Traditional Food Systems Research Articles

Продуктовий ритейл в Україні: тенденції та наслідки кризових трансформацій продовольчої системи

Sustainable transformations in some segments of the food system, which have recently occurred due to military conflicts, extreme climate events and epidemics, necessitate their in-depth study. Ensuring the population's physical and economic access to food to a certain extent depends on food retail (domestic retail trade), which, together with other components of the food system, has undergone transformation and requires an assessment of development trends. The article aims to identify development trends and transformations that occurred from 2012 to 2021 in Ukraine's food retail industry as a component of the food system. The study used general scientific and special methods: dialectical and logical to summarize the scientific basis for identifying transformations in food retail; economic-statistical – for processing and analyzing statistical data; tabular and graphical – for visualizing and summarizing the research results. The authors summarize conceptual approaches to the interpretation and essence of transformations in food systems and features of the formation of modern food policy. The differences in food retail transformations in modern and traditional food systems were revealed. Trends in the development and transformation of food retail during 2012-2021 were identified, including changes in the quantitative structure of stores and retail space, turnover volumes, profitability of trade, volumes of consumption of basic food products, consumer prices, etc. With the advent of Internet commerce, qualitative changes have occurred in serving consumers, mainly through creating online goods delivery services, mobile applications, and social networks. Using innovative food retail management technologies increases the efficiency of trade operations and improves product supply. As a result of the transformation of consumer priorities, health and sports nutrition stores and farm products have become stores with a focus on their safety and quality.

Examining the Inter-Linkages of COVID-19, Agricultural Households and Nepal’s Political Economy

This study investigates the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nepal's political economy and household economies, focusing on the agricultural sector and remittance dynamics. The primary objective is twofold: first, to analyze the pandemic's impact on Nepal's broader economic landscape using secondary literature, and second, to examine the consequences of outmigration on household economies through primary panel data from 2017 and 2020 surveys. The methodology involves employing a mix of secondary literature analysis and primary panel data from five districts, using OLS and random effects models to evaluate the effects on agricultural yield. The results indicate that the agricultural output of migrant households did not significantly increase post-pandemic, while non-migrant households experienced a notable rise in average agricultural yield. This suggests the resilience of traditional agricultural and food systems during shocks. The study underscores the importance of policies encouraging migrant households to leverage remittances for agricultural productivity and emphasizes the need for long-term strategies to enhance overall economic resilience in the face of global crises.

Mainstreaming traditional fruits, vegetables and pulses for nutrition, income, and sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa: the case for Kenya and Ethiopia.

This study documented existing knowledge on traditional fruits, vegetables and pulses in Kenya and Ethiopia. The aim was to identify neglected and underutilized species with high potential for food security, for their economic value and contribution to sustainable agriculture, based on a literature review and confirmation of existing data by local experts. In order of priority, the top 5 fruit species in Kenya are Tamarindus indica L., Adansonia digitata L., Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich.) Hochst, Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, and Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., for vegetables are Amaranthus spp., Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., Solanum spp., and Cleome gynandra L. Top fruits in Ethiopia are Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf., Cordeauxia edulis Hemsl., Cordia africana Lam., and Mimusops kummel A. DC., for vegetables are Brassica carinata A. Braun, Cucurbita pepo L., and Amaranthus spp. In both countries, priority pulse species (no ranking) are Phaseolus lunatus L., Sphenostylis stenocarpa (A.Rich.) Harms, Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC., Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet, and Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. Generally, these priority species are good sources of key nutrients known for their inadequate dietary intakes in sub-Saharan Africa, represent a safety net for household income, and contribute positively to ecosystem resilience in existing agricultural systems. Complete, accurate and reliable nutrient composition data are needed to raise consumer awareness about their nutritional and health benefits. Since women play a central role in traditional food systems, their empowerment, and hence resilience, increase the positive impact they can have on the households' dietary diversity. In particular, introducing small-scale processing techniques and marketing strategies could enhance their supply and consumption.

