated food- survival issue of South Asia poor

Many communities in South Asia totally depend on uncultivated food. This research completed the concern of connection between the poor livelihood and conservation of uncultivated diversity of food. Some of the authorised programmes such as Green Revolution Style Agriculture production and Trade in Food defeated in addressing the problem of poor communities that the conservation of uncultivated food by them is because of lack of money not due to less food supply. Government is somewhere failed to fulfil the needs of food of poor communities. More than that, they depend on uncultivated food and its conservation as employment. There should be a policy environment for the conservation, production and consumption of such uncultivated food utilised in such tribal areas and also promote the ecosystem growth and rights of poor people to access such wild food.

There are various uncultivated food items that are highly nutritious and conserved by large community such as Jonnachamcheli, Adavi pullakura, Tummikura, mangosteen, jackfruit, doggali koora, Gangavayeli, gunugu, Chennangi, soyikoora, Ananda, aquatic weed, honey, green leaves vegetables, fruits, legumes, killers, tubers etc.
Examples of Uncultivated food

Conclusion

Poor people not only involved in conservation and production process of uncultivated food and their sale but also in enhancing the relation of natural and social resources. The conservation of traditional uncultivated food is not only for eatable purposes but also have medicinal use which treats health problems. Livelihoods of such communities are 100% depend on the diversity of uncultivated species. The various policies should meet the link of poor, ecosystem and uncultivated food. Still, there is the rejection of such essential uncultivated food faced by poor community by civilization due to modern era and lack of willingness to utilise such food.

 

 

 

 

Tags: #conservation, #delicious, #dinner, #follow, #food, #foodblogger, #foodgasm, #foodie, #foodies, #foodlover, #foodphotography, #foodporn, #foodstagram, #getgreengetgrowing, #gngagritech, #greenstories, #healthyfood, #homemade, #instafood, #instagood, #like, #love, #photooftheday, #yummy, uncultivated food