Domestication past and future of tribal agriculture in Bastar

Abstract

Wild edible fruits play an important role in the nutrition, medicinal and traditional lifestyles of the local people. Bastar region is rich in its biodiversity and tribal communities who are dependent on wild resources for the sustenance. The main forest is sal, Harra, Bahera, Char, Tendu, Palash. Most of the people are either engaged in livelihood through agriculture or forestry-related options. The economic condition of the people is also below the national level as reflected in per capita income. Wild edible fruits of this region are not only consumed but are also sold in local markets. There is a need to domesticate the fruits at the same time there is a need to develop cultivable improved varieties and the study nutritional aspect to design better foods for the future. Although these wild edible plants play an important role in food security, they are ignored. The primitive man through trial and error has selected many wild edible plants, which are edible and subsequently domesticated them. Allopatric speciation, also referred to as geographic speciation, vicariant speciation, or its earlier name, the dumbbell model, is a mode of speciation that occurs when biological populations of the same species become isolated from each other to an extent that prevents or interferes with gene flow. Wild edible is less susceptible to diseases, can be grown easily without the application of pesticides. Ironically these plants are still unknown or less known to other parts of the world. The wild edible plant species will be popularized after phytochemical analysis and nutritional studies. The present study on the review of “Domesticable Hidden Wild Botanical Gems of Forest” will be helpful in pooling different types of edible plant species utilized by various tribes in different parts of the forest.