Non-Timber Forest Products: Diversity and Used Pattern at Majuli the Brahmaputra River Island of Assam, India

Abstract

The Brahmaputra valley is unique in its plant biodiversity. The natives of Majuli dependent on non-timber forest products for their daily livelihood needs. The present paper focus on 64 medicinal plant species belongs to 43 families and 22 wild edible plants belonging to 21 families that were used in different activities in day-to-day life.

Keywords

Medicinal plants, Wild edible plants, Majuli, Island.

Introduction

The north-eastern India along with its Eastern Himalayan region is considered on global level as a ‘hotspot’ of biological diversity and also has rich cultural as well as ethnic diversity. About 88% populations are living in rural areas that practices forest based livelihood systems [1]. Shifting cultivation is the main occupation of the people in north-eastern hill region that leads to shrinking of forest cover, [1,2]. Assam has only 33.44% forest cover, which supports variety of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) yielding species. The use of NTFPs is an old as human existence. In rural areas it plays the major role in socioeconomic upliftment and sustenance. NTFPs provide as source of food, fodder, fiber, herbal products, house construction materials, cultural needs etc. It is the oldest trade commodities in the world [3] that have recently gained a remarkable significance throughout the world in determining the rural economy [4,5] and simultaneously to conserve the biodiversity [6,7,8].

Although the forests of Assam are rich in NTFP yielding species, fragmentation of forest areas and clearing of natural habitat for agriculture and settlements is a regular phenomenon that leads reduction of natural forest cover and erosion of forest resources [8]. Disturbances of tropical rain forests decreases the natural habitat [9,10] and a large number of species being extinct [11]. The forest fringe villagers are chief user group of NTFPs [12,13,14]. Their degree of dependence varies with divergence of socio-economic conditions, distribution, cultural and religious norms, literacy etc. In respect of wild plants it is mostly seasonal. The present paper attempted to document on the diversity and utilization pattern of NTFPs especially medicinal plants and wild edible plants of world largest river Island Majuli.

Materials and Methods

The study was carried out in Majuli, the largest river Island in this world. It is lies between 26°45’ to 27°12N latitude and 93039 to 94035’E longitude with 85-95 m above sea level. The Island is about 80 km of length and for about 10-15 km north to south direction with a total area of about 875 sq km. Majuli is purely a region of fluvial geomorphology. It rises from the Brahmaputra basin and in course of time turned into a flate-level alluvial plain. The Island is bounded by the river Subonsiri and her tributaries that make it unique vegetation. In present study extensive field surveys were made during 2013-2014. Detailed household surveys were done using a semi-structured questionnaire emphasizing on the used pattern of NTFPs. 20 percent households in each selected villages were sampled randomly. Information on NTFP plant species and their utilization pattern were collected through personal interview with the village headman and other villagers of different age group and sex. The collected specimens were preserved as herbarium and the voucher specimen were kept in the department of botany, D.R. College, Golaghat, Assam.

Results and Discussion

The indigenous knowledge on forest resources is unique to a given culture or a human society. NTFPs especially medicinal plants, wild edible plants and rattans and bamboos etc. are the alternative sources of livelihood system for the local people of Majuli. Conversely, agriculture is the major sources of livelihood economy in the study area where NTFPs take part in key role in daily life. Medicinal plants and wild edible NTFPs that were used by the people of Majuli were described below.

Medicinal plants

Natural barrier, higher average annual rainfall makes the region rich species diversity and more endemism. Medicinal plants the important NTFPs that have been utilizing by human beings for the treatment of different diseases such as – malaria, dysentery, jaundice, abdominal disorders, cut and wounds, fractures etc. Commonly used parts of the medicinal plants are leaves, barks, roots, rhizome, fruits, young twigs, whole plants etc. A total 64 species of medicinal plants belongs to 43 families and 59 genera were recorded in present study (Table 1).

Table 1: Medicinal used NTFPs

Wild edible plants

Wild dibble plants are another set of NTFPs that provides variety of seasonal vegetable and fruits to the local people. A total 22 species of wild edible plants belongs to 18 families were recorded in present study (Table 2).

