Nature’s Basket: Non-Timber Treasures from Our Forests
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16278010Keywords:
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), Tribal Livelihoods, Sustainable Rural Development, Value Chain Development, Women EmpowermentAbstract
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) represent a critical yet underutilized component of India’s forest economy, providing food, income, and medicine to millions, especially tribal communities. This article explores the role of NTFPs in sustainable rural livelihoods, focusing on the forest-rich state of Odisha, where tribal populations depend heavily on products like sal leaves, tamarind, mahua, and lac. It highlights the pivotal role of women in harvesting and managing these resources and addresses key policy and market challenges such as poor value chain integration, low price realization, and weak implementation of the Forest Rights Act. With targeted policy support, infrastructure development, and community empowerment, NTFPs can drive inclusive growth while ensuring ecological conservation. The article calls for a reimagining of forest governance that integrates NTFPs into the core of India’s sustainable development strategy.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Dibyajyoti Behera, Aditya Prasad Kanungo, Swatee Prangya, Smruti Paik, Baibhabi Bindia Nayak
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
