NATURE+ in India fields two surveys; attends Wild Edible Plant Species Exhibition and Recipe Competition

By Alie Galeon and Smitha Krishnan, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

The CGIAR Nature Positive Solutions Initiative in India deployed two surveys in Shahada Cluster in Nandurbar District, in Maharastra State, to assess the impact of Integrated Renewable Energy and Sustainable Agriculture (IRESA) units on firewood consumption and identify farmers’ preferences and ecological knowledge on tree traits to fill data gaps in the Diversity for Restoration (D4R) decision support tool.

The D4R tool provides a growing wealth of tree information for restoration projects to help communities and supporters make restoration more successful.

With the BAIF Development Research Foundation and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) as partners, the first study focused on understanding farming practices, including barriers and enablers of technology adoption among 30 households that adopted the IRESA technology. The team also interviewed 10 households without adoption as control.

As the study sought to reduce the overall dependency to fuel wood consumption while advancing a biogas model for a sustainable crop-livestock farming system, the team requested information on the tree species growing on the respondents’ farms and the extent of dependence on those trees for implementing household activities, especially cooking.

From one farming system to another, the second study gathered information from farming households in Shahada to help develop a decision support tool specific to agri-horti-forestry based farming systems. The survey zoomed in on plant traits and agro-ecological aspects to compile a comprehensive database of potential species and consequently address data gaps on tree traits under the forestry component of D4R tool.

“The tool can help address issues related to suitability, compatibility between sites and species, advancing social-ecological restoration, and creating multifunctional ecosystems. The tool also enables non-expert users to select tree species and seed sources that best match farm conditions and planting objectives,” the study says.

Wild Edible Plant Species Exhibition and Recipe Competition 

While in Shahada, the team joined the BAIF-led Wild Edible Plant Species Exhibition and Recipe Competition which primarily aimed at bolstering species conservation and traditional knowledge preservation by encouraging the sharing and revival of traditional recipes.

As many of the wild edible plants are underutilized and are at the risk of being forgotten, BAIF said the exhibition would also help raise awareness on the nutritional and medicinal value of wild edible plant species, enhancing dietary diversity and supporting food security, particularly among rural and tribal communities.

The one-day exhibition event displayed creative and innovative dishes from local participants to help promote healthier and more sustainable food choices while fostering a sense of pride and ownership in their natural resources