Impacts of colonization on Indigenous food systems in Canada and the United States: a scoping review

BackgroundIndigenous populations in Canada and the United States (US) have maintained reciprocal relationships with nature, grounded in respect for and stewardship of the environment; however, disconnection from traditional food systems has generated a plethora of physical and mental health challenges for communities. Indigenous food sovereignty including control of lands were found to be factors contributing to these concerns. Therefore, our aim was to conduct a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature to describe Indigenous disconnection from Indigenous food systems (IFS) in Canada and the US.MethodsFollowing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-SR) and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, SCOPUS, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Sociological s, and Bibliography of Native North Americans. Data was extracted from 41 studies and a narrative review completed based on study themes.ResultsThe overarching theme identified in the included studies was the impact of colonization on IFS. Four sub-themes emerged as causes for Indigenous disconnection from traditional food systems, including: climate change; capitalism; legal change; and socio-cultural change. These sub-themes highlight the multiple ways in which colonization has impacted Indigenous food systems in Canada and the US and important areas for transformation.ConclusionsEfforts to reconnect Indigenous knowledge and values systems with future food systems are essential for planetary health and sustainable development. Traditional knowledge sharing must foreground authentic Indigenous inclusion within policymaking.

A Comprehensive review of Nigella sativa (kalonji) from the Unani perspective

The remarkable therapeutic properties of Nigella sativa, often known as black seed or kalonji are well recognized. The use of N. sativa seeds and its oil has a long history in various traditional food and medical systems. As stated by the holy prophet of Islam (PBUH), Shoneez is important since it can cure all diseases with the exception of death. It is widely used in several conventional medical systems, including Unani Tibb, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and Siddha.
 The goal of the current review is to provide a thorough overview of the literature on scientific studies of the pharmacognostical properties, chemical makeup, and pharmacological activity of the seeds of this plant.
 The data was collected from various reputed data bases like PubMed, Science direct, Web of Saciences, Google Scholar and Research Gate. The traditional and Unani literature was also searched from the classical books of Greco-Arab medicine in addition to other digital sources.
 According to traditional Unani literature, N. sativa exhibits a variety of pharmacological properties, including those that are carminative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactagogue, and expectorant. Numerous phytochemical, pharmaceutical, and clinical studies have been conducted on N. sativa, revealing its potential anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, immunomodulator, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator, renal protective, gastro-protective, antioxidant, and other properties. N. sativa is among the top-ranked evidence-based herbal medications because of its remarkable healing ability. The main bioactive component of the essential oil, thymoquinone, is responsible for the majority of its medicinal capabilities.
 Nigella sativa is a potent herb which exhibits wide range of pharmaceutical properties, most of which have been confirmed via preclinical and clinical studies. This review may thus be useful for the research community in particular and common people in general to avail the benefits of N. sativa.
 Keywords: Anti-cancer, Kalonji, Habat-ul-Sauda, Shoneez, Thymoquinone, Nigella sativa, Unani

Reducing Indigenous suicide: Recognizing vital land and food systems for livelihoods.

Colonial trauma poses a significant risk to the physical, intellectual, and mental health of Indigenous youth and young adults. Education and mental health scholars are increasingly concerned about the emotional wellbeing of young people, particularly as rates of suicide have increased across the United States. With interest in identifying the unique contextual dynamics involved in understanding Indigenous suicide, this work considers characteristics related to colonialism that may uncover strategies for both educators and mental health practitioners that address disparities. Drawing on a larger ethnographic study, this inquiry asks how settler encroachment upon Indigenous land and food systems is related to death by suicide from the perspective of Cowichan Tribes members. Comprehensive semi-structured interviews were conducted (n = 21); each interview was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed deductively based upon a priori suppositions related to settler colonial theory. Cowichan members' narrated explanations for suicide rooted in disruptions to (1) relationships with the land and (2) traditional food systems. They described how settler encroachment infringed upon their subsistence way of living and introduced incongruent constructions of nature-culture relations (e.g., humans as distinct and separate from the natural world). Settler futurity is secured through the arrogation of territorial dominance coupled with physical or conceptual acts of erasure, placing Indigenous lives and lifeways at risk. One outcome of the disruption to Indigenous collective capacities is a dramatic increase in Indigenous suicide.

