Abstract
The trade of Himalayan caterpillar fungus, or Ophiocordyceps sinensis, is believed to have transformed the rural economy of certain Himalayan villages. Most scholarly work on the caterpillar fungus focuses on its ecology, physiology, and pharmacological attributes, followed by conservation and sustainability issues. Few studies have tried to understand it from a socioeconomic and political perspective. Of the few studies examining its economic contribution to households, most are concentrated in Nepal and Tibet, and a handful focus on India. In the present study, we estimated the mean annual cash income per household in Gori valley, Kumaon Himalaya, and the relative economic contribution of caterpillar fungus. We compared the incomes of caterpillar fungus collectors with those of noncollectors, identified harvest trends from 2009 to 2017, and took stock of people's perceptions regarding this short seasonal occupation. Results show that earnings from caterpillar fungus contribute 60–78% to the annual household income of collectors, with noncollectors earning 15–55% less than collectors. The study suggests that an increase in the number of harvesters may explain an observed decline in individual harvests. Though caterpillar fungus provides opportunities for economic emancipation to half the valley's population, inconsistent harvest, unreliable prices, and illegality of the trade are decreasing its viability for many. Furthermore, discordant and complex governance meted out through various state directives is increasingly jeopardizing this local natural resource-based livelihood enhancement strategy—a strategy that has incidentally outperformed concerted state efforts for poverty alleviation in the region.
Highlights
Natural resource dependency and the socioeconomic status of dependent communities are critical to the urgent global debate on synchronizing efforts toward biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation (Barrett et al 2011; Miller et al 2011; Bille et al 2012)
We explore the opportunities and uncertainties governing the lives of people in a remote area of the state of Uttarakhand, northern India, who have become dependent on a highly rewarding natural resource—Himalayan caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis ( CF)—for economic development
Households in the valley are characterized by diverse livelihood portfolios (Figure 2): 21% of the sampled population has 1 income source, 30% has 2 sources, and 49% has more than 2 income sources (Figure 3)
Summary
Natural resource dependency and the socioeconomic status of dependent communities are critical to the urgent global debate on synchronizing efforts toward biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation (Barrett et al 2011; Miller et al 2011; Bille et al 2012). Known as yarsa gumba, kida jadi, or Chinese caterpillar mushroom, CF is an entomophilous fungus found in the Tibetan Plateau and adjoining high-altitude areas of Central and Eastern Himalaya in Bhutan, Nepal, and the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh (Cannon et al 2009). It mostly occurs in the altitudinal range of 3000–5000 m in moist alpine meadows. CF trade has emerged as a promising means of income for unemployment-ridden mountain villages
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