Table 2: Wild edible NTFPs

Conclusion

The increasing demand for medicinal plants threats the natural resource management for sustainable utilization [15,16]. Evidently, extraction of medicinal plants from the wild habitats causes ecosystem imbalance and extinction of sensitive plant species [8]. In the present study area NTFPs were collected from natural habit. Therefore, cultivation of wild species in homestead garden may not only be beneficial from economical viewpoint but also from ecological point of view. Domestication of wild species and their sustainable use has to be promoted for conservation of species diversity in general and Island plants species of Majuli in particular.

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to Ministry of Environment and Forest Government of India for financial assistance. Authors are also thankful to the Principal, D.R. College and HoD Department of Botany, D.R. College for providing basic facilities to carry out the research work. Thanks to Mr. Rituraj Kalita and local people for their help during field work.

References

1. Kushwaha SPS. Land use/ cover changes in the north-eastern hills region, In: Ramakrishnan PS, Saxena KG, Rao KS, Editors. Shifting agriculture and sustainable development of northeastern India- tradition and transition.Oxford & IBH publishing Pvt. Ltd.New Delhi, UNESCO (MAB), p-3-15; 2006.
2. Ramakrishanan PS. Shifting agriculture and sustainable development: An interdisciplinary study from north-eastern India. MAB book series, UNESCO, Wiley Eastern, New Delhi, India.1993.
3. Panayotou T, Ashton PS. Not by timber alone: Economics and ecology for sustaining tropical forests. Island Press, Washington, DC, USA; 1993.
4. Godoy RA, Bawa KS. The economic value and sustainable harvest of plants and animals from the tropical forest: assumption, hypotheses and method. Econ Bot. 1993; 47: 215-219.
5. Sarmah R, Arunachalam A, Arunachalam K, Adhikari D, Majumder M. Production and marketing of agricultural and non-timber forest products around Namdapha national park in Arunachal Pradesh. In: Arunachalam A, Arunachalam K, Editors. Biodiversity: Utilization & Conservation. Aavishkar publishers, Jaipur, Rajasthan, p. 252-257; 2008.
6. Uma Shankar, Murali KS, Uma Shaanker R, Ganeshaiha KN, Bawa, KS.Extration of non-timber forest products in the forests of BilgiriRangan Hills, India, 3.Productivity, extraction and prospects of sustainable harvest of amla, Phyllanthusemblica(Euphorbiaceae).Econ Bot. 1996; 50: 270-279.
7. Sarmah R, Adhikari D, Majumder M, Arunachalam A, Upadhyaya N, Tapasvi SK. Institutional arrangement for forest management in Arunachal Pradesh: A case study from Namdapha national park. Arunachal Univ Res J. 2004; 7 (1): 15-26.
8. Sarmah R. Non-timber forest products: Extraction and impact on plant community structure in and around Namdapha national park of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Indian J Plant Sci. 2012; 1 (2-3): 192-207.
9. Myers N. Tropical forest: Much more than stock of wood. J Trop Ecol. 1988; 4: 209-221.
10. Myers N, Muttermeier RA, Muttermeier CG, Fonseca GAB, Kents J. Biodiversity hot- spots for conservation priorities. Nature.2000; 403: 853-858.
11. Wilson. The Diversity of Life. Harvard University Press,1992.
12. Sarmah R, Arunachalam A, Majumder M, Melkania U, Adhikari D. Ethno-medico-botany of Chakmas in Arunachal Pradesh, India. The Indian Forester. 2006; 132 (4): 474-484.
13. Sarmah R, Adhikari D, Majumder M, Arunachalam A. Traditional medicobotany of Chakma community residing in the northwestern periphery of Namdapha national park in Arunachal Pradesh. Indian J Trad Knowledge. 2008; 7 (4): 587-593.
14. Sarmah R, Arunachalam A, Melkania U. Utilization pattern of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) by the tribal people in Changland district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. J Non-Timber Forest Prod. 2011; 18 (2): 105-118
15. Sarmah R, Arunachalam A. Contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPS) to livelihood economy of the people living in forest fringes in Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Indian J Fund App Life Sci. 2011; 1: (2): 11-15
16. Sarmah R. Commonly used non-timber forest products (NTFPs) by the Lisu tribe in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Sibsagar College Teachers Journal. 2010; 5: 68-77