Ethnobotany for food security and ecological transition: wild food plant gathering and consumption among four cultural groups in Kurram District, NW Pakistan

BackgroundIn traditional food systems, especially those of rural populations around the world, wild food plants remain crucial. These resources need to be urgently documented to lay the foundations for sustainable livelihoods and food security.MethodsIn the present field study, we gathered information about wild food plants and mushrooms consumed by four ethnic groups (Turis, Khushis, Hazaras, and Christians) living in Kurram District, NW Pakistan, by conducting semi-structured interviews and holding group discussions.ResultsA total of 57 wild edible plants and mushrooms were reported, with the documented taxa belonging to 50 genera and 34 families. Turis reported the highest number of wild food plants (41), followed by Hazaras (37), Khushis (35), and then Christians, who reported only 11 plants. The most dominant families were Rosaceae, followed by Polygonaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Moraceae, and Plantaginaceae. The comparative analysis we conducted with the pre-existing Pakistani ethnobotanical studies revealed that 23 wild edible plants have not been previously reported as food items in the area under study, which included Fragaria nubicola, Lepidium draba, Pinus wallichiana, Podophyllum emodi, Prunus jacquemontii, Sambucus nigra, Sideroxylon mascatense, and Thymus linearis. Four wild edible mushrooms are also reported for the area for the first time: Calvatia gigantea, Morchella esculenta, Pisolithus albus, and Tulostoma squamosum. The cross-cultural analysis of wild edible plants and their uses revealed remarkable similarity between Khushis and Hazaras. The overlapping pattern of wild edible plant use among these two groups, as well as Turis, confirms the existence of cross-cultural interactions among these communities, which have shared the same environmental and socio-cultural space for several decades. Food heritage and some unique dishes are linked to wild edible plants in the area, such as Zamda, prepared by Turis, and Saba, famous among Khushis and Hazaras.ConclusionThis study suggests that some wild edible plants could be cultivated to protect a few threatened species from overexploitation, while the overall wild food plant heritage should be promoted and revitalized; for example, within educational platforms aimed at improving the wellbeing of local communities and the global ecological transition we must deal with.

Editorial: Local, traditional and indigenous food systems in the 21st century to combat obesity, undernutrition and climate change

Editorial: Local, traditional and indigenous food systems in the 21st century to combat obesity, undernutrition and climate change

Ethnobiological survey to determine the link between health benefits and qualities of Maasai traditional food system in Monduli, Arusha, Tanzania

ABSTRACT Although Maasai’s traditional food system (TFS) is claimed to keep a low prevalence of metabolic diseases (MD), the link between its qualities and health benefits is not well established. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to determine the link between health benefits and qualities of the Maasai TFS in Monduli, Arusha, Tanzania. The survey involved 21 Maasai TFS practitioners (MTPs) and revealed that the TFS has varieties of 19 dishes and a diversity of 78 flora species. The diversity of dishes and species had various potential health benefits: nutrition like Fe and vitamin A; therapeutic and protective effects against ailments including MD like gout, pressure, indigestion, and kidney disorders. Some food processing technologies (FPT) like nixtamalization, and meat roasting had potential protective effects against the MD. Cultural preferences and restrictions (CPR) for the food selection insured individual nutritional and health needs are met, and reinforcement of Maasai socio-structure and cohesion. Integrated protection and promotion measures are required to prevent unplanned nutritional transitions away from the TFS. Further research on the nutritional and medicinal roles of some FPT and the frequently used species could facilitate the protection and use of the TFS for the health benefits of especially marginalized people.

