Wild spice helps 200 Himalayan families earn Rs 39 lakh, protect forests
Indigenous communities in Arunachal Pradesh are generating income by harvesting and marketing a wild Himalayan spice called Zanthoxylum. This community-led initiative supports local livelihoods while incentivizing the protection of forest ecosystems and biodiversity.
Why it matters
It demonstrates a successful model for sustainable development where economic incentives directly contribute to environmental conservation in remote regions.
For generations, indigenous communities in Arunachal Pradesh had been using a spice in their food for its citrusy, tongue-tingling flavour. The native plant was a part of their world and that's all they knew. But today, the small spice is helping 200 families gain a livelihood while also protecting agricultural land.On autumn mornings, residents of Arunachal Pradesh's West Kameng district head into the forest with baskets, looking for a thorny shrub that has shaped local food, medicine and trade for generations.
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