Have you ever considered the nutritional potential of the wild plants surrounding you? Many of these plants, often dismissed as weeds, are, in fact, edible and can be a significant source of nourishment.

My SBI Youth for India fellowship, with Gram Vikas in Odisha, brought me face to face with the extraordinary resilience of the Saura Adivasis in Babanasahi village, within the Patrapur block of Ganjam district. The Saura Adivasis, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), primarily relies on agriculture supplemented by daily wage labour.

Historically, their lives were deeply interwoven with the forest – their home and provider. The community consisted of food gatherers who inhabited inaccessible interior forest areas of the Eastern Ghats. The forest’s ecology, diverse flora, and fauna were their lifeline, offering food, subsistence, survival, and livelihoods. They foraged and collected honey, gum, amla, bamboo, shrubs, fuel wood, dry leaves, nuts, sprouts, wax, medical plants, roots and tubes, consuming some and selling the surplus at local markets.

Bhagirathi Karjee, 55, a farmer from Babanasahi, says, “We have lived in these hills for a long time, relying on the forest for food, firewood, fodder, herbs, and medicines. But as more land is cleared for farming, the forests have gotten smaller. Now, there are fewer trees, plants, and shrubs than we used to get for food, fuel, and medicine.”

The community currently grapples with health concerns such as anaemia and undernutrition, particularly among women and children. Recognising the lack of dietary diversity as a potential cause, I sought to design an intervention using localised solutions to ensure easy access to nutritious food.

Eating local

Working closely with the community, I helped identify and promote the cultivation of locally adapted, nutrient-rich vegetables, considering their everyday struggles to make ends meet. My approach incorporated both cultivated and uncultivated plants.

The first intervention promoted vegetable cultivation primarily for household consumption rather than market sale. Although the community grew vegetables, households sold most of the produce.

I encouraged families to retain a portion of their locally grown vegetables to ensure a steady source of micronutrients. Ten households received vegetable seeds to establish gardens, with women taking charge of their upkeep. Regular monitoring ensured the gardens flourished, ultimately enhancing the local availability of micronutrients.

The second intervention tapped into the local food biodiversity, particularly Wild Edible Plants (WEPs). These uncultivated plants, rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins A and C, protein, fibre, iron, and zinc, play a crucial role in addressing undernutrition. WEPs have been integral to the indigenous food systems of Adivasi communities for centuries.

Rediscovering the nutritional power of wild edible plants

I organised agrobiodiversity walks to help the community reconnect with their food heritage. During these walks, participants identified and foraged WEPs in the village and forest nearby. These walks were not just about collecting food but also about learning and sharing knowledge about the local food biodiversity. I also conducted cooking demonstrations, developed recipes using WEPs, and engaged the community in discussions about the relevance of indigenous food systems for nutrition.

During the cooking demonstrations, the community prepared dishes using WEPs like Gudugudia saga (Celosia argentea) and Kantamari saga (Amaranthus spinosus), two examples of the many nutritious wild plants used. I encouraged everyone, especially children, to explore these nutritious wild plants. Additionally, I developed dietary plans for pregnant women, highlighting locally available foods to promote a healthy pregnancy.

The community’s invaluable contribution was one of the most rewarding aspects of this project. Their traditional knowledge of the Indigenous food system was not just a resource but a cornerstone of the project’s success. I had the chance to forage for WEPs in and around the village, streams, hills, and forests, guided by their wisdom and experience. It was a testament to their rich knowledge and a source of respect and appreciation for their culture and traditions.

Community members, including children, were remarkably knowledgeable about WEPs and the unique flavours of each plant. They guided me to plants like Barada Saga (Bauhinia purpurea), Madaranga Saga (Alternanthera sessilis), wild berries, and bamboo shoots.

The role of wild edible plants in Adivasi nutrition

Older community members, like Bhagirathi Karjee and Kothi Karjee, shared memories of when diverse, nutrient-rich foods were more abundant.

Bhagirathi said, “Paddy farming and other crops have decreased because we don’t have enough water for irrigation. After Cyclone Titli hit in 2018, the stream we used for irrigation changed its path. Now, people mostly eat food from the markets, so they use fewer wild plants in their diet.”

Kothi Karjee, 65, a resident said, “If you eat wild plants, you won’t get sick. Our ancestors mostly ate wild fruits and vegetables, and they were much healthier than we are today.”

This project on promoting Wild Edible Plants underscores the vital role of abundant, sustainable, and culturally significant local food systems in ensuring nutrition security for the Adivasi community.

Through my work in Babanasahi, I gained a deeper appreciation for the potential of WEPs and local food systems to significantly improve community nutrition. The project’s potential impact on community health and nutrition underscores the need to protect, revive and preserve traditional food sources to tackle these challenges.