Conceptualization of alternative food networks in Latin America: a case study of a local food system in Southwestern Colombia

Alternative Food Networks (AFN) is a concept that has emerged in opposition to conventional food systems and the global food regime. AFN are localized food networks that connect actors from food producers to consumers creating a pathway that strengthens ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Much of the literature on AFN focuses on geographies and food systems in the Global North, often recommending schemes such as farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture, organic certification, and fair trade. However, these strategies are not always appropriate for food systems in the Global South. In Colombia, small producers have maintained a parallel traditional food system, despite the growing pressure and investments to transition to a conventional food system. This research analyses the local food system of Cauca addressing the following questions: 1) what are the dynamics of the local food system in the Andean region of Cauca and 2) how can the local food system in the Andean region of Cauca be conceptualized as an alternative food network in the context of the Global South? To answer these questions, transdisciplinary research was carried out using SWOT analysis during multiple stakeholder workshops, followed by a reflexive thematic analysis of the results. The results show coexistence of both traditional and conventional food system dynamics, with participants assigning greater value to traditional food systems and agroecological production (akin to AFN literature), yet the economic insecurity and socio-political unrest that underlies daily life prohibits a more robust transition from conventional food system. It is argued that the understanding of AFN should be expanded to incorporate socio-cultural context as well as the dynamics of AFN in the Global South.

Towards a better understanding of the relationships between pollinators, human well‐being, and medicine plants in the Great Lakes Region of Eastern North America

Societal Impact StatementA diversity of values is needed to maximize the effectiveness of conservation planning, including policies and programs. The results of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in Montreal, Canada, highlight the importance of a shift towards recognizing multiple ways of knowing in ecology and conservation. This review aims to provide a baseline of what is known about culturally significant plants in the Great Lakes Region of Eastern North America. The results of this research provide insight into the ways in which ecology has been conducted in the past and the importance of changing the way ecology is conducted in the future.SummaryBiocultural conservation theory allows for an examination of complex problems using systems thinking and conserving biological and cultural diversity together. In the Great Lakes Region of Eastern North America, wild medicine plants are an important part of what Anishinaabe people understand as Mini bimaadizi, or the good life, and of aki miijim, or traditional food systems. Given the various threats facing wild plant populations and continued global change, this review aims to investigate what is known about the pollination and breeding systems of culturally significant plants in the Great Lakes Region. The overall goal is to determine what proportion of these plants have had basic ecological studies done and the degree to which culturally significant plants in this region rely on insect pollination. A systematic review of the literature was conducted on breeding systems and pollination of culturally significant plants. Half of all the culturally significant plants included lacked specific information related to reproduction. Most plants that have been studied relied on outcrossing, and the most commonly reported pollinators were in the Apidae family. With the complex interactions between plants and pollinators and many insect pollinators experiencing population declines, it is important to determine the dependence of culturally significant plants on animal pollination. These findings will be relevant to conservation planning and policy in the future.

Impact of neoliberalism on the socioeconomic life and food system of Kondh tribes of Rayagada, Odisha

The paper focuses on how the neoliberal economy is changing the agriculture and traditional food system of the Kondh tribes of Odisha, India. As Kondhs’ culture and the ritual system moves around agriculture, its increasing commercialization has led to changes in the larger socioeconomic structure. The paper discusses the immediate impacts of neoliberalism on the Kondhs’ youths and rising materialism. Widespread cultivation of Bt. Cotton and GM seeds in the region are one of the ways to trace the impact of the neoliberal market system. Most commercial exchanges performed by Kondhs and nontribal middlemen are a site for multiple negotiations and terms for trading, in which Kondhs most loose, both ecologically and economically. The paper uses ethnographic data and experiences to discuss socioeconomic distress among Kondhs, changing from barter to a cash system. It concludes by discussing if local NGOs and food movements can become a solution.

