Assessment of Traditionally Used Wild Edible Plants and Its Impact on Health and Livelihood among the Ethnic Communities of Tripura

Abstract

Tripura is the third smallest state of India with 19 ethnic tribes. The local peoples of Tripura widely consume wild edible plants as vegetables in their daily diet to fulfil their nutritional need and sometimes as traditional medicine too. A survey was carried out in different parts of Tripura among the 19 ethnic communities. The selection criterion for the survey area included the presence of tribal communities. During the field survey, 61 species of wild edible plants belonging to 34 families and 53 genera were identified. These species were being used as food and medicine by the indigenous communities of Tripura. Out of 61 species, 25 are annual, and 36 are perennial. Herbaceous plants make up the highest proportion of edible plants followed by trees. The ethnic communities of Tripura largely depend on the wild vegetables and thus require sustainable management of the resources by some control on their harvest and use of the wild edible plant resources.