ITANAGAR, Aug 17: A traditional Himalayan spice harvested by indigenous communities in West Kameng district of the State has emerged as a promising model of community-led livelihood and forest conservation, benefiting more than 200 households, generating a turnover of Rs 39 lakh and helping protect over 100 sq km of forest.
Known locally as Khagi, the spice is a species of Zanthoxylum, commonly associated with Sichuan pepper or Timur.
Indigenous communities have traditionally used its dried fruits as a spice and condiment, while the plant also has a place in local traditional practices, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said in a social media post today.
The initiative has helped turn what was once largely a subsistence forest resource into an organized source of income through sustainable harvesting and collective marketing.
More than 10 tonnes of Khagi have been sustainably marketed, he said.
The effort is centred around community-conserved forests in West Kameng, where indigenous communities have been working collectively to manage forest resources while creating economic opportunities.
Such Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) are locally managed ecosystems in which communities decide how natural resources are used and conserved.
The Khagi initiative gained momentum after local communities began organizing collective harvesting, aggregation and marketing.
With better market linkages, the produce could be sold collectively instead of individual families depending entirely on local traders and fluctuating prices.
The initiative has also enabled communities to use a portion of the income for conservation and community welfare.
Khagi has traditionally been collected from the wild and is particularly found in forest edges and open forests around agricultural areas of West Kameng.
Researchers have noted its considerable economic potential, while also stressing the importance of sustainable management as the spice is largely sourced from natural habitats.
Similar community-led forest produce initiatives in West Kameng have received support from organizations including WWF-India and have been linked with responsible buyers such as Dabur India, Nahar Organics and NERAMAC, helping establish more reliable market connections for non-timber forest products.
In a media post on X, Mein said Khagi was showing what was possible when indigenous knowledge was combined with community-led enterprise.
“From a traditional forest resource to a sustainable livelihood,” Mein said, describing the initiative as an example of development that creates opportunities for people while keeping forests protected.
He said such models of development should be encouraged as they combine livelihood generation with environmental conservation. (PTI)