Reviving Smallholder Hill Farming by Involving Rural Youth in Food System Transformation and Promoting Community-Based Agri-Ecotourism: A Case of Uttarakhand State in North-Western India

Until recent decades, labour-intensive subsistence farming was a way of life and livelihood in the hill communities of Uttarakhand, India. However, the nature of agriculture falls far short of the expectations of the main labour force, the rural youth, leading to their mass migration to non-agricultural occupations. The large-scale youth migration has left many hill farming landscapes depopulated and farmlands abandoned. As youth have special stakes in food systems, they must be included in the sustainable transformation of food systems. By doing so, the migration-prone hill region may be transformed into a place where rural youth have more options for work and income. Therefore, the agriculture sector needs to change and develop into a more engaging and youthful workplace. There are opportunities to explore and barriers to be removed. Besides identifying priority research areas on local food systems, in this exploratory research, we investigate opportunities to involve rural young people in the transformation of the food system. We document information by conducting focus group discussion (FGD) meetings in about 100 villages in the Uttarakhand hills, representing all major farming landscapes. This study mainly focuses on improving the production and consumption aspects of local food, which not only benefits the health and wellbeing of local communities but also has many positive economic, social, and environmental effects. In addition, we explore opportunities for reviving mountain agriculture through agri-ecotourism, which is a symbiotic relationship between tourism and agriculture. Making home- or farm stays in agri-ecotourism a subsistence strategy for local youth will contribute to a more prosperous rural economy. Recognising Uttarakhand’s rich culture and heritage while exploring the culinary travel opportunities in homestays will provide opportunities to focus more on traditional food systems, exposing various tangible and intangible aspects of the host region’s food culture to tourists. The findings of this study will aid in identifying specific policy issues for consideration by planners and policymakers at the local and state levels. Additionally, this exploratory study will assist young, motivated researchers in conducting follow-up, in-depth investigations and producing empirical data in their specialised fields.

Current Scenario of Wild Edible Plants (WEPs), their Importance, Possible Threats, and Conservation: A Mini Review

The knowledge of Wild Edible Plants (WEPs) is as old as human civilization and still, they are playing a supplementary role in global food security. WEPs are an integral part of their traditional food systems and have nutritional and cultural values in their routine livelihood. WEPs are increasingly considered a potential source of a naturally healthy diet. But in many cases, the available WEPs resources are under threat of various kinds like overexploitation, overgrazing, forest fires, agricultural encroachment, etc.; the changing climate also negatively impacts on WEPs. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the conservation of the diversity of WEPs and their sustainable management. The present mini-review is an attempt to present the current scenario of WEPs, their importance, and a potential source of nutrients for future food security, ethnic knowledge associated with them, threats encountered by WEPs, and their possible sustainable management scheme.

Little but Sustainable: Wine, Drinking Culture, and Negotiation of Value in Taiwan

This study examines how foreign-imported wine culture has transformed and maintained social sustainability from diverse dimensions in Taiwan. Wine culture has become popular around the world, yet it has various developments in different areas. As a country without a wine tradition and small wine consumption, the development of wine culture in Taiwan is significant in the study of the globalization of wine. This paper is based on qualitative fieldwork from 2017 to 2021 in Taiwan, including in-depth interviews with several focus groups and individuals, as well as participatory observations. This research has two major results, focusing on wine symbolism and the transformation of social meanings of drinking. Wine symbolism relates to the emphasis of “elegance” and the reframed concepts that connect wine with traditional food systems. The second finding elaborates the transformation of social meanings: wine has become an accessible luxury; wine helps to reduce the pressure of alcohol consumption; wine helps women to recreate a safer drinking social space. Taiwanese wine culture provides good examples to rethink the complexity and dynamics in socio-cultural matters, as well as the sustainability of food culture and the food system.

