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Diversity of Minor Fruit Species in Two Tribal Communities of Sadar Upazila, Khagrachari, Bangladesh

Md. Rishad Abdullah
Plant Conservation and Research Foundation, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Munshi Mamunur Rahman
PIU-BARC, National Agricultural Technology Program-Phase II Project, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abu Hemayet Hossain
Goat and Sheep Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Savar, Dhaka-1341

Md. Abdul Jalil
Goat and Sheep Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Savar, Dhaka-1341

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Minor fruit species play a vital role in crop diversification and the agroforestry system in hilly areas. It is also considered as a source of food and nutrition and contributes to the income of tribal people. This fruit species face deforestation and genetic erosion due to many reasons. The study was conducted to know the diversity of minor fruit species in two rural tribal villages in Sadar Upazila, Khagrachari during the periods of July, 2018 to April, 2019. All the species identified occur sparingly in the two study areas. A total of twenty five fruit species belonging to twenty genera and fifteen families were found to be consumed by the native inhabitants. Of these, eighty eight percent was grown in wild and only four percent was cultivated. Syzygium and Artocarpus were the top contributing genus (3 species each) followed by Terminalia (2 species) and the rest genus were single species each. Top contributing families were Anacardiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae and Myrtaceae (3 species each) followed by Compretaceae (2 species) and rest of family contribute with single species. Considering the conservation status twelve percent vulnerable (VU), four percent Near threatened (NT), four percent not evaluated (NE) and eighty percent species were least concern (LC). Among the species Haematocarpus validus (VU) of Compretaceae, Terminalia chebula (VU) of Compretaceae, Mangifera sylvatica (VU) of Anacardiaceae, rarely found in wild. Due to climate change, the level of poverty, and environmental degradation, there is a high risk of biodiversity loss on a large scale. Hence, research attention is needed to increase awareness of the use and management of wild edible fruits for their conservation.

Keywords: Diversity, Minor fruit, Tribal communities

Location: Panchmile and Monigram from Khagrachori Sadar, Khagrachari

Start Date: 00-07-2018

End Date: 00-04-2019

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Fruit

Objectives:

To create information minor fruits available and consume by the two local tribes which will help in sustainable conservation of these wild genetic resources also fulfill the need for sustainable forest management.

Methodology:

For conducting the study two villages were randomly selected i.e. Panchmile and Monigram from Khagrachori Sadar, Khagrachari situated entirely two different topographic locations. Panchmile village located at a distance of 10 km from center points of Khagrachori Sadar belongs to with high hilly to medium hilly land cover with mostly Teak and other forest species. The village is under Perachora union of Khagrachori Sadar comprises of 3 villages namely 5miles Kalapani, 5-mile Joitho khamar and Kaminipara. While Monigram village is situated about 11 Km from north side of District headquarters Khagrachori beside the Khagrachori-Dighinala highway. The Monigram is blessed by the river Chengi with fertile soil and water also with some places with a low hilly portion with acidic soil. In both villages, two ethic groups found living here. In Panchmile villages people belong Tripura ethnic community believe in Hindu religion, very few of some follow Baptist Church. In Monigram all people belongs to Chakma tribe and they are Buddist. The study was conducted to know diversity of fruit species in two rural tribal villages/communities in Sadar Upazila, Khagrachari during the periods of July, 2018 to April, 2019. The sample respondents for the study consisted of 60 households, 30 from each village. We selected one knowledgeable person as key informants (KI) from each household. Semi-structured questionnaires and botanical monographs were prepared, pretested and administered to HHs and KIs, respectively. All interviewees were met on a ‘one-to-one’ basis and asked the same standard (open and closed-ended) questions using the local language (Marma) based on their consent, including expansions or clarifications as needed. Repeated field observations were conducted to obtain actual information of presence, growth habit, habitat characteristics and identification of underutilized fruits species mentioned during the interviews. All encountered plants were identified and recorded by their vernacular names. Later, these were converted to their botanical names using the Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh and experience. A list of minor fruits was prepared with their up-to-date nomenclature (Rahim et al., 2011; Pasha and Uddin, 2013; www.the plant list.org).

Source of Information: Int. J. Fores. Env. | Volume 01, Issue 02, 28-34, May 2020

Article Link (Online Journal): https://doi.org/10.18801/ijfee.010220.04

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The two tribal communities of Khagrachari Sadar comprise a good number of minor fruits from their traditional practices, playing an important role to play in supporting the social diversity of ethnic people of Bangladesh. But deforestation, habitat destruction and more land under mono-cropping plantation causes threats and accelerate the disappearing from natural habitats. A strategy to promote commercial production to boost the local economy would depend not only on increasing the volume of production but with initiating processing and value addition for raw fruit.

Knowledge Management: Journal