Reclaiming traditional food systems in alternative food networks. Insights from Mexico city peri-urban agriculture

ABSTRACT In the literature on how to make food systems just and sustainable, we often look at Alternative Food Networks (AFN) as a way forward. AFNs are initiatives that pose alternatives to conventional food systems (driven by productivism and harmful to human and environmental health). Despite this broad understanding of what AFNs can be, in practice, most cases presented in the literature look surprisingly alike. In this article, we challenge the scholars working on alternative food networks to look beyond the narrow definition of AFNs by considering cases of traditional agriculture and distribution systems. We illustrate this argument using the case of chinampas, a traditional agricultural system in Mexico City that contributes in different ways to local sustainability. Analysing semi-structured interviews conducted on site, we argue that chinampas can be defined as an alternative food network because of their modes of production, their diverse distribution channels, and their economic practices. We conclude that traditional food systems present an alternative to conventional food systems and should therefore be included in AFN research. Broadening the definition of AFNs so to include traditional and non-institutional practices can help identify diverse cases fitting this new lens, including in the Global North; it can also contribute to affirming the value of these traditional systems in building sustainable and just societies.

Barriers and supports to traditional food access in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia)

Canada is a signatory nation on international covenants, conventions, and declarations supporting the human right to food, but has not granted constitutional protection thereof. Failure to uphold the right to food contributes to unacceptably high levels of food insecurity that vary geographically and demographically, undermines health, and creates structural obstacles to food system sustainability. It is well recognized that Indigenous populations in Canada face disproportionately high rates of food insecurity compared to non-Indigenous people, and little attention is paid to the Indigenous conceptions of food security, including access to traditional food systems. The purpose of this research was to better understand the importance of, as well as barriers and supports that exist in accessing traditional food for Indigenous Peoples in Nova Scotia. Two focus groups were held with individuals who identify as Indigenous (n=16), one for those who live within a First Nations community and one for those who live outside of a First Nations community, in Nova Scotia. Focus groups were held in a talking circle format to facilitate discussion on traditional food access. Focus groups were transcribed and analyzed using the Medicine Wheel Evaluation Framework to understand in a culturally relevant way, how traditional foods impact Indigenous Nova Scotians’ health. Bronfenbrenner’s Social Ecological Model was used to locate barriers and supports to traditional food. Supports identified were community engagement, consultations and partnerships, and strength of cultural values. Barriers included knowledge transmission, lack of community, land access, cost, programs and policies, and identity loss. Nuances specific to each community are discussed. Both supports and challenges exist for traditional food access in Nova Scotia; however, barriers outweighed supports in both number and magnitude. Stronger community and political partnerships, as well as consultations with Indigenous Peoples by public and private sector developers are necessary to develop upstream solutions to traditional food access.

Potential of essential oils for protection of Couscous against Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin B1 contamination

Our study was aimed to evaluate antifungal, antiaflatoxin, and antioxidant potential of Mentha pulegium, Myrtus communis, and Mentha piperita essential oils (EOs). The EOs showed efficacy as a couscous preservative. A total of 387 fungal species were isolated from Couscous samples, with Aspergillus flavus BN (20) which is identified as the highest aflatoxin producer. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of M. pulegium and M. communis EOs against the toxigenic strain of A. flavus BN (20) determined to be 4.00 μL/mL, whereas the MIC of M. piperita was 3.50 μL/mL. The EOs inhibited the aflatoxin B 1 production at lower concentrations. The EOs showed fungitoxicity against wide-ranging of fungi and high antioxidant activity. The IC 50 value of the oils ranged between 3.27 and 4.31 μL/mL. EOs may be able to contribute preservation of food commodities against quantitative and qualitative losses. During fumigation assays in Algerian traditional food system (Couscous), the three EOs showed protection of Couscous from A. flavus contamination indicating their efficacy as sustainable fumigant in food systems. • 1.-Antifungal, antiaflatoxin, and antioxidant potential of essential oils (EOs) was studied. • 2.-The EOs inhibited the aflatoxin B 1 production at lower concentrations. • 3.-EOs showed fungitoxicity against a broad spectrum of fungi and strong antioxidant activity. • 4.-EOs may be able to provide protection of food commodities against losses. • 5.- EOs showed protection of couscous from A. flavus contamination.

Outlook on Mozambique’s Agribusiness as a Driving Force for Family Farmers

Family farming is the predominant mode of agricultural production in the world and in Mozambique, producing food, preserving traditional food systems, contributing to a balanced diet, and safeguarding the world’s agro-biodiversity. Micro and family farms have the potential to deal with the complex set of challenges faced in the region, if they are provided with the necessary support, such as agri-technology assistance, infrastructures, and organizational development, to boost local economies and lift communities out of poverty. The present review aimed at showing whether, and to what extent, services of entrepreneurial value could be provided by agrarian incubators to nurture small farmers, namely youngsters and women, to meet market requirements and make a living in the agriculture sector. The focus was on the clarification of the question to what extent smallholder farmers are currently educated at professional schools on how to become successfully self-employed. The answer to this question is needed to outline the current mismatch between vocational agriculture education of farmers and actual market requirements. It was evident that farmers are not educated to successfully meet market requirements and that agriculture incubators considering investment in agribusiness, could be a promising alternative or useful addition for farmers’ vocational preparation. Incubators provides suitable plans for market technologies with agritech start-ups delivering state-of-the-art means to motivate local adaptation, and use, of sustainable practices. There is the need to investigate how to maintain and improve family farmers’ organizations, creating vibrant and inclusive rural societies, while increasing agricultural output with product quality and safety.

Edible wild plant species used by different linguistic groups of Kohistan Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan

BackgroundThe mountainous territory of Kohistan shelters diverse food plant species and is considered one of the important hotspots of local plant knowledge. In the era of globalization and food commodification, wild food plants (WFPs) play an important role in supporting local food systems and related local knowledge is one of the important pillars of food sustainability across the region. Since the area is populated by different cultural groups and each culture has retained particular knowledge on the local plant species, therefore, to make a cross-culturally comparison, the study was planned to record and compare the local plants knowledge among three linguistic groups viz Gujjar, Kohistani and Shina in order to not only protect the local knowledge but to determine the food cultural adaptations among these groups looking through the lens of their food ethnobotanies.MethodsField ethnobotanical survey was carried out in 2020–2021 to gather the data on wild food plants. We used semi-structured interviews. Use reports were counted, and the results were visualized through Venn diagrams.ResultsIn total, 64 plant species belonging to 45 botanical families were documented. Among these Ajuga integrifolia, Barbarea verna, Clematis grata, Impatiens edgeworthii, Ranunculus laetus (vegetables), Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana (fruit), Indigofera tinctoria (flower), Juniperus excelsa, Primula elliptica, P. macrophylla (flavoring agent), Leontopodium himalayanum (Chewing gum), and Juniperus excelsa (snuff) were reported for the first time. The highest use reports (≥ 90) were recorded for Mentha longifolia, Amaranthus hybridus, Quercus semecarpifolia, Solanum miniatum, Oxalis corniculata, Ficus palmata, and Urtica dioica. Maximum number of wild food plant species (WFPs) were reported by Kohistani, followed by Shinaki and Gujjari linguistic groups. The percentage overlap of traditional knowledge on WFPs was highest among Kohistani and Shinaki (56.0%), followed by Shinaki and Gujjars (17.0%), and Kohistani and Gujjars (15.0%). Kohistani and Shinaki groups exhibited maximum homogeneity in traditional knowledge. However, Gujjars had more knowledge on WFPs compared to Kohistani and Shinaki. In addition, some dairy products viz. Bhorus, Bagora, Bak, Cholam, Kacha, Gurloo and Poyeen were reported also reported that are consumed orally and used in traditional cuisines.ConclusionsThe study indicates that Kohistan is one of the important spots of biocultural diversity and could be recognized as biocultural refugia. WFPs have been an integral part of the traditional food systems among the studied groups, particularly the Gujjars have reported more distinct plant uses which could be referred to their distinctive ecological experiences among others. However, social change is one of the challenges that might lead to the erosion of local plant knowledge. Moreover, intercultural negotiations among the studied groups are also a matter of concern which could homogenize the local knowledge among them. Therefore, we suggest solid policy measures to protect the local knowledge and celebrate diversity across this